The Renaissance was a period that marked the separation of the modern world from the Middle Ages. It was a time of renewal in Western culture, specifically in the fields of art, science, and thinking. The pioneers set the standards for early modern art and science during this period. Among these leaders is the renowned Leonardo da Vinci, an accomplished sculptor, engineer, mechanic, inventor, and architect. Famous for his accomplishments in art, engineering, and science, Leonardo da Vinci had a major impact on the Renaissance.
Leonardo da Vinci: The Early Years and Artistic Journey
Leonardo da Vinci grew up living a childhood with only his father to raise him. His parents were unmarried at the time of his birth on April 15, 1452, in Vinci. His father, Ser Piero, was a notary of Florence and his mother, Caterina, was a peasant who married an artisan shortly after his birth. By age 15, his father apprenticed him to the artist Andrea del Verrocchio. Verrocchio was a skillful sculptor, painter, and goldsmith, and his interest in expressing the mobility of the human figure influenced Leonardo’s art. After completing his apprenticeship, Leonardo remained in Verrocchio’s workshop as an assistant and painted one of his earliest known paintings. He collaborated with Verrocchio on ‘The Baptism of Christ’, which during the Italian Renaissance was common for a master and assistant to work on a major project together. Leonardo’s use of soft effects in his paintings makes the edges less cutting and completely possesses all the fundamental qualities of Leonardo’s mature style, implying a criticism of the early Renaissance. Leonardo’s unique style made him stand out during the Renaissance period. His original approach to art was very developed for his young age and he wanted to change the way art was made.
1482 Leonardo moved to Milan to serve the duke with his skills in many occupations. He was particularly skilled in military engineering and insisted that he had worked out improved methods for firing catapults and redirecting rivers. Leonardo’s first Milanese painting is ‘The Virgin of the Rocks’. It was an altarpiece that made use of an ancient tradition in which the Holy Family is shown in a cave. One of his most famous paintings was ‘The Last Supper’ from his Milanese years. Instead of using fresco, he tried using an oil-based medium to make areas of color appear less distinct. Unfortunately, the paint did not adhere well to the wall, making his attempt unsuccessful. Within 50 years, the scene was reduced to a jumbled series of spots on the wall.
In 1500, Leonardo returned to Florence and was received as a distinguished man. Florentine painters were excited by his modern methods, and he also had a powerful effect on the younger group of artists. During his six years in Florence, Leonardo completed more projects than in any other period of his life. His most famous project during this period was the ‘Mona Lisa’, which eventually became the most famous painting in the world to this day. The painting is a portrait of a Florentine lady named Lisa Gerhardini, wife of Francesco Zanobi del Giocondo. She is depicted with such a pleasant smile that it seems rather divine than human, and is considered marvelous, an exact copy of nature. The figure is shown smiling slightly, which makes it more human-like. Leonardo wanted to remove that melancholy that painting usually gives to portraits. He had the ability to create all of these remarkable paintings because of a rare eye condition called intermittent exotropia. One of his eyes turned outward when relaxed, but he was able to straighten his alignment when focusing.
Leonardo’s Engineering Marvels: The Futuristic Visionary
As previously stated, Leonardo was an excellent engineer and innovator. He designed many projects, especially in the field of military machinery. Leonardo observed that the study of mechanics reflected the workings of nature. He understood the principles of mechanics very well and contributed to the advancement of them. His notebooks used demonstration models to explain the basic mechanical principles and functions employed in building machinery. His ‘aerial screw’ designed in 1487 seemed almost a prototype model for the modern-day helicopter. Very closely resembling the design of a screw, it used a spinning motion to push air downward in order to lift itself upward. Leonardo also studied the flight of birds and designed the ‘ornithopter’, a human-powered flying machine mirroring the anatomy of a bird. A person would flap their arms and legs using pulleys connected to wings to achieve a glide above the ground at most. His most incredible design was probably the ‘armored car’, an early model of the modern-day tank. It was shaped like an upside-down cone and had wheels arranged to make it move in any direction. There were also cannons on every side for maximum coverage, and the metal plating made it protective against enemy fire. This innovation is so impressive that it was not made into reality until roughly 400 years later to be used in war.
Leonardo as a Scientist: Unraveling the Secrets of the Human Body
Leonardo was also a very skilled scientist. The Renaissance brought light to science by celebrating the human form. The practice of exploring the human body was never really accepted beforehand. Leonardo was fascinated with anatomical studies, and in the 1490s, his study of anatomy had grown into an independent area of research. He uncovered the structure of the human body and sought to comprehend its physical working. Over the next two decades, he worked on the Milan dissection table. In his own lifetime, Leonardo dissected 30 corpses. His early studies dealt with the skeleton and muscles; he then studied the body's parts. This led him to study the brain, heart, and lungs, motors for life's senses. Leonardo’s findings from these studies were recorded in the famous anatomical drawings, which are among the most significant achievements of Renaissance science. His drawings offered insight into the organs and muscles. These drawings gave a visible representation of the body, which helped relay information better than words can describe. Leonardo imposed the principle of geometry on the configuration of the human body with circles and squares. This led to the drawing of ‘Vitruvian Man’, which connected humans as being proportional in the universe.
Leonardo’s greatest impact came in Florence just after his return in 1500 when young artists were able to grasp and convey his message rather than copy the superficial aspects of his style. Leonardo da Vinci influenced, directly or indirectly, all paintings from the Renaissance to the present day and will continue to have a major impact on the future.