da Vinci

Kip Fletcher
ENGL 2332.151
13 Nov. 2017
Introduction to the Renaissance
The Renaissance, meaning "rebirth" in French, refers to the
social and cultural movement in Europe from the 14th to 17th
centuries. It represented a revival of arts and learning reminiscent of
the classic civilizations of Greece and Rome.
Originating in Florence, Italy the Renaissance began with the
discovery of ancient Roman letters by an Italian bureaucrat named
Francisco Petrarch (1304-1374). Petrarch started a drive that
espoused the classical ideals of the Greco-Roman era and is
considered the founder of the Renaissance.
The most fundamental aspect of the Renaissance was the
concept of Humanism – understanding the human experience. The
goal of humanism in scholastic endeavors was to replace the
emphasis on logic and theology with ancient literature, history,
ethics, and rhetoric.
With the development of the printing press 1450 books
became more widely available to the population. This created a
greater demand for literacy and education, thus fueling the growth of
the Renaissance.
Although the influence of the Renaissance extended to every
form of creativity, it is best known for the artistry produced by iconic
figures like Botticelli, Michelangelo, and Leonardo da Vinci.
The Early Life of Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo was born in Vinci, a small town in the Tuscany
region, in 1452. His father Piero was a public official and his
mother a peasant named Caterina. They relocated to Florence
in the 1460's where Leonardo's social and intellectual
development was rapid.
At age 15, Leonardo began learning painting, sculptor and
technical arts from Andrea del Verrocchio. His first projects
were church altarpieces and marble and bronze sculptors.
Leonardo joined the painters guild of Florence in 1472 and
by 1478 was an independent artist. One of his earliest
commissions was the Adoration of the Magi, an altarpiece
painting ("Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519)").
From 1482 to 1500 Leonardo lived in Venice where he
was employed at the court of Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan.
He was the chief engineer for Sforza's military programs in
addition to continuing his career as an artist and architect.
Among other pieces Leonardo composed during this time was
Virgin on the Rocks, Lady with an Ermine, Vitruvian Man
(cover slide), and The Last Supper.
da Vinci's Later Years
Leonardo moved to Venice in 1500 at the request of
the governing council to devise a solution to defend the
city against a possible Turk invasion. Leonardo's advice
was to flood the outskirts of the city.
In 1502 he began working for Cesare Borgia, son of
Pope Alexander VI, as an architect and engineer. He
assisted in the construction of numerous papal
fortresses in Central Italy. Here he began a large mural
called Battle of Anghiari for the Palazzo Vecchio but
never finished. Around this time he completed the
Mona Lisa and his self-portrait as shown to the right.
Leonardo lived in Rome from 1514 to 1516, working
for Giuliano de Medici, the brother of Pope Leo X. He
focused on his scientific interests, laying the foundation
for later studies in anatomy, astronomy, geology, and
medicine.
In 1516 Leonardo travelled to France where he
became a servant of King Francis I. He died in France
on May 2, 1519.
da Vinci's Greatest
Works
Considered by many to be da Vinci's most
famous masterpiece is the Mona Lisa. Some may
argue it to be the most recognizable piece of
artwork in the world. The Mona Lisa was
completed between 1503 and 1519 and is also
referred to as "la Giaconda" which means the
laughing one. The woman's name is believed to be
Lisa Gherardini. She was the wife of Francesco Del
Giocondo, the Italian merchant who requested the
portrait. According to totallyhistory.com it was to
"celebrate their home’s completion, as well as a
celebration of the birth of their second son."
One of the main reasons for the Mona Lisa's
popularity is the woman's smile, which has long
been a topic of discussion. The smile symbolizes
happiness, the portraits central theme. The Mona
Lisa is now located in the Louvre in Paris.
da Vinci's Greatest
Works Cont'd.
Second only to The Mona Lisa in da Vinci's
monumental productions is The Last Supper,
commissioned by Sforza and completed in
1498. The Last Supper is a mural painting,
approximately 15' x 29', done on a wall of the
Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan,
Italy. It displays the scene of Jesus Christ,
center, having a last meal with his disciples, the
Twelve Apostles, in Jerusalem prior to his
crucifixion.
In Christian worship the last supper is
acknowledged with the performance of the
Eucharist or "Holy Communion." This scene
illustrates the disciples reacting with horror
when Jesus reveals that one of them will betray
him. A key symbolic device in this piece is the
use of the number three – the Apostles are in
groups of three, there are three windows, and
Jesus' head and arms form a triangle –
corresponding to the holy trinity.
da Vinci's Greatest
Works Cont'd.
Lady with an Ermine is another of da Vinci's
highly acclaimed works. Finished in 1490, it is a
portrait of a woman named Cecilia Gallerani.
Cecilia was a mistress of Sforza, Duke of Milan
and da Vinci's patron during this period.
The painting shows Cecilia holding a weasel
to represent her as being a pure and honorable
woman. A second possible interpretation of the
ermine is to allude to Sforza who was nicknamed
the "white ermine."
Technology has found that the original
composition included a door in the background,
shorter hair on the subject, and the absence of an
animal. Lady with an Ermine is currently housed
in the Czartoryski Museum in Krakow, Poland.
da Vinci's Greatest Works
Cont'd.
The Virgin of the Rocks (also called Madonna of the Rocks) actually
refers to two almost identical paintings, both rendered by da Vinci. The
initial version (shown on left) was finished between 1483 – 1486. Aside
from the minor contrasts, its most obvious difference from the later
version is the inclusion of the pointing right hand of the angel.
This work was commissioned by the Confraternity of the Immaculate
Conception for the church of San Francesco Grande in Milan. At its
center sits the Virgin Mary with John the Baptist to her right. To her left is
an angel and the Christ Child who blesses the kneeling St. John. The
rocky background is unique since it generally wouldn't be typical of a
heavenly space. This version of Virgin of the Rocks hangs in the Louvre
in Paris, and the other is in the National Gallery in London.
Although there are other earlier works generally accepted to belong
to da Vinci, Adoration of the Magi (1481) shown in slide 3 is universally
accepted to be da Vinci's creation. It depicts the Virgin Mary with baby
Jesus surrounded by observers. They are being adored by the Magi
kneeling in the foreground. In the background sits a pagan building and
to the right a battle with mounted men. The scene in this unfinished
painting includes techniques that Leonardo was commonly known for
such as figure composition and personal drama.
An Embodiment of the Renaissance
As the quintessential "Renaissance Man", a
colloquial term for a practitioner of many trades,
da Vinci was not only an artist but also a scientist,
engineer, mathematician and inventor.
Throughout his life, da Vinci is believed to have
authored 30 scientific journals documenting his
ideas and inventions. The Codex Atlanticus
(shown on right) containing writings and drawings
of war machines, diving suits, aircraft, and
architectural and urban projects is among the
most influential in his collection. Dated from 1478-
1519 its length is 1119 pages and also includes
theories on painting, sculptor, optics and
perspective (milano24ore.net). The Codex
Leicester is a similar manuscript with 72 pages of
notes and sketches mainly related to the attributes
of water and the solar system. It is written in
mirror-image style to allow comprehension by only
those intelligent enough to decipher this code.
 Works Cited

"Adoration of the Magi." commons.wikimedia.org, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Leonardo_da_Vinci_Adoration_of_the_Magi.jpg. Accessed

Anirudh. "Lady with an Ermine." "10 MOST FAMOUS PAINTINGS BY LEONARDO DA VINCI." learnodo-newtonic.com, learnodo-
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Anirudh. "Virgin on the Rocks." "10 MOST FAMOUS PAINTINGS BY LEONARDO DA VINCI." learnodo-newtonic.com, learnodo-
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facsimilefinder.com, www.facsimilefinder.com/facsimiles/codex-atlanticus-facsimile. Accessed 23 Nov. 2017.

Ghose, Tia. "Mona Lisa." livescience.com, www.livescience.com/53038-hidden-painting-real-mona-lisa.html. Accessed 22 Nov. 2017.

Hals, Dirck. "Banquet Scene in a Renaissance Hall." commons.wikimedia.org, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dirck_Hals_-

to add text
 Works Cited Cont'd.

"Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519)." Civilizations and Societies: The Ancient and Modern Worlds, edited by Mounir A. Farah, et
al., Sharpe Reference, 2013, pp. 749-752. Gale Virtual Reference Library, ezproxy.southplainscollege.edu:2073/ps/i.do?
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Accessed 22 Nov. 2017.

"The Last Supper." studyblue.com, www.studyblue.com/notes/note/n/16th-century-italy/deck/1153531. Accessed 22 Nov. 2017.

"Leonardo da Vinci." totallyhistory.com, totallyhistory.com/leonardo-da-vinci/. Accessed 22 Nov. 2017.

"Mona Lisa." totallyhistory.com, totallyhistory.com/mona-lisa/. Accessed 24 Nov. 2017.

"Vitruvian-Man." hum011bmc.wordpress.com, hum011bmc.wordpress.com/2013/01/30/168/. Accessed 22 Nov. 2017.

milano24ore.net, www.milano24ore.net/cityinfo/supper/codex_atlanticus.php. Accessed 25 Nov. 2017.