Leonardo found world fame, thanks to the comprehensive developed intellect. This unique person made several discoveries in the field of medicine, science, engineering, which changed the world.
And although the genius himself considered himself a scientist, and painting was just a hobby, his descendants put his contribution to art on the same level with other merits, because the artist’s paintings are truly masterpieces. However, see for yourself the photos of the original paintings posted on this page in good quality with an increase in significant areas and with a description of each masterpiece of the artist.
The name of the canvas, written in 1503-1505, is translated as "Portrait of Mrs. Lisa Gioconda."
The identity of the woman depicted remains a mystery to this day, although plausible version, she is the wife of a silk merchant with whom da Vinci was friends in Florence.
Mona Lisa is a girl in dark robes, half turned to the viewer. Every detail of the image is spelled out in incredible detail, and the slight smile that touches her lips is a pleasant surprise. The portrait is considered one of the best in its genre and conveys the most sublime thoughts. Italian Renaissance. On this moment he adorns the Louvre in Paris.
Painting by Da Vinci titled "The Isleworth Mona Lisa"
A portrait of the same Mrs. Liza, but differing in the background, the presence of columns and less careful drawing of details. There is controversy regarding the time of its writing.
Some historians claim that this is a late version of the Mona Lisa, while others are sure that this is its first version.
The painting was sold to the collector Blaker, who placed it in own studio located in Isleworth, West London. This area gave the “name” to the legendary portrait.
Artwork - "Madonna Litta"
Litta is a Milanese family that kept the Madonna along with other paintings in their collection throughout the 19th century. Today the painting belongs State Hermitage. It was painted in 1490-1491 and depicts a woman nursing a baby.
The girl's gaze, thoughtful and full of tenderness, is fixed on the child. The baby, on the other hand, looks at the viewer, holding the mother's breast with one hand and holding the goldfinch in the other.
"Madonna Benois"
The painting was painted in 1478-1480 and is not completed. Today it belongs to the Imperial Hermitage.
Da Vinci placed the Madonna and baby Jesus in a semi-dark room illuminated by light from an open window.
A special play of light and forms is felt in the work. The girl smiles sincerely, and the well-fed, serious kid looks with enthusiasm at the cruciferous flower.
"Madonna in the Rocks"
Under this name, there are two almost identical paintings. The Louvre has a version painted around 1483-1486, and the National Gallery of London has a version created a little later.
The canvas depicts the Virgin Mary, John the Baptist, an angel and baby Jesus. In general, it has a peaceful atmosphere, saturated with tenderness. sheer cliffs, which are landscape backgrounds, create an exclusive contrast.
"Madonna and Child with Saint Anne"
This painting is often confused with da Vinci's Saint Anne with the Madonna and the Christ Child. "Madonna and Child with Saint Anne" belongs to the brush German artist Albrecht Durer. It was written in 1519 and has nothing to do with the world famous genius.
"Madonna with a Carnation"
The painting was not known until 1889, when it ended up in the Alte Pinakothek museum.
It depicts a calm Madonna with the baby Jesus in her arms, who looks at the child with undisguised tenderness. The child is active, he seems to be playing, stretching out his hands to an invisible butterfly.
"Saint Anne with the Madonna and the Christ Child" unfinished painting
This unfinished masterpiece is today in the Louvre in Paris. To create it, da Vinci used a story known in Italy, in which the Madonna is on her mother Anna's lap, holding her own son Jesus in her arms.
The effect is called mise en abyme. The estimated date of writing is 1508-1510.
"Lady with an Ermine"
The painting, created in 1489-1490, is kept in Poland. It is believed that the portrait depicts Cecilia Gallerani, the mistress of Lodovico Sforza, the Duke of Milan.
The girl is written in detail and realistically. The presence of ermine has many versions. According to the most common, this animal symbolizes purity and chastity. It is placed on the picture to convey these features of Cecilia, to point out her extramarital relationship with the duke, which does not tarnish the reputation of the beauty, but is a manifestation of sincere love.
"Ginevra de Benci" - artistic depiction of the poetess
She was a famous poetess and Platonic lover of Bernardo Bembo, who, according to historians, is the commissioner of the portrait.
Da Vinci worked on it from 1474 to 1476.
The girl on the canvas is not smiling, she is thoughtful and calm, dressed in a simple dress without frills. She is only adorned with a scarf and a small pearl around her neck. The painting is currently on display at the Washington National Gallery of Art.
"Ginevra de Benci" (reverse)
On the back of the portrait of Ginevra de Benci, an emblem is drawn by Leonardo da Vinci: a vertical branch of a juniper framed by a wreath of laurel and palm branches, which are intertwined with a ribbon with the Latin phrase: "Virtutem forma decorat".
In translation, the saying sounds no less luxurious: "Beauty is the adornment of virtue."
The palm branch and laurel represent virtue, and the juniper represents the poetic component. The background imitates a porphyry slab, symbolizing rare and unchanging perfection.
"Leda and the Swan" - a copy of the artist's painting
This painting is now lost, but copies of it, written by other artists, preliminary sketches by da Vinci, references in historical documents. The estimated time of writing is 1508.
The canvas depicted Leda standing in full height and hugging the neck of a swan. The girl looked at the children playing in the grass. Judging by the shell lying nearby, the babies were born from large eggs.
"Isabella d'Este"
Isabella d'Este is called the "prima donna of the Renaissance."
She was a great connoisseur of art and one of the famous girls Italy. Isabella was friends with da Vinci and repeatedly asked to create her portrait, but the genius took it up only once.
Alas, after creating a sketch with a pencil, which the artist completed in 1499, he abandoned his creation.
"The Baptism of Christ" - painting by da Vinci and Andrei Verrocchio
This painting was painted by da Vinci in collaboration with his teacher Andrea Verrocchio in 1475.
It was ordered by the Benedictine monastery of the Vallombrosians of San Salvia, who kept the painting until 1530, after which he handed it over to the Florentine Uffizi Gallery.
Fragment of the painting "The Baptism of Christ" - a personal work of Leonardo
Connoisseurs of da Vinci's work can enjoy a fragment of the Baptism of Christ, made personally by Leonardo.
Part of the picture depicts individual elements of the landscape and two angels - the one on the left is the work of a genius. According to legend, Verrocchio was so impressed by the skill of the student that he abandoned the art, considering himself unworthy of it.
"Adoration of the Magi"
The painting was commissioned by the Augustinian monks from the monastery of San Donato in 1481, but was not completed due to the fact that the artist had to leave for Milan. To date, the work is stored in the Uffizi Gallery.
In the background you can see the ruins of a palace or, presumably, a pagan temple, riders on horseback, rocks. In the center of the canvas is Mary with the newborn Jesus. She was surrounded by pilgrims wishing to bow to the son of God.
Historians believe that da Vinci wrote the extreme guy on the right from his nature.
"John the Baptist"
Painting in classical style, which differs from others in the absence of a landscape and a dull background, was created in 1514-1516. Today it can be seen in the Louvre in Paris.
The figure of John the Baptist is equipped with traditional symbols:
- thin reed cross;
- woolen clothes;
- long hair.
The raised finger of the right hand is also a traditional gesture that often appears in da Vinci paintings. Perhaps in this way the artist wanted to convey something important. The image of John is tender, he has a soft smile and an amazing look, as if penetrating into the soul of the viewer.
"Saint Jerome" - an unfinished painting by the author
The canvas was ordered by the church authorities of Florence in 1481, but da Vinci had to leave for Milan, so it was not completed. The state in which it has reached our time is critical - it was collected almost piece by piece, so it is stored in the Vatican Pinakothek under careful and careful supervision.
The sketch shows Saint Jerome, whose posture indicates that the man is penitent. A lion is resting nearby - the eternal companion of Jerome.
Titled "The Last Supper"
The painting was commissioned by Duke Lodovico Sforza and his wife Beatrice d'Este in 1495. The painting depicting the scene of the last meal of Christ with his disciples was completed in 1498. The Sforza family coat of arms can be seen on the lunettes formed by the three-arched ceiling. Today, the work is kept in the monastery of Milan.
"Annunciation" - an angelic work of the artist
Leonardo da Vinci wrote this canvas in 1475. The plot was chosen part of the Gospel, which tells about the proclamation of the future birth of the Savior.
The winged archangel Gabriel kneels, holding in his left hand a white lily, personifying purity. With his right hand he blesses Mary. Near the girl stands a marble stand, decorated with a relief, on which lies the Bible. The work is on display at the Uffizi Museum.
"Annunciation - Landscape"
The landscape of the Annunciation, located in the background of the picture, is worth special attention. Leonardo da Vinci placed on it a river receding into the distance with visible masts of ships, carved silhouettes of trees, walls and towers of a port city, which is shrouded in a pale haze of a mountain top.
"Musician"
This portrait was repainted by the great Italian artist almost beyond recognition in 1490-1492. He then left his work unfinished. Today, the painting is kept in the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, Milan.
In the 19th century, it was generally accepted that the canvas depicted Duke Lodovico Sforzo. But in XX, during restoration work, it was possible to make out the words on the paper that the depicted guy is holding in his hands. They turned out to be initial letters words Cantum Angelicum, which in translation sounds like "angelic song". Notes are shown next to it. Thanks to this discovery, they began to look at the work differently, giving it the appropriate name.
Leonardo da Vinci's last painting on display at the Louvre
In front of you in the photo is the latest creation of Leonardo - "Saint Anna and Mary with the baby." The painter worked on this painting for 20 years. It is currently exhibited in the Louvre.
Continuation of the exposure. . .
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci is a man of Renaissance art, sculptor, inventor, painter, philosopher, writer, scientist, polymath (universal man).
The future genius was born as a result love affair noble Piero da Vinci and the girl Katerina (Katarina). According to the social norms of that time, the marriage union of these people was impossible due to the low birth of Leonardo's mother. After the birth of her first child, she was given in marriage to a potter, with whom Katerina lived the rest of her life. It is known that from her husband she gave birth to four daughters and a son.
Portrait of Leonardo da Vinci
The first-born Piero da Vinci lived with his mother for three years. Immediately after his birth, Leonardo's father married a rich representative of a noble family, but his legal wife was never able to give birth to an heir. Three years after the marriage, Piero took his son to him and took up his upbringing. Stepmother Leonardo died after 10 years, trying to give birth to an heir. Pierrot remarried, but was quickly widowed again. In total, Leonardo had four stepmothers, as well as 12 stepbrothers and paternal sisters.
Creativity and inventions of da Vinci
The parent gave Leonardo as an apprentice to the Tuscan master Andrea Verrocchio. During his studies with a mentor, Piero's son learned not only the art of painting and sculpture. Young Leonardo studied the humanities and technical sciences, the skill of leather dressing, the basics of working with metal and chemical reagents. All this knowledge was useful to da Vinci in life.
Leonardo received confirmation of the qualifications of the master at the age of twenty, after which he continued to work under the supervision of Verrocchio. The young artist was involved in small work on the paintings of his teacher, for example, he prescribed background landscapes and clothes. minor characters. Leonardo had his own workshop only in 1476.
Drawing "Vitruvian Man" by Leonardo da Vinci In 1482, da Vinci was sent by his patron Lorenzo Medici to Milan. During this period, the artist worked on two paintings that were never completed. In Milan, Duke Lodovico Sforza enrolled Leonardo in the court staff as an engineer. A high-ranking person was interested in defensive devices and devices for entertaining the court. Da Vinci had the opportunity to develop the talent of an architect and the ability of a mechanic. His inventions turned out to be an order of magnitude better than those offered by contemporaries.
The engineer stayed in Milan under the Duke of Sforza for about seventeen years. During this time, Leonardo painted the paintings “Madonna in the Grotto” and “Lady with an Ermine”, created his most famous drawing “Vitruvian Man”, made a clay model of the equestrian monument of Francesco Sforza, painted the wall of the refectory of the Dominican monastery with the composition “ The Last Supper”, made a number of anatomical sketches and drawings of the apparatus.
Leonardo's engineering talent was useful to him after returning to Florence in 1499. He got a job with Duke Cesare Borgia, who counted on da Vinci's ability to create military mechanisms. The engineer worked in Florence for about seven years, after which he returned to Milan again. By that time, he had already completed work on his most famous painting, which is now stored in the Louvre Museum.
The master's second Milan period lasted six years, after which he left for Rome. In 1516, Leonardo went to France, where he spent his last years. On the journey, the master took with him Francesco Melzi, a student and main heir artistic style da Vinci.
Portrait of Francesco Melzi Despite the fact that Leonardo spent only four years in Rome, it is in this city that the museum named after him is located. In the three halls of the institution you can get acquainted with the devices built according to the drawings of Leonardo, look at copies of paintings, photos of diaries and manuscripts.
Most the Italian devoted his life to engineering and architectural projects. His inventions were both military and peaceful. Leonardo is known as a prototype tank designer, aircraft, self-propelled cart, searchlight, catapult, bicycle, parachute, mobile bridge, machine gun. Some drawings of the inventor are still a mystery to researchers.
Drawings and sketches of some of the inventions of Leonardo da Vinci In 2009, the Discovery TV channel aired a series of films called Da Vinci Apparatus. Each of the ten episodes of the documentary series was dedicated to the construction and testing of mechanisms according to Leonardo's original drawings. Film technicians tried to recreate inventions Italian genius using materials from his era.
Personal life
The personal life of the master was kept by him in the strictest confidence. For entries in his diaries, Leonardo used a cipher, but even after decoding, the researchers received little reliable information. There is a version that the reason for secrecy was homosexual da Vinci.
The basis of the theory that the artist loved men was the guesswork of researchers based on circumstantial facts. At a young age, the artist appeared in a case of sodomy, but it is not known for certain in what capacity. After this incident, the master became very secretive and stingy with comments about his personal life.
Possible lovers of Leonardo include some of his students, the most famous of which is Salai. The young man was endowed with an effeminate appearance and became a model for several paintings by da Vinci. The painting "John the Baptist" is one of the surviving works of Leonardo, for which Salai posed.
There is a version that "Mona Lisa" was also written from this sitter, dressed in a woman's dress. It should be noted that there is some physical similarity between the people depicted in the paintings "Mona Lisa" and "John the Baptist". It remains a fact that da Vinci bequeathed his artistic masterpiece to Salai.
Historians also rank Francesco Melzi as a possible beloved of Leonardo.
There is another version of the secret of the Italian's personal life. There is an opinion that Leonardo had a romantic relationship with Cecilia Gallerani, who, presumably, is depicted in the portrait "Lady with an Ermine". This woman was the favorite of the Duke of Milan, the holder literary salon, patroness of the arts. She introduced the young artist to the circle of Milanese bohemia.
Fragment of the painting "Lady with Ermine" Among da Vinci's notes, a draft letter was found addressed to Cecilia, which began with the words: "My beloved goddess ...". Researchers suggest that the portrait of the "Lady with an Ermine" was painted with clear signs unspent feelings for the woman depicted on it.
Some researchers believe that great italian did not know carnal love at all. Men and women were not physically attracted to him. In the context of this theory, it is assumed that Leonardo led the life of a monk who did not give birth to descendants, but left a great legacy.
Death and grave
Modern researchers have concluded that the probable cause of the artist's death is a stroke. Da Vinci died at the age of 67 in 1519. Thanks to the memoirs of contemporaries, it is known that by that time the artist was already suffering from partial paralysis. Leonardo could not move his right hand, as researchers believe, due to a stroke in 1517.
Despite the paralysis, the master continued active creative life, resorting to the help of a student of Francesco Melzi. Da Vinci's health was deteriorating, and by the end of 1519 it was already difficult for him to walk without assistance. This evidence is consistent with the theoretical diagnosis. Scientists believe that a second attack of cerebrovascular accident in 1519 completed life path famous Italian.
Monument to Leonardo da Vinci in Milan, Italy At the time of his death, the master was in the Clos Luce castle near the city of Amboise, where he lived for the last three years of his life. In accordance with Leonardo's will, his body was buried in the gallery of the church of Saint-Florentin.
Unfortunately, the master's grave was devastated during the Huguenot wars. The church, in which the Italian rested, was plundered, after which it fell into severe disrepair and was demolished by the new owner of the Amboise castle, Roger Ducos, in 1807.
After the destruction of the Saint-Florentin chapel, remains from many burials different years were mixed and buried in the garden. Beginning in the mid-nineteenth century, researchers made several attempts to identify the bones of Leonardo da Vinci. Innovators in this matter were guided by the lifetime description of the master and chose the most suitable fragments from the remains found. They have been studied for some time. The work was led by archaeologist Arsen Usse. He also found fragments of a tombstone, presumably from the grave of da Vinci, and a skeleton, in which some fragments were missing. These bones were reburied in the reconstructed tomb of the artist in the chapel of Saint Hubert on the grounds of the Château d'Amboise.
In 2010, a team of researchers led by Silvano Vincheti was about to exhume the remains of a Renaissance master. It was planned to identify the skeleton using genetic material taken from the graves of Leonardo's paternal relatives. Italian researchers failed to obtain permission from the owners of the castle to carry out the necessary work.
In the place where the Church of Saint-Florentin used to be, at the beginning of the last century, a granite monument was erected, marking the four hundredth anniversary of the death of the famous Italian. The reconstructed tomb of the engineer and the stone monument with his bust are among the most popular sights of Amboise.
Secrets of da Vinci paintings
Leonardo's work has occupied the minds of art historians, religious researchers, historians and the public for more than four hundred years. The works of the Italian artist became an inspiration for people of science and creativity. There are many theories that reveal the secrets of da Vinci's paintings. The most famous of them says that when writing his masterpieces, Leonardo used a special graphic code.
With the help of a device of several mirrors, the researchers managed to find out that the secret of the views of the characters from the paintings "La Gioconda" and "John the Baptist" lies in the fact that they are looking at a masked creature resembling an alien alien. The secret cipher in Leonardo's notes was also deciphered using an ordinary mirror.
Mystifications around the work of the Italian genius led to the emergence of a number of works of art, the author of which was the writer . His novels have become bestsellers. In 2006, the film The Da Vinci Code was released, based on work of the same name Brown. The film was met with a wave of criticism from religious organizations, but set box office records in its first month of release.
Lost and unfinished works
Not all of the master's works have survived to our time. Works that have not survived include: a shield with a painting in the form of the head of Medusa, a sculpture of a horse for the Duke of Milan, a portrait of the Madonna with a spindle, the painting "Leda and the Swan" and the fresco "Battle of Anghiari".
Modern researchers know about some of the master's paintings thanks to the preserved copies and memoirs of da Vinci's contemporaries. For example, the fate of the original Leda and the Swan is still unknown. Historians believe that the painting may have been destroyed in the mid-seventeenth century on the orders of the Marquise de Maintenon, wife of Louis XIV. Sketches made by Leonardo's hand, and several copies of the canvas made by different artists.
The painting depicted a young naked woman in the arms of a swan, at whose feet babies hatched from huge eggs play. When creating this masterpiece, the artist was inspired by a famous mythical story. It is interesting that the canvas based on the story of the copulation of Leda with Zeus, who took the form of a swan, was written not only by da Vinci.
Leonardo's lifetime rival also painted a picture dedicated to this ancient myth. The painting by Buonarotti suffered the same fate as the work of da Vinci. Paintings by Leonardo and Michelangelo simultaneously disappeared from the collection of the French royal house.
Among unfinished work brilliant Italian the painting "The Adoration of the Magi" stands out. The canvas was commissioned by the Augustinian monks in 1841, but remained unfinished due to the departure of the master to Milan. The customers found another artist, and Leonardo saw no reason to continue working on the painting.
Fragment of the painting “The Adoration of the Magi” Researchers believe that the composition of the canvas has no analogues in Italian painting. The painting depicts Mary with the newborn Jesus and the Magi, and behind the backs of the pilgrims are horse riders and the ruins of a pagan temple. There is an assumption that Leonardo depicted in the picture among the men who came to the son of God, and himself at the age of 29 years.
- Researcher of religious mysteries Lynn Picknett published the book Leonardo da Vinci and the Brotherhood of Zion in 2009, naming the famous Italian as one of the masters of a secret religious order.
- It is believed that da Vinci was a vegetarian. He wore clothes made of linen, neglecting outfits made of leather and natural silk.
- A team of researchers plans to isolate Leonardo's DNA from the surviving personal belongings of the master. Historians also claim they are close to finding da Vinci's maternal relatives.
- The Renaissance was the time when noble women in Italy were addressed with the words "my mistress", in Italian - "Madonna" (ma donna). IN colloquial speech the expression was shortened to "monna" (monna). This means that the name of the painting "Mona Lisa" can literally be translated as "Madame Lisa".
- Rafael Santi called da Vinci his teacher. He visited the studio of Leonardo in Florence, tried to adopt some features of his artistic style. Rafael Santi also called Michelangelo Buonarroti his teacher. The three artists mentioned are considered the main geniuses of the Renaissance.
- Australian enthusiasts have created the largest traveling exhibition inventions of the great architect. The exposition was developed with the participation of the Leonardo da Vinci Museum in Italy. The exhibition has already visited six continents. During its operation, five million visitors were able to see and touch the works of the most famous engineer of the Renaissance.
10 best work most famous artist of all time. Leonardo da Vinci (1452 - 1519) italian artist, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, anatomist, geologist, botanist and writer of the Renaissance period.
10. Portrait of Ginevra de Benci (1474-1476)
The portrait of Ginevra de Benci is now owned by the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, and is currently the only painting by Leonardo in the United States. Unlike other portraits of Leonardo women, this lady looks cold and haughty. This is emphasized by the direction of gaze: one eye, as it were, glides over the viewer, and the second looks intently.
9. Lady with an Ermine (1489-1490)
Presumably, the painting depicts the favorite of Ludovico Sforza, Cecilia Gallerani.
Cecilia Gallerani is depicted in a three-quarter turn. Such a portrait was one of the inventions of Leonardo.
In the hands of the girl is an ermine. One version interprets that the ermine symbolizes the Duke of Milan, Ludovico Sforza, whom his mistress held in her arms for a long time.
The woman's forehead is intercepted with a thin braid, she has a transparent cap on her head, fixed under her chin, a hairstyle in the Spanish fashion of that time.
8. Saint Anne with the Madonna and the Christ Child (1510)
The Virgin and Child of Saint Anne was painted by Leonardo da Vinci in 1510. This work is in oil on wood and measures 168 x 130 cm. It is currently in the Louvre, Paris.
7. John the Baptist (1513-1516)
6. Madonna with a carnation (1478-1480)
"Madonna with a Carnation" is one of early work Leonardo da Vinci.
The painting was found in 1889 at the sale of the property of a widow from the town of Gunzburg on the Danube. The painting was bought for only 22 marks, a few months later the businessman resold it for 800 marks to the museum as a work by Verrocchio. It was immediately announced that the museum received a work by Leonardo da Vinci with a real value of 8,000 marks.
Oil on wood 42 × 67 cm. Alte Pinakothek, Munich.
5. Madonna in the rocks
"Madonna in the Rocks" is the name of two almost identical paintings by Leonardo da Vinci. One is in the Louvre, Paris, the other is in the London National Gallery.
Both paintings depict the Madonna and the Christ child with the infant John the Baptist and an angel, in a rock setting. Significant compositional differences in gaze and right hand angel.
4. Baptism of Christ (1472)
The painting "The Baptism of Christ" painted by Andrea Verocchio together with his student Leonardo da Vinci. The legend says that the teacher was so shocked by the skill of his student that he stopped painting.
Wood, oil. 177 × 151 cm. Located in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.
3. Adoration of the Magi (1481)
Leonardo was commissioned to do work for the main altar of the monastery of San Donato Scopeto in 1480, near Florence. He was supposed to complete it within thirty months, but it is still not finished. Leonardo went to Milan a year after starting work. Board, oil. 246 × 243 cm. Uffizi, Florence.
Gallery of Leonardo da Vinci-Paintings-
Gioconda - Mona Lisa (1503) 
Cecilia Gallerani, Lady with an Ermine (1485) 
Ginevra de Benci
Madonna Litta (1490) 
Madonna Litta (DETT) 
Madonna and Child with Saint Anne (1510) 
Madonna and Child with Saint Anne - detail (1510) 
John the Baptist (1513) 
Young lady 
Madonna with a Carnation (1478) 
Maidens of the Rock (1506) 
Portrait of a musician (1485) 
Beautiful Ferronière (1490) 
Adoration of the Magi (1481) 
Leda and the Swan (DETT) 
Leda and the swan 
Leda and the Swan (1510) 
Leda (1530), 
Madonna dell "arcolaio (1510) 
Madonna dell "arcolaio (DETT) 
St. John in the Wilderness (Bacchus) (1510) 
Baptism of Christ (1485) 
Baptism of Christ (detail) 
Maidens of the Rock (DETT) 
Annunciation (1472) 
Annunciation (detail) 
Annunciation (detail) 
Annunciation (detail) 
Madonna of the Carnation (DETT) 
Maidens of the Rock (DETT) 
St. Jerome (1480) 
The Last Supper
Sculptures and statues of Leonardo
Equestrian statue 
Equestrian statue 
Equestrian statue 
Bust of Flora
Biography and Life of Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519)
Portraits and biographies of Leonardo da VinciLeonardo da Vinci, painter, architect, scientist and writer, one of the most outstanding minds produced by mankind, illegitimate son notary Piero, and a peasant girl, born April 15, 1452 in Vinci, a small village in Tuscany. After a childhood spent in a calm countryside Florence, lived with his mother in the early years and then with his father, at the age of 17, for his drawing skills, accepted as an apprentice in art studio Andrea del Verrocchio. located in Florence, where he remained until the age of thirty, Leonardo, draws, paints and studies, interested in all areas human knowledge. regretting that you have not yet studied Latin, he is considered "Omo without a letter" and try to learn it himself, as a self-taught person explores "anatomy, technology, architecture and other sciences. After drawing lots, writing is his passion, he writes all the time, take notes and make sketches, but in order to maintain complete secrecy about his notes, Leonardo uses in composing songs from left to right and an anagram of words that he wants to keep confidential.In 1482, Leonardo da Vinci is taken to the court of Ludovico il Moro, where she has, before in total, projects with military equipment, hydraulic engineering, architecture and, in the end, as a painter and sculptor with the design of a bronze horse on the monument to Francesco Sforza. In Milan, which then, with its one hundred thousand inhabitants, was one of largest cities Europe, Leonardo da Vinci remains until the end of 1499, the fall of Sforza. Over the years, Leonardo paints a lot, remember the portrait of Cecilia Gallerani, "Lady with an Ermine", the first version of "The Virgin of the Rock" and the famous "Last Supper" in S. Maria delle Grazie. "s frescoes, made with the technique invented by Leonardo, occupied him for three years, from 1495 to 1498. Leonardo is responsible for the decoration of the Sforza castle made on the occasion of the marriage of Gian Galeazzo Sforza, also invent fantastic machines theatrical representative heavens and the sky with stars in motion , which was completely defeated by the Milanese. After the fall of Ludovico il Moro, under pressure French troops Louis XII, Leonardo left Milan and begins a long journey going from Mantua, Venice and Friuli to arrive in Florence. between 1500 and 1512, lives in Florence, Rome, Milan, dealing with anatomy, urban architecture, optics and hydraulic engineering. In 1513, Leonardo moved to Rome, where he was responsible for locating the Port of Civitavecchia, creating a project to drain the Pontic marshes, the project ever completed in the death of the Pope, working with burning mirrors that came from Germany and continuing to work on anatomy, which puts him in difficult situation and what led him to accept the invitation of the king of France, Francis I received with many honors received by the king of France, he settled in the Château de Cloux, he was appointed the first painter, architect and engineer of the king independent project Royal Palace of Romorantin, Francesco I want to build for my mother Louise of Savoy, Leonardo has the opportunity to continue his hydrological studies, started years before the Sforza, and plans small town, which even provides for the movement of the river bed, which enriches the water and irrigation of the surrounding area. Francis I, Leonardo sells a portrait of the Mona Lisa, which began in Florence, and to which he worked intermittently until 1506, which he never considered finished and accompanied them on their journey. called the French Gioconda Mona Lisa, oil painting on poplar wood, cm. X 77 cm. 53, now belongs to the collection of the Louvre in Paris and is the most famous painting in the world.
Leonardo da Vinci died on May 2, 1519 at his residence in Cloux, and was buried in the church of S. Valentino in Amboise, leaving all his manuscripts, drawings and instruments of the legacy of the disciples of Salai and Melzi.
10.04.2017 Oksana Kopenkina
Leonardo da Vinci. Mona Lisa (detail). 1503-1519 Louvre, Paris
Leonardo da Vinci is the most famous artist in the world. Which in itself is amazing. There are only 19 surviving paintings by the master. How is this possible? Two dozen works makes the artist the greatest?
It's all about Leonardo himself. He is one of the most unusual people ever born. Inventor of various mechanisms. The discoverer of many phenomena. virtuoso musician. And also a cartographer, botanist and anatomist.
In his notes we find descriptions of a bicycle, a submarine, a helicopter and a tanker. Not to mention scissors, life jacket and contact lenses.
His innovations in painting were also incredible. He was one of the first to use oil paints. Sfumato effect and light and shade modulation. He was the first to inscribe figures in the landscape. His models in portraits became living people, not painted mannequins.
Here are just 5 masterpieces of the master. Which demonstrate all the genius of this man.
1. Madonna in the rocks. 1483-1486
Leonardo da Vinci. Madonna in the rocks. 1483-1486 Louvre, Paris. wikimedia.commons.org Young Virgin Mary. A pretty angel in a red cloak. And two fat kids. holy family they were returning from Egypt with the baby Jesus. Along the way, meeting little John the Baptist.
This is the first painting in the history of painting when people are depicted not in front of the landscape, but inside it. Heroes sit by the water. Behind the rocks. So old that they look more like stalactites.
The "Madonna in the Rocks" was ordered by the monks of the brotherhood of St. Francis for one of the churches in Milan. But the customers were not happy. Leonardo delayed the deadlines. They also didn't like the lack of halos. They were also embarrassed by the gesture of the angel. Why is it his forefinger directed at John the Baptist? After all, the baby Jesus is the most important.
Leonardo sold the painting on the side. The monks got angry and sued. The artist was required to write new picture for monks. Only with halos and without the pointing gesture of an angel.
By official version this is how the second “Madonna in the Rocks” appeared. Almost identical to the first. But there is something strange about her.
Leonardo da Vinci. Madonna in the rocks. 1508 National Gallery London. Leonardo carefully studied plants. Even made a number of discoveries in the field of botany. It was he who realized that tree sap plays the same role as blood in a person's veins. I also guessed to determine the age of trees by rings.
Therefore, it is not surprising that the vegetation in the Louvre painting is realistic. It is these plants that grow in a humid, dark place. But in the second picture, the flora is fictional.
How did Leonardo, so truthful in depicting nature, suddenly decide to dream up? In a single picture? Unthinkable.
I think Leonardo was not interested in painting the second picture. And he instructed his student to make a copy. Who clearly did not understand botany.
2. Lady with an ermine. 1489-1490
Leonardo da Vinci. Lady with an ermine. 1489-1490 Chertoryski Museum, Krakow. wikimedia.commons.org Before us is young Cecilia Gallerani. She was the mistress of the ruler of Milan, Ludovico Sforza. At the court of which Leonardo also served.
Smiling, kind and smart girl. She was an interesting conversationalist. Often and for a long time they talked with Leonardo.
The portrait is very unusual. Leonardo's contemporaries painted people in profile. Here Cecilia stands in three quarters. Turning his head to the opposite side. As if she looked back at someone's words. This turn makes the line of the shoulders and neck especially beautiful.
Alas, we see the portrait in a modified form. Someone from the owners of the portrait darkened the background. Leonardo's was lighter. With a window over the girl's left shoulder. The two lower fingers of her hand are also rewritten. Therefore, they are curved unnaturally.
It is worth talking about the ermine. Such an animal seems to us a curiosity. Modern man it would be more accustomed to see a fluffy cat in the hands of a girl.
But for the 15th century, it was the ermine that was an ordinary animal. They were kept to catch mice. And the cats were just exotic.
3. The Last Supper. 1495-1598
Leonardo da Vinci. The Last Supper. 1495-1498 Monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazia, Milan The fresco “The Last Supper” was ordered by the same Ludovico Sforza at the request of his wife, Beatrice d’Este. Alas, she died quite young in childbirth. Never saw the finished painting.
The Duke was beside himself with grief. Realizing how dear to him was a cheerful and beautiful wife. The more he was grateful to Leonardo for the work done.
He generously paid off the artist. By handing him 2,000 ducats (with our money, this is about 800 thousand dollars), and also by transferring to him a large plot of land.
When the inhabitants of Milan could see the fresco, there was no limit to amazement. The apostles differed not only in appearance, but also in their emotions and gestures. Each of them reacted in their own way to the words of Christ, “One of you will betray me.” Never before has the individuality of the characters been as pronounced as in Leonardo's.
The painting has another amazing detail. The restorers found that Leonardo painted the shadows not in gray or black, but in blue! This was unthinkable until the middle of the 19th century. When colored shadows began to write.
Leonardo da Vinci. Fragment of the Last Supper. 1495-1498 Monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazia, Milan This is not so clearly visible on the reproduction, but the composition of the paint speaks for itself (blue crystals of copper acetate).
Read about other unusual details of the painting in the article.
4. Mona Lisa. 1503-1519
Leonardo da Vinci. Mona Lisa. 1503-1519 . wikimedia.commons.org In the portrait we see Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a Florentine silk merchant. This version is official, but doubtful.
We got one curious description this portrait. It was left by Leonardo's student, Francesco Melzi. And under this description, the Louvre lady does not fit at all. I wrote about this in detail in the article. .
Now another version of the woman's personality is being considered. It may be a portrait of Giuliano de' Medici's mistress from Florence. She bore him a son. And she died shortly after giving birth.
Giuliano commissioned a portrait of Leonardo especially for the boy. In the image of the ideal mother-Madonna. Leonardo painted a portrait from the words of the customer. Adding to them the features of his student Salai.
Therefore, the Florentine lady is so similar to "John the Baptist" (see the next picture). For which the same Salai posed.
In this portrait, the sfumato method is revealed to the maximum. A barely perceptible haze, shading the lines, makes the Mona Lisa almost alive. It looks like her lips are about to part. She will sigh. The chest will rise.
The portrait was never given to the customer. Since in 1516 Giuliano died. Leonardo took him to France, where he was invited by King Francis I. He last day continued to work on it. Why so long?
Leonardo had a completely different perception of time. He was the first to claim that the Earth is much older than commonly thought. He did not believe that he brought shells to the mountains biblical flood. Realizing that in place of the mountains there was once a sea.
Therefore, it was common for him to paint a picture for decades. What is 15-20 years compared to the age of the Earth!
5. John the Baptist. 1514-1516
Leonardo da Vinci. Saint John the Baptist. 1513-1516 Louvre, Paris. wga.hu "John the Baptist" puzzled Leonardo's contemporaries. Silent dark background. Whereas even Leonardo himself liked to arrange the figures against the backdrop of nature.
The figure of a saint emerges from the darkness. And it is difficult to call him a saint. Everyone is used to the elderly John. And then the pretty young man pointedly bowed his head. Gentle touch of the hand on the chest. Well-groomed curls of hair.
IN last turn you think of holiness when you look at this effeminate man in the skin of a leopard.
Don't you think that this picture does not seem to belong at all? It's more like the 17th century. Hero's mannerisms. theatrical gestures. Contrast of light and shadow. All this comes from the Baroque era.
Leonardo looked into the future? Predicting the style and manner of painting of the next century.
Who was Leonardo? Most know him as an artist. But his genius is not limited to this vocation.
After all, he was the first to explain why the sky is blue. He believed in the unity of all life in the world. Anticipating the theorists of quantum physics with their “butterfly effect”. He realized such a phenomenon as turbulence. 400 years before its official opening.
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