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Leonardo

da Vinci

Renaissance Artist

1452-1519

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World Map: Italy

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Da Vinci’s likeness

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Annunciation, 1472

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Ginerva de Benci, 1474

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The Last Supper, 1495-98

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The Last Supper, after restoration

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Mona Lisa, 1503

The Mona Lisa is one of the most famous paintings in the history of art. The painting is most likely a portrait of Lisa di Gherandini, but other theories have been offered through time. Some of these other possibilities include Leonardo’s mother, a self-portrait of Leonardo if he were a woman, friends of Sforza (the ruler of Milan), and an idealized vision of a woman.

What is she thinking? Why is she smiling? Is it a peaceful smile or a sad smile? Why is she smiling while she is wearing a black veil (a sign of mourning) and the background is dark and gloomy?

This was one of the paintings Leonardo took with him to France. It was given to the king of France when Leonardo died, and was in the palace for many years. Napoleon kept it in his bedroom. It was finally placed in the Louvre in Paris. It was stolen in 1911, and recovered after 3 years and returned to the Louvre, where it hangs today, behind thick bullet-proof glass and with guards around it.

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Armored Car, 1487

Leonardo spent much of his life working as a military engineer, helping rulers of various cities improve the ways to defend their cities and people. (He kept painting and doing scientific studies even during these periods.)

This invention is the predecessor to the modern tank. It could have moved in any direction and had a variety of weapons, including light cannons that could be turned to cover 360 degrees. The platform with the cannons was covered with a turtle-like shell with metal plates. 8 men inside would constantly turn cranks to spin the wheels. This was never built, and probably would not have worked due to the way the cranks would have prevented forward movement.

Notice the mirror writing- Leonardo wrote all of his notes in his notebooks backwards, so that if you held them up to a mirror, they would appear in the regular way. He was left-handed, so he may have found this to be a good way to avoid smudging what he wrote. Some people believe he thought this would make it harder for others to read his thoughts in his notebooks.

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The Aerial Screw & Pyramidal Parachute

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Man’s Shoulders and Neck, 1510�Pen and Ink

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Leonardo - 1514