Leonardo da Vinci was born on April 15, 1452 in the small village of Anchiano LU, located near the town of Vinci (Vinci FI). He was the illegitimate son of a wealthy notary, Piero da Vinci, and a beautiful villager, Katarina. Shortly after this event, the notary married a girl of noble birth. They had no children, and Piero and his wife took a three-year-old child to their place.
Birth of an artist
The short period of childhood in the village is over. The notary Piero moved to Florence, where he apprenticed his son to Andrea del Veroccio, a famous Tuscan master. There, in addition to painting and sculpture, the future artist had the opportunity to learn the basics of mathematics and mechanics, anatomy, work with metals and plaster, and methods of leather dressing. The young man eagerly absorbed knowledge and later widely used it in his activities.
An interesting creative biography of the maestro belongs to the pen of his contemporary Giorgio Vasari. In Vasari's Life of Leonardo, Short story about how (Andrea del Verrocchio) involved a student in the execution of the commission "Baptism of Christ" (Battesimo di Cristo).
The angel, painted by Leonardo, so clearly demonstrated his superiority over the teacher that the latter threw away the brush in annoyance and never painted again.
The qualification of the master was awarded to him by the guild of St. Luke. Leonardo da Vinci spent the next year of his life in Florence. His first mature painting was The Adoration of the Magi (Adorazione dei Magi), commissioned for the monastery of San Donato.
Milan period (1482 - 1499)
Leonardo came to Milan as an envoy of peace from Lorenzo de Medici to Lodovico Sforza, nicknamed Moro. Here his work took a new direction. He was enrolled in the court staff, first as an engineer and only later as an artist.
The Duke of Milan, a cruel and narrow-minded man, was little interested in the creative component of Leonardo's personality. The ducal indifference worried the master even less. Interests converged in one. Moreau needed engineering devices for warfare and mechanical structures for the amusement of the court. Leonardo understood this like no one else. His mind did not doze, the master was sure that the possibilities of a person are endless. His ideas were close to the humanists of modern times, but largely incomprehensible to contemporaries.
The same period includes two important works- (Il Cenacolo) for the refectory of the monastery of Santa Maria della Grazie (Chiesa e Convento Domenicano di Santa Maria delle Grazie) and the painting "Lady with an Ermine" (Dama con l'ermellino).
The second is a portrait of Cecilia Gallerani, mistress of Duke Sforza. The biography of this woman is unusual. One of the most beautiful and learned ladies of the Renaissance, she was simple and kind, able to get along with people. An affair with a duke saved one of her brothers from prison. She had the most tender relationship with Leonardo, but, according to contemporaries and the opinion of most researchers, their brief relationship remained platonic.
A more common (and also not confirmed) version of the master's intimate relationship with the students of Francesco Melzi (Francesco Melzi) and Salai (Salai). The artist preferred to keep the details of his personal life a deep secret.
Moro commissioned the equestrian statue of Francesco Sforza from the master. The necessary sketches were made and a clay model of the future monument was made. Further work was hampered by the French invasion of Milan. The artist left for Florence. Here he will return, but to another master - the French king Louis XII (Louis XII).
Again in Florence (1499 - 1506)
The return to Florence was marked by the entry into the service of the Duke of Cesare Borgia (Cesare Borgia) and the creation of the most famous canvas - "La Gioconda" (Gioconda). The new work involved frequent trips, the master traveled around Romagna, Tuscany and Umbria with various assignments. His main mission was reconnaissance and preparation of the area for hostilities by Cesare, who planned to subjugate the Papal States. Cesare Borgia was considered the greatest villain of the Christian world, but Leonardo admired his tenacity and remarkable talent as a commander. He argued that the Duke's vices were balanced by "equally great virtues". The ambitious plans of the great adventurer did not come true. Master in 1506 returned to Milan.
Later years (1506 - 1519)
The second Milan period lasted until 1512. The Maestro studied the structure of the human eye, worked on the monument to Giacomo Trivulzio (Gian Giacomo Trivulzio) and his own self-portrait. In 1512 the artist moved to Rome. Giovanni di Medici, son, was elected pope under the name of Leo X (Leo X). The pope's brother, Duke Giuliano di Medici, highly appreciated the work of his compatriot. After his death, the master accepted the invitation of King Francis I (François I) and left for France in 1516.
Francis proved to be the most generous and grateful patron. The maestro settled in the picturesque castle of Clos Lucé (Le Clos Lucé) in Touraine, where he had every opportunity to do what he was interested in. By royal commission, he designed a lion, from whose chest a bouquet of lilies opened. The French period was the happiest in his life. The king gave his engineer an annual annuity of 1,000 ecu and donated land with vineyards, providing him with a peaceful old age. The life of the maestro ended in 1519. He bequeathed his notes, instruments and estates to his students.
Paintings
Inventions and works
Most of the master's inventions were not created during his lifetime, remaining only in notes and drawings. An airplane, a bicycle, a parachute, a tank… He had a dream of flying, the scientist believed that a person can and should fly. He studied the behavior of birds and sketched wings of various shapes. His design for a two-lens telescope is surprisingly accurate, and his diaries include a brief note about the possibility of "seeing the Moon big."
As a military engineer, he was always in demand, the light bridges he invented and the wheel lock for the pistol were used everywhere. He dealt with the problems of urban planning and land reclamation, in 1509 he built the St. Christopher, as well as the Martezana irrigation canal. Duke Moreau rejected his "ideal city" project. A few centuries later, London was built on this project. In Norway there is a bridge built according to his drawing. In France, already being an old man, he designed a canal between the Loire and Saone.
Leonardo's diaries are written in easy, lively language and are interesting to read. His fables, parables and aphorisms speak of the versatility of a great mind.
The secret of genius
There were plenty of secrets in the life of the titan of the Renaissance. The main one opened relatively recently. But did it open? In 1950, a list of the Grand Masters of the Priory of Sion (Prieuré de Sion), a secret organization created in 1090 in Jerusalem, was published. According to the list, Leonardo da Vinci was the ninth of the Grand Masters of the Priory. His predecessor in this amazing post was Sandro Botticelli, and his successor was Constable Charles de Bourbon (Charles III de Bourbon). The main goal of the organization was to restore the Merovingian dynasty to the throne of France. The Priory considered the offspring of this kind to be the descendants of Jesus Christ.
The very existence of such an organization raises doubts among most historians. But such doubts could have been sown by members of the Priory who wished to continue their activities in secret.
If we accept this version as the truth, the master's habit of complete independence and the strange for the Florentine attraction to France become clear. Even Leonardo's writing style - left hand and right to left - can be interpreted as an imitation of Hebrew writing. This seems unlikely, but the scale of his personality allows us to make the most daring assumptions.
Stories about the Priory cause mistrust of scientists, but enrich artistic creativity. The most striking example is the book by Dan Brown (Dan Brown) "The Da Vinci Code" (Da Vinci Code) and the film of the same name.
- At the age of 24, together with three Florentine youths was accused of sodomy. The company was acquitted for lack of evidence.
- Maestro was a vegetarian. People who consume animal food, he called "walking cemeteries."
- He shocked his contemporaries by the habit of carefully examining and drawing in detail the hanged. Exploring the device human body considered the most important of the activities.
- It is believed that the maestro developed for Cesare Borgia tasteless and odorless poisons and wiretapping devices made of glass tubes.
- TV mini-series "The Life of Leonardo da Vinci"(La vita di Leonardo da Vinci) shot by Renato Castellani, received the Golden Globe Award.
- named after Leonardo da Vinci and is decorated with a huge statue depicting a master with a model helicopter in his hands.
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Leonardo da Vinci is an Italian artist (painter, sculptor, architect) and scientist (anatomist, naturalist), inventor, writer and musician, one of the largest representatives of the art of the High Renaissance.
So in front of you biography of Leonardo da Vinci.
Biography of Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci was born on April 15, 1452 in the small town of Vinci, not far from Florence. He was born as a result of a love affair between the notary Piero and the peasant woman Katerina.
The official union of these two people was impossible due to the fact that the girl came from the lower class.
Features of Leonardo da Vinci Childhood and youth
Soon, da Vinci's father married a wealthy woman, as a result of which the first years of his life, Leonardo lived with his own mother.
However, when Piero and his wife did not have children for a long time, the father decided to adopt his first child, taking him from Katerina.
Leonardo's childhood attachment to his mother, which he lost at such an early age, was forever imprinted in his memory.
Subsequently, in many of his paintings, he tried to convey the maternal image that he carefully kept in his heart.
The house where Leonardo da Vinci lived as a child After 10 years, the first wife of the notary Piero died, after which he remarried.
In total, Leonardo da Vinci had 4 stepmothers, as well as 12 paternal sisters and brothers.
The work of Leonardo da Vinci
When Leonardo da Vinci grew up a little, his father sent him to study with the master Andrea Verrocchio, who taught him various crafts.
This was the first important stage in the biography of Leonardo da Vinci. Already in childhood, he showed abilities in various fields of activity.
Supposed self-portrait by Leonardo da Vinci He quickly learned to paint, create sculptures, dress leather, process metals and learn about various things. In the future, all this knowledge was useful to da Vinci.
When the young man was 20 years old, he continued to work with his teacher. Verrocchio, of course, saw how gifted his student was.
He often trusted Leonardo to finish any fragments on his canvases, for example, minor characters, or.
Interestingly, Leonardo da Vinci will have his own workshop in 4 years.
In 1482, Lorenzo de' Medici sent Leonardo da Vinci to Duke Lodovico Sforzo, who was in dire need of talented engineers.
He urgently needed high-quality defensive devices, as well as devices to amuse his yard.
Leonardo da Vinci did not let the duke down, having managed to build the necessary devices, which turned out to be much better than those offered by other inventors.
It is not surprising that Sforzo greatly valued an unusually talented artist and scientist. As a result, Leonardo da Vinci stayed at the court of Lodovico Sforzo for about 17 years.
During this period of his biography, he managed to create many ingenious paintings and sculptures, and complete a lot of anatomical sketches. In addition, the great Leonardo drew many drawings of various devices.
He wanted to design machines that could not only drive on land, but also swim under water and fly in the sky.
In 1499, Leonardo da Vinci returned to Florence, where he began working at the court of Cesare Borgia. The Duke was primarily interested in the creation of military equipment, with the help of which it was possible to wage an effective war with the enemy.
In the service of the Borgia, Leonardo da Vinci stayed for 7 years, after which he decided to return to Milan. By this point in his biography, he had already managed to write the famous La Gioconda, which is now in the French Louvre.
After arriving in Milan, he stayed in this city for 6 years, and then moved to Rome. During this period of his biography, he still continued to paint and invent various devices.
In 1516, 3 years before his death, Leonardo da Vinci went to where he stayed until the end of his life. On this trip he was accompanied by one of his students and chief follower of his artistic style— Francesco Melzi.
Personal life
Not much is known about Leonardo da Vinci's personal life. Despite the fact that he kept a personal diary, he encrypted all his notes.
However, even after they were able to decipher, the researchers received very little information about the true biography of the great scientist.
Some biographers have suggested that the reason for Leonardo da Vinci's secrecy could be his unconventional orientation.
Moreover, there are versions that the artist's lover could be his student Salai, who has an effeminate appearance. However, there is no evidence for such claims.
By the way, Salai posed for several paintings by Leonardo da Vinci. For example, he was the model for famous painting"John the Baptist". There is a version that the Mona Lisa was also painted with Salai, since many art historians see the obvious similarity of the characters depicted on both canvases.
However, as mentioned earlier, there are simply no facts about relationships with men or even women in the biography of Leonardo da Vinci.
A number of researchers reasonably argue that Leonardo never knew carnal intimacy at all, having lived a virgin all his life.
Death and grave
The great Leonardo da Vinci died on May 2, 1519 at the age of 67, in the castle of Clos Luce. He bequeathed to bury his body in the church of Saint-Florentin.
Researchers speculate that a stroke may have been the likely cause of his death. To this day, the memoirs of his contemporaries have survived who claimed that Leonardo da Vinci was partially paralyzed. For example, 2 years before his death, he could not move his right arm due to a stroke he suffered.
In the last years of his life, he continued to create with the help of his student Francesco Melzi. However, every day his health deteriorated, as a result of which he could no longer move without assistance.
The life path of the Florentine genius ended after a second stroke in 1519.
At the same time, it is worth emphasizing that all assumptions about how the last years of the biography of Leonardo da Vinci passed were not confirmed by reliable facts, but are only guesses.
Monument to Leonardo da Vinci in Milan, Italy At the height of the Huguenot wars, the tomb of Leonardo da Vinci was devastated. Only after three hundred years, scientists have made attempts to identify his remains.
Today, on the site of the ruined church in which he was buried, a granite monument with a bust of the great Leonardo has been erected.
Secrets of Leonardo da Vinci
The works of Leonardo da Vinci are seriously studied by scientists, art historians, and even religious figures. Many assume that when writing his paintings, the artist allegedly used some kind of graphic code.
For example, with the help of several mirrors, scientists were able to unravel the mystery of the views of the Gioconda and John the Baptist.
As it turns out, both characters are fixing their eyes on the mysterious masked creature. The secret code in da Vinci's diaries was also revealed through mirrors.
Drawings and sketches of some of the inventions of Leonardo da Vinci At the same time, the American writer Dan Brown wrote more than one book related to the artist's work. In 2006, based on Brown's work, the film The Da Vinci Code was filmed, which gained immense popularity around the world.
Many religious leaders and believers have criticized the film, calling it blasphemous. An interesting fact is that both Christians and Muslims adhered to this opinion.
Despite this, the film was watched by a record number of viewers. This, in turn, led to the fact that a lot of people began to take a keen interest in the personality and biography of Leonardo da Vinci, as well as his brilliant works.
History of Leonardo da Vinci
An interesting fact is that today anyone can visit the museum in Rome, named after Leonardo, and see with his own eyes the devices built according to his drawings.
There are also copies of da Vinci's brilliant paintings and photographs of his original manuscripts. In other words, by visiting this museum you will be able to realistically imagine the life story of the great Florentine.
Inventions of Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci paid great attention to engineering and architectural art. He is the author of many inventions that were ahead of their time by several centuries.
A brief biography of Leonardo da Vinci does not allow a detailed description of all the inventions of this great genius. Here are just a few of them: the world's first tank, an aircraft and a catapult, a machine gun and scissors, a bicycle, etc., etc.
Just think, all these inventions were designed by Leonardo da Vinci in the 15th century, more than 500 years ago!
Moreover, the world's first parachute was also invented by the genius da Vinci. An interesting fact is that recently modern scientists were able to create an exact copy of such a parachute according to da Vinci's drawings. Tests have shown that he does his job quite well.
Monument to Leonardo da Vinci in Amboise It is important to note that today many drawings and sketches of Leonardo da Vinci are still incomprehensible to scientists.
Perhaps in the future we will be able to penetrate the mystery of the biography of Leonardo da Vinci, and solve all the mysteries that he left us.
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Painter, sculptor, architect, anatomist, naturalist, inventor, engineer, writer, thinker, musician, poet. If you list only these areas of application of talent, without naming the person to whom they relate, anyone will say: Leonardo da Vinci. We will consider only one of the facets of the personality of the "great Leonardo" and talk about his technical inventions.
Da Vinci was a famous figure of his time, but real fame came many centuries after his death. Only at the end of the 19th century were the theoretical notes of the scientist published for the first time. It was they who contained descriptions of strange and mysterious devices for their time.
In the Renaissance, da Vinci could hardly count on the speedy implementation of all his inventions. The main obstacle to their implementation was the insufficient technical level. But in the 20th century, almost all the devices described in his writings became a reality. This suggests that the "Italian Faust" was not only a talented inventor, but also a person who was able to anticipate technological progress. Of course, Leonardo's deep knowledge contributed to this.
The scientist systematized his developments, creating the so-called "codes" - books containing records about certain aspects of science and technology. There is, for example, "Leicester Code", in which you can find descriptions of various natural phenomena, as well as mathematical calculations.
It is noteworthy that da Vinci's notes are made in the so-called "mirror" font. All letters are written from right to left and deployed vertically. You can only read them with a mirror. Until now, disputes have not subsided about why the scientist needed to keep records in this way. Rumor has it that this is how he intended to classify his works.
Helicopter and hang glider
No technical invention causes such awe and admiration as a flying machine. That is why da Vinci was chained to aircraft at all times Special attention. The inventor always dreamed of the idea of aeronautics. Birds became a source of inspiration for the scientist. Leonardo tried to create a wing for an aircraft in the image and likeness of feathered wings. One of the devices he developed was set in motion with the help of movable wings, which rose and fell due to the rotation of the pedals by the pilot. The pilot himself was located horizontally (lying).
Another version of the flying machine was supposed to use not only the legs, but also the hands of the aeronaut for movement. Experiments with the "bird's" wing did not have practical success, and soon the inventor switched to the idea of a gliding flight. This is how the hang glider prototype appeared.
By the way, in 2002, British testers proved the correctness of the da Vinci hang glider concept. Using an apparatus built according to the drawings of the master, the world champion in hang gliding Judy Liden was able to rise to a height of ten meters and stayed in the air for seventeen seconds.
No less interesting is the aircraft developed by da Vinci with a rotor. In our time, many consider this machine the prototype of a modern helicopter. Although the device is more like a gyroplane rather than a helicopter. Made of thin linen, the propeller had to be driven by four people. The helicopter was one of the first flying machines proposed by da Vinci. Perhaps that is why he had a number of serious shortcomings that would never have allowed him to take off. For example, the strength of four people was clearly not enough to create the thrust necessary for takeoff.
But the parachute was one of the simplest developments of genius. But this does not detract from the significance of the invention. According to Leonardo's idea, the parachute was supposed to have a pyramidal shape, and its design was supposed to be covered with fabric. In our time, testers have proven that the da Vinci parachute concept can be considered correct. In 2008, Swiss Olivier Tepp successfully landed using a pyramid-shaped tent. True, for this the parachute had to be made from modern materials.
Leonardo da Vinci was the illegitimate (illegitimate) son of the Tuscan notary Piero da Vinci. His mother was a simple peasant woman. Subsequently, Father Leonardo married a girl from a noble family. Since this marriage turned out to be childless, he soon took his son to him.
It is believed that da Vinci was a vegetarian. The following words are attributed to him: “If a person strives for freedom, why does he keep birds and animals in cages? .. Man is truly the king of animals, because he cruelly exterminates them. We live by killing others. We are walking graveyards! Also in early age I gave up meat."
Automobile
When you get acquainted with the works of da Vinci, you begin to understand why small Italy has become the birthplace of legendary car brands. Back in the 15th century, an Italian inventor was able to sketch a “self-propelled cart”, which became the prototype of modern cars. The trolley designed by Leonardo did not have a driver and was driven by a spring mechanism.
Although the latter is just an assumption of modern scientists. It is not known for certain how exactly the master intended to move his invention forward. Nor do we know what the first car was supposed to look like. Leonardo paid the main attention not to the appearance of the structure, but to the technical characteristics. The cart was three-wheeled, like a children's bicycle. The rear wheels rotated independently of each other.
In 2004, Italian researchers managed not only to build a car designed by da Vinci, but also to make it move! The scientist Carlo Pedretti managed to unravel the main secret of Leonardo da Vinci's wagon, namely, the principle of movement. The researcher suggested that the car was supposed to be driven not by springs, but by special springs, which were located at the bottom of the structure.
Tank
Bestialissima pazzia (translated from Italian as "animal madness") - it was with such an unflattering epithet that the "titan of the Renaissance" awarded the war. Da Vinci mentioned in his notes that he hated war and killing machines. Paradoxically, this did not prevent him from developing new military equipment.
Do not forget that Leonardo did not live in peacetime. Italian cities were in complex relationships with each other, and there was also the threat of French intervention. By the end of the 15th century, da Vinci had become a well-known and respected military specialist. He presented his numerous military developments in a letter written to the Duke of Milan Sforza.
One of the scientist's most exciting ideas was... a tank. However, it would be much more correct to call Leonardo's design a distant prototype of armored vehicles of the 20th century. This design had a rounded shape and outwardly resembled a turtle, bristling with tools on all sides. The inventor hoped to solve the problem of movement with the help of horses. True, this idea was quickly abandoned: in a confined space, animals could become uncontrollable.
Instead, the “engine” of such a tank was to be eight people who would turn the levers connected to the wheels, and thus move the combat vehicle forward. Another crew member was supposed to be at the top of the apparatus and indicate the direction of movement. Interestingly, the design of the armored vehicle only allowed it to move forward. As you might guess, at that time the concept of the tank had little chance of being implemented.
For real effective weapon the tank will become only when it is possible to create a suitable internal combustion engine. But the main merit of da Vinci was that he managed to open the curtain of history and look many centuries ahead.
Leonardo da Vinci was a truly versatile person. The inventor played the lyre perfectly and appeared in the records of the Milan court precisely as a musician. Da Vinci was also interested in cooking. For thirteen years, the organization of court feasts lay on his shoulders. Especially for culinary specialists, he developed several useful devices.
Chariot - scythe
Another very original and at the same time terrible invention of the genius of the Renaissance dates back to 1485. It received the uncomplicated name "chariot-scythe". This chariot was a horse carriage equipped with rotating scythes. The design does not claim to be the invention of the century. This invention was also not destined to come true. On the other hand, the war chariot demonstrates the breadth of da Vinci's thought as a military specialist.
Machine gun
One of the most famous inventions of da Vinci, ahead of its time, is considered to be a machine gun. Although the design of Leonardo is more correct to call a multi-barreled gun. Da Vinci had several designs for multiple rocket launchers. His most famous invention in this area is the so-called "musket in the form of an organ pipe". The design had a rotating platform, on which were placed three rows of muskets (arquebus) with eleven barrels each.
The da Vinci machine gun could fire only three shots without reloading, but they would be enough to defeat a large number of enemy soldiers. The main drawback of the design was that such a machine gun is extremely difficult to reload, especially in combat conditions. Another variant of the multi-barrel gun assumed the arrangement of a large number of muskets like a fan. The gun barrels were directed in different directions, increasing the radius of destruction. Like the previous development, the "fan" gun was supposed to be equipped with wheels to increase mobility.
Cannonballs and "mobile" bridges
Perhaps the most farsighted invention of da Vinci was the keeled cannonballs. Such cores were shaped like artillery shells of the 20th century. This development was many centuries ahead of its time. It demonstrates the scientists' deep understanding of the laws of aerodynamics.
Of great value for its time was an invention called the "revolving bridge". This bridge became the prototype of modern mobile mechanized bridges designed for the rapid crossing of troops from one coast to another. The Da Vinci Bridge was solid and attached to one bank. After the bridge was installed, it was supposed to turn it to the opposite bank using ropes.
The Vitruvian Man is one of the most famous drawings by Leonardo da Vinci. The drawing is notable for its detailed reproduction of the proportions of the human body. It is of scientific and cultural interest at the same time. It is noteworthy that long before the image of the "Vitruvian Man" by da Vinci, a similar drawing was made by the Italian scientist Mariano Taccola. True, the image of Taccola was only an unfinished sketch.
The Sforza dynasty was the ruling Milanese dynasty during the Renaissance. The first Duke of Milan was Francesco Sforza, who ruled until 1466. In 1480, the talented cultural figure Lodovico Sforza became the Duke of Milan. During his reign, the most capable artists and scientists of their time were invited to the court. One of them was Leonardo da Vinci.
"Mona Lisa" ("Gioconda") is perhaps the most mysterious example of painting in the world. Until now, the picture raises many questions. So, it is not known for certain who exactly da Vinci depicted on his canvas. It is believed that the painting depicts the noble Florentine Lisa Gherardini. One of the wildest theories is that the painting is a self-portrait of da Vinci himself.
Diving suit
Yes, yes, his invention is also attributed to da Vinci. The diving suit was made of leather and equipped with glass lenses. The diver could breathe with the help of reed tubes. The scientist proposed the concept of a diving suit in order to repel the threat posed by the Turkish fleet. According to the idea, divers had to dive to the bottom and wait for the arrival of enemy ships.
When enemy ships appeared above the water, the divers had to commit sabotage and put the ships to the bottom. It was not destined to prove the correctness of this concept. Venice was able to resist the Turkish fleet without the help of saboteurs. By the way, the world's first detachment of combat swimmers appeared in Italy, but this happened only in 1941. The very design of the space suit, presented by da Vinci, can be considered innovative.
Submarine, mine, gun details
The records of Leonardo da Vinci have survived to our time, on which you can clearly make out the prototype of a submarine. But there is very little information about her. Most likely, on the surface, the ship could move using sails. Under water, the ship had to move with the help of oar power.
To destroy enemy ships, da Vinci designed a special underwater mine. According to the inventor's plan, divers-saboteurs or a submarine could deliver such a mine to the board of an enemy ship. For the first time this idea was realized only in the second half of the 19th century, during the American Civil War.
Despite the abundance of inventions, only one of them brought da Vinci fame during his lifetime. This is a wheel lock for a pistol. In the 16th century, this development gave rise to a real technological boom. The design was so successful that it was used until the 19th century.
All of the above is far from full list inventions of da Vinci. In addition to these developments, among the ideas of the master were: a bearing, a mechanical ladder, a rapid-fire crossbow, a steam weapon, a ship with a double bottom, and much more.
Ideal City
If history had gone the other way, the small Italian town of Vidgevano near Milan could have become a real wonder of the world. It was there that Leonardo da Vinci intended to realize his most ambitious idea - the ideal city. The da Vinci project resembles a high-tech city of the future from literary works science fiction writers. Or a utopia generated by a stormy writer's fantasy.
The main feature of such a city was that it consisted of several tiers, interconnected by stairs and passages. As you might guess, the upper tier was intended for the upper strata of society. The lower one was reserved for trade and services. The most important elements of the transport infrastructure were also located there. The city was to become not only the greatest architectural achievement of that time, but also to embody many technical innovations.
However, the project should not be perceived as a manifestation of a soulless technocracy. Da Vinci paid much attention to the comfort of the inhabitants of the city. Practicality and hygiene were at the forefront. The scientist decided to abandon the narrow medieval streets in favor of spacious roads and squares.
One of the key aspects of the concept was the widespread use of water channels. With the help of a complex hydraulic system, water had to flow into every building in the city. Da Vinci believed that in this way it would be possible to eliminate unsanitary conditions and reduce the spread of disease to a minimum.
Having become acquainted with the scientist's concept, the Milanese Duke Lodovico Sforza considered the idea too adventurous. At the end of his life, Leonardo presented the same project to the French King Francis I. The scientist proposed making the city the capital of the monarch, but the project remained on paper.
One of da Vinci's interests was anatomy. It is known that the master dismembered many corpses, trying to understand the mysteries of human anatomy. Most of all, the scientist was interested in the structure of muscles. Leonardo da Vinci wanted to understand the principle of human movement. After himself, he left many anatomical records.
Genius or plagiarist?
As you know, history develops in a spiral. Many inventions were born long before their development was appropriated by other inventors. Perhaps Leonardo da Vinci is no exception. Do not forget that da Vinci had access to the scientific heritage of ancient civilization. In addition, da Vinci lived surrounded by the best minds of his time. He had the opportunity to communicate with outstanding figures of science and culture. The scientist could adopt many ideas from his colleagues.
The artist and engineer Mariano Taccola is a forgotten genius of the Renaissance. He died in 1453 (da Vinci was born in 1452). Unlike da Vinci, Mariano Taccola did not receive recognition during his lifetime and did not gain worldwide fame after it. Meanwhile, many developments of Taccola found their continuation in the works of da Vinci. It is known that Leonardo was familiar with the works of Francesco di Giorgio, which, in turn, were based on the ideas of Taccola. For example, in the manuscripts of di Giorgio, da Vinci had the opportunity to familiarize himself with the concept of the Taccola diving suit.
It would be a mistake to consider da Vinci the inventor of flying machines. In the 11th century, the monk Aylmer of Malmesbury lived in England. With a wide knowledge of mathematics, he built a primitive hang glider and even made a short flight on it. Aylmer is known to have flown over two hundred meters.
It is highly likely that Leonardo also borrowed the concept of the helicopter. But already with the Chinese. In the 15th century, merchants from China brought toys resembling mini-helicopters to Europe. A similar point of view is shared by the British historian Gavin Menzies, who believes that da Vinci adopted his most famous inventions from the inhabitants of the Celestial Empire. Menzies claims that in 1430 a Chinese delegation visited Venice, handing over to the Venetians many of the developments of Chinese scientists.
Be that as it may, Leonardo da Vinci always remains for us one of the greatest inventors of all times and peoples. Many ideas were brought to life precisely thanks to Leonardo. The scientist improved various inventions and, more importantly, was able to give them visibility. Do not forget that Leonardo da Vinci was a talented artist.
The master left many sketches for his developments. And even if the ideas attributed to da Vinci do not belong to him, it cannot be denied that the scientist was able to systematize a huge layer of knowledge, bringing this knowledge to posterity.
Leonardo da Vinci, whose years of life and death the whole world knows, is perhaps the most mysterious figure of the Renaissance. Many people care about where Leonardo da Vinci was born and who he was. He is known as an artist, anatomist and engineer. In addition to numerous discoveries, this unique person left behind a huge number of different mysteries that the whole world is trying to solve to this day.
Biography
When was Leonardo da Vinci born? He was born on April 15, 1452. It is interesting to know where Leonardo da Vinci was born, and specifically in which city. There is nothing easier. His surname comes from the name of the place of birth. Vinci is an Italian city in the then Florentine Republic.
Leonardo was the illegitimate child of an official and an ordinary peasant girl. The boy grew up and was brought up in the house of his father, thanks to whom he received a good education.
As soon as the future genius was 15 years old, he became an apprentice to Andrea del Verocchio, who was a talented sculptor, painter and representative of the Florentine school.
Once the teacher Leonardo took up an interesting job. He arranged to paint an altarpiece in the church of Santi Salvi, which depicted the baptism of Christ by John. The young da Vinci participated in this work. He wrote only one angel, which turned out to be an order of magnitude more beautiful than the whole image. This circumstance was the reason that I decided never to pick up brushes again. Its young but incredibly talented student was able to surpass his teacher.
After another 5 years, Leonardo da Vinci becomes a member of the Guild of Artists. There, with particular passion, he began to study the basics of drawing and many other compulsory disciplines. A little later, in 1476, he continued to work with the former teacher and mentor Andrea del Verocchio, but already as a co-author of his creations.
long-awaited fame
By 1480, the name of Leonardo da Vinci becomes famous. I wonder when Leonardo da Vinci was born, could his contemporaries assume that he would become so famous? During this period, the artist receives the largest and most expensive orders, but two years later he decides to leave his hometown and moves to Milan. There he continues to work, paints several successful paintings and the famous fresco "The Last Supper".
It was during this period of life that Leonardo da Vinci began to keep his own diary. From there we learn that he is no longer just an artist, but also an architect-designer, hydraulics, anatomist, inventor of all kinds of mechanisms and decorations. In addition to all this, he also finds time to compose riddles, fables or puzzles. Moreover, it awakens an interest in music. And this is only a small part of what Leonardo da Vinci became famous for.
Some time later, the genius realizes that mathematics is much more exciting than painting. He is so keen on exact science that he forgets to think about painting. Even later, da Vinci begins to show interest in anatomy. He departs for Rome and stays there for 3 years, living under the "wing" of the Medici family. But very soon the joy is replaced by sadness and longing. Leonrado da Vinci is upset because of the lack of material for anatomical experiments. Then he tries to engage in various experiments, but this does not lead to anything.
life changes
In 1516, the life of the Italian genius changes dramatically. He is noticed by the king of France, truly admired by his work, and invites him to the court. Later, the sculptor will write that although Leonardo's main work was a very prestigious position as a court adviser, he did not forget about his work.
It was during this life period that da Vinci began to develop the idea of an aircraft. At first, he manages to come up with a simple pattern based on wings. In the future, it will serve as the basis for a completely insane project at that time - an airplane with full control. But although da Vinci was talented, he could not invent a motor. The dream of an airplane turned out to be unrealizable.
Now you know exactly where Leonardo da Vinci was born, what he was fond of and what life path he had to pass. The Florentine died on May 2, 1519.
Painting by famous artist
The Italian genius was very versatile, but most people think of him solely as a painter. And this is no accident. Painting by Leonardo da Vinci is a true art, and his paintings are real masterpieces. Thousands of scientists from all over the globe are struggling over the mysteries of the most famous works that came out from under the brush of the Florentine.
It is quite difficult to choose a few paintings from the whole variety. Therefore, the article will present the top 6 most famous and earliest works of the author.
1. First job famous artist- "A small sketch of the river valley."
This is a really neat drawing. It depicts a castle and a small wooded slope. The sketch was made with quick strokes using a pencil. The whole landscape is depicted in such a way that it seems as if we are looking at the picture from some high point.
2. "Turin self-portrait" - created by the artist at about 60 years old.
This work is interesting for us primarily because it gives an idea of what the great Leonardo da Vinci looked like. Although there is an opinion that a completely different person is depicted here. Many art historians consider the "self-portrait" a sketch for the famous "La Gioconda". This work is considered one of the best works of Leonardo.
3. "Mona Lisa" or "La Gioconda" - the most famous and perhaps the most mysterious painting Italian artist, written around 1514 - 1515.
She in itself is the most interesting fact about Leonardo da Vinci. There are so many theories and assumptions associated with the picture that it is impossible to count them all. Many experts claim that the canvas depicts an ordinary one against the backdrop of a very unusual landscape. Some believe that this is a portrait of the Duchess of Costanza d "Avalos. According to others, the wife of Francesco del Gioconda is in the picture. But there is a more modern version. She says that great artist captured the widow of Giovanni Antonio Brandano named Pacifica.
4. "Vitruvian Man" - a drawing created as an illustration for a book approximately in 1490-1492.
It very well depicts a naked man in two slightly different positions, which are applied to each other. This work received the status of not only a work of art, but also a scientific work.
5. "The Last Supper" by Leonardo da Vinci - a picture that shows the moment when Jesus Christ announced to his disciples that he would be betrayed by one of them. Created in 1495-1498.
This work is as enigmatic and mysterious as the Gioconda. Perhaps the most truly amazing thing about this picture is the history of its writing. According to many historians, Leonardo da Vinci could not write Judas and Christ for a long time. Once he was lucky to find in the church choir one beautiful young man, spiritualized and bright so much that the author's doubts disappeared - here he is, the prototype of Jesus. But the image of Judas still remained unfinished. For three long years, Leonardo walked around the green back streets, looking for the most degraded and vile person. One day he found one. It was a drunkard in the gutter. Da Vinci brought him to the studio and painted Judas from him. How unimaginable was the author's surprise when it turned out that he wrote Jesus and the disciple who betrayed him from the same person, simply met in different periods the life of the latter.
The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci is famous for its right hand from Christ, the master depicted Mary Magdalene. Due to the fact that he placed her in this way, many began to claim that she was the lawful wife of Jesus. There was even a hypothesis that the contours of the bodies of Christ and Mary Magdalene denote the letter M, which means "Matrimonio", that is, marriage.
6. "Madonna Litta" - a painting dedicated to the Mother of God and the Christ Child.
On the hands is a very traditional religious story. But it was the painting by Leonardo da Vinci that became one of the best in this subject. In fact, this masterpiece is not very large, only 42 x 33 cm. But it still truly amazes the imagination with its beauty and purity. This picture is also remarkable for its mysterious details. Why is the baby holding the chick in her hand? Why is his mother's dress ripped open where the baby is pressed against her breast? And why is the picture so dark?
The painting of Leonardo da Vinci is not just beautiful canvases, it is a whole separate art form that strikes the imagination with its indescribable splendor and bewitching secrets.
What did the great creator leave to the world?
What made Leonardo da Vinci famous besides paintings? Undoubtedly, he was talented in many areas that, it would seem, cannot be combined with each other at all. However, despite all his genius, he had one entertaining character trait that did not really fit with his business - he liked to abandon the work he had begun and leave it like that forever. But nevertheless, Leonardo da Vinci nevertheless brought to the end several truly brilliant discoveries. They turned the then ideas about life.
The discoveries of Leonardo da Vinci are amazing. What can be said about a man who created a whole science? Are you familiar with paleontology? But it is Leonardo da Vinci who is its ancestor. It was he who first made an entry in his diary about a certain rare fossil that he managed to discover. Scholars are still wondering what it was all about. Only a rough description is known: a certain stone, similar to fossilized honeycombs and having a hexagonal shape. Leonardo also described the first ideas about paleontology as a science in general.
Thanks to da Vinci, people have learned to jump from planes without crashing. After all, he was the one who invented the parachute. Of course, initially it was only a prototype of a modern parachute and it looked completely different, but the importance of the invention does not become less from this. In his diary, the master wrote about a piece of linen fabric, 11 meters long and wide. He was sure that this would help a person land without any injuries. And as time has shown, he was absolutely right.
Of course, the helicopter was invented much later than Leonardo da Vinci died, but the idea of the aircraft belongs to him. It does not look like what we now call a helicopter, but rather resembles an inverted round table with one leg, to which the pedals are bolted. It is due to them that the invention was supposed to fly.
Unbelievable but true
What else did Leonardo da Vinci create? Incredibly, he also had a hand in robotics. Just think, back in the 15th century, he personally designed the first model of the so-called robot. His invention had many complex mechanisms and springs. But most importantly, this robot was humanoid and even knew how to move its arms. In addition, the Italian genius came up with several mechanical lions. They could move by themselves using mechanisms like sentries.
Leonardo da Vinci made so many discoveries on earth that he became interested in something new in space. He could gaze at the stars for hours. And although it cannot be said that he invented the telescope, in one of his books you can find instructions for creating something very similar to him.
We even owe our cars to da Vinci. He came up with a wooden model of a car with three wheels. The whole structure was set in motion by a special mechanism. Many scientists believe that this idea was born back in 1478.
Among other things, Leonardo was fond of military affairs. He came up with a multi-barreled and rapid-fire weapon - a machine gun, or rather, its prototype.
Of course, Leonardo da Vinci could not help but come up with something for the painters. It was he who developed the artistic technique, in which all distant things seem blurry. He also invented chiaroscuro.
It is worth noting that all the discoveries of Leonardo da Vinci turned out to be very useful, and some of his developments are still used today. They are only slightly improved.
Nevertheless, we cannot but admit that Leonardo da Vinci, whose contribution to science was enormous, was a real genius.
Water is Leonardo da Vinci's favorite element.
If you love diving or have dived to a considerable depth at least once in your life, then thank Leonardo da Vinci. He invented scuba gear. Da Vinci designed a kind of floating cork buoy that held a reed tube above the water for air. He also invented the leather air bag.
Leonardo da Vinci, biology
The genius was interested in everything: the principles of breathing, yawning, coughing, vomiting, and especially the beating of the heart. Leonardo da Vinci studied biology, closely linking it with physiology. It was he who first described the heart as a muscle and almost came to the conclusion that it is it that pumps blood in the human body. Da Vicney even made an attempt to create a prosthetic aortic valve through which the blood flow passed.
Anatomy as art
Everyone knows that da Vinci was fond of anatomy. In 2005, researchers discovered his secret laboratory, where he supposedly dissected hundreds of corpses. And this apparently had an effect. It was da Vinci who accurately described the shape of the human spine. Among other things, there is an opinion that he discovered diseases such as atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis. Another Italian managed to excel in dentistry. Leonardo was the first person to depict the correct structure of the teeth in the oral cavity, describing in detail their number.
Do you wear glasses or lenses? And for that we have to say thanks to Leonardo. In 1509, he wrote in his diary a certain model of how and with what help one can change the optical power of the human eye.
Leonardo da Vinci, whose contribution to science is simply invaluable, created, studied or discovered so many things that it is impossible to count. His brilliant hands and head definitely belong to the greatest discoveries.
He was a very enigmatic figure. And, of course, to this day there are various interesting facts about Leonardo da Vinci.
It is known for certain that he was a cipher clerk. Leonardo wrote with his left hand and in very small letters. Yes, and did it from right to left. But by the way, Da Vinci wrote equally well with both hands.
The Florentine always spoke in riddles and even made prophecies, most of which came true.
Interestingly, not where Leonardo da Vinci was born, a monument was erected to him, but in a completely different place - in Milan.
It is believed that the Italian was a vegetarian. But this did not prevent him from being the manager of court feasts for thirteen years. He even came up with several culinary "helpers" to make the work of cooks easier.
Among other things, the Florentine played the lyre insanely beautifully. But even this is not all interesting facts about Leonardo da Vinci.
In Northern Italy there is a wonderful city of Florence. Across the river, on the banks of which it stands, many beautiful stone bridges are thrown. Pay attention to the Ponte Vekio bridge, near which there are numerous shops, whose windows look at the river. If you look into any of them, you will see almost the same thing as brilliant Leonardo da Vinci.
He was 16 years old when he came to Florence with the aim of becoming best artist worldwide. In principle, he achieved his goal. But not only in the field of painting: the inventions of Leonardo da Vinci still haunt historians and researchers, as they were far ahead of their time, no matter how incredible it may sound.
The world of the Leonardo era
Florence, which was surrounded by nature of marvelous beauty, must have been a real discovery for the young genius. His path lay from the town of Vinci, which is located just one day from the city. Even today, this village looks exactly the same as it did 500 years ago. Leonardo was so amazed by the local beauties that he spent hours admiring the slow flow of the river and observing the habits of the numerous birds that nest in these places to this day.
If you have ever visited the exhibition of inventions of Leonardo da Vinci, which is regularly held in Florence, then you yourself will easily notice the abundance of "bird" motifs in many of his works.
In general, he was distinguished by a rare love for our smaller brothers for that time: contemporaries say that one of his favorite pastimes was to buy several cages with birds on the market, and then release them all into the wild. It must be said that the influence of nature, its forms and proportions can be traced in all subsequent works of the master, so that his youthful passion turned out to be extremely useful in his mature years.
The beginning of Leonardo's life
He was born on April 15, 1452. In just 40 years, Columbus will discover America, but even this event is unlikely to overshadow the inventions of Leonardo da Vinci, which contemporaries considered who were a miracle, and who were the tricks of the Unclean. From a young age, he had a pronounced inclination towards science, but the small village could not quench his indomitable thirst for knowledge for long. In 1469, his father sent his talented son as an apprentice to the sculptor Andrea Verrochio.
In general, a brief biography of Leonardo da Vinci, which is given in most textbooks, has not retained any other data on the initial period of his life.
He was very famous, and his work was very popular even at the court of the rulers of Florence. At that time, the Renaissance reigned, when the position of the Church was weakened, and scientists, sculptors and artists could do what they loved without risking being fried on an inquisitorial fire.
The standard of living has risen, many people have moved to the cities. Florence, already a large and beautiful city, was literally filled with talented artists and merchants. Sculptors, painters and blacksmiths worked in the workshop of Verrochio, who produced magnificent works of art that captured the imagination of contemporaries, and we are still delighted with.
The craft of the artist, already difficult, required remarkable knowledge in mechanics and physics.
While working as an apprentice, Leonardo quickly became acquainted with numerous systems for carrying and transporting weights, which greatly helped him in his later career. Almost all of Leonardo da Vinci's inventions carry easily recognizable features that anyone can notice when examining reproductions of paintings that depicted the workshops of that time.
Early writings of Leonardo
At just 20 years old, the young genius became a full member of the Florence Guild of Artists, which in those days is analogous to if someone at the same age took the lead in the Large Hadron Collider project. In a word, the kid was not just talented, but simply brilliant. It was he who supplemented the work of his teacher Verrocchio "The Baptism of Christ". His brush belongs to the angel on the left side of the canvas, as well as significant pieces of the landscape.
It should be noted that there was nothing unusual in the practice of using students to paint pictures: many Renaissance paintings, which “de jure” belong to the brushes of the great masters of that period, were actually written by their students (Rembrandt, in particular, this).
In the aforementioned painting, Leonardo for the first time demonstrated to the world his originality and fresh vision of problems. So, he first began to use oil paints, thanks to which he quickly managed to create his own style in painting and surpassed his teacher. Someone believes that the student aroused the envy of Verrochio with his successes, but contemporaries say that the old teacher was sincerely glad to transfer part of his affairs to reliable hands. Around the same time, Leonardo gradually began to work on his own projects and paintings.
In those years, the works of artists were divided into only two categories: religious motifs and landscapes. But this was clearly not enough for the young talent. One of the first works of Leonardo was a simple pencil sketch, which was called "Arno Valley". Despite its apparent simplicity, this is a real masterpiece: the observer literally sees and feels the movement of leaves, the flow of water and the rustle of the wind in it. In a word, Leonardo not only departed from the generally accepted canons of the image, but also created his own style, which no one has been able to repeat to this day.
But over time, the canvases of a genius became more and more complex and perfect. It was he who came up with the idea of applying the thinnest layers of oil paint one on top of the other, which gave the paintings a kind of "smoky" and indescribable charm. In principle, the master himself called this technique "enveloping with haze." He learned to convey colors so naturally that many of his paintings are simply photographic.
In general, the painting of Leonardo da Vinci still shocks both experienced art historians and chemists. Some compositions of his paints are deciphered to this day.
Ambition in the field of invention
14 years have passed, which were completely dedicated to Florence. The active Leonard got bored. But he always said at the same time that all the time he spent in Florence allowed him to become a truly great artist and inventor. Be that as it may, but soon Leonardo has the opportunity to apply his efforts to another project.
It all started with the fact that neighboring Milan was threatened by enemies, and Leonardo da Vinci (whose era was not distinguished by calmness) set about creating his own project to effectively protect the city from a possible attack. At that time, the ruler of Milan was Francesco Sforza. Da Vinci wrote a letter to him, in which he praised his ability to make cannons, catapults, warships, and other military equipment.
The ambitious Leonardo wanted to do something more than painting. But he soon discovered that his employer wanted more to turn Milan into a city as beautiful as Florence. And the genius again had to return to the sculptor's path and the craft of the artist. Fortunately, because otherwise we would have lost numerous of his works, which today are the property of all mankind.
What were the main inventions of Leonardo da Vinci? The list is far from complete, but here they are:
- tank project.
- Drawings of planes, helicopters, balloons.
- Leonardo da Vinci invented the alarm clock (with mechanics, he was always on the short leg).
- The first mentions, sketchy sketches of steam locomotives.
- Several dozens of unique techniques in painting and sculpture, which still cannot be repeated.
- Leonardo da Vinci invented scissors. According to legend, he came up with the idea of connecting two small knives with screws. Why he decided to conduct such an experiment, history is silent. However, the invention turned out to be very useful.
- Incredibly accurate and detailed anatomical atlases, in the model and likeness of which all modern analogues are created.
- Advanced sewerage schemes, storm drains.
You can continue to list the inventions of Leonardo da Vinci, the list of which we have given in a thousandfold truncated form, is endless. He really was a genius.
Immortal creations of Leonardo
These, in particular, include a number of his creations, which we will discuss below. So, let's list the most prominent of them.
bronze horse
The first "party task" of Leonardo da Vinci, whose discoveries still amaze the world, was the creation of a monument that would depict Sforza's father, sitting on horseback. The ambitious inventor and sculptor decided to make it so that the whole world would admire his genius. He was engaged in development for 11 years, as a result of which a “model” of a horse made of clay was born, the height of which was almost nine meters. The bronze copy came out much more modest.
"The Last Supper"
One of the most mysterious and famous creations of Leonardo to this day is precisely the painting "The Last Supper". During the Second World War, a bomb hit the monastery, on the walls of which it was painted, but did not explode. But it was this projectile that broke off pieces of plaster on the walls, as a result of which, for the first time in several centuries, researchers saw the work of Leonardo, which by that time needed high-quality restoration.
In general, the painting of Leonardo da Vinci is still found from time to time in various parts of Italy. Perhaps we are still waiting for the great discoveries of his new paintings.
"Mona Lisa"
In 1500, the artist returned from Milan to Florence, where three years later he created a truly brilliant painting, Mona Lisa. The mystery of the picture in some incredible technique: the smile of the girl depicted in the picture looks incredibly realistic. No matter how many artists try to repeat this technique, they still do not succeed.
Engineering
In 1506, Leonardo da Vinci (discoveries in various scientific fields intensified during this period) again moved to Milan. At that time, the city was under French control, so the inventor went to the commander of the French army, Charles d'Amboise. For the next seven years, he practically did not paint, but spent a lot of time studying mechanics, anatomy and mathematics in depth. So, it is his inquisitive mind that owns the project of draining the Pontine swamp. Tellingly, his plan turned out to be the most realistic and least costly, so the dewatering was carried out according to his recommendations.
Entertainment of the courtiers
In Milan, Leonardo's time was almost entirely occupied by a wide variety of projects. He continued to paint, took on a variety of projects, but often did not bring them to the end. In addition, he often wrote songs and plays, which he often showed to the rulers of Milan. He was also responsible for the creation of scenery and costumes at the time when carnivals were planned.
Leonardo da Vinci was such a versatile person. What else has this restless designer invented?
Military constructor
He was passionate about the creation of all kinds of military vehicles: tanks and shells with improved ballistics, new bombs for mortars. In addition, he was engaged in the design of fortresses that could survive long-term sieges. Of course, he could carry out no more than a tenth of his bold projects, since most of them were significantly ahead of their time, and therefore there were simply no technologies for their construction. For example, the first tanks were built only 450 years after he drew the drawings of such machines.
However, with equal success, Leonardo was also fond of quite peaceful projects. So, the sewerage project in Milan belongs to him. He designed the sewage system in such a way that sewage could not cause subsequent epidemics among the townspeople.
Great anatomist
Leonardo da Vinci made the greatest contribution to anatomy, since it is he who owns hundreds of studies of the human body, surprisingly detailed and of high quality. However, for the artists of that time, the study of anatomy was a completely natural phenomenon, but only Leonardo became interested not only in appearance, but also in the mechanics of the human body.
Even despite the fact that the Church was sharply against this method of obtaining new knowledge, he carried out dozens of resections, studied hundreds of organs of people belonging to different classes, of different sex, age and physiological state.
His descriptions of anatomical experiments showed that he sometimes went further in his studies than some anatomists of the 19th century. But the most remarkable thing is that he made magnificent sketches of his experiments. He was the first to make an absolutely accurate drawing of an opened human body with an embryo inside.
The umbilical cord was captured by him down to the smallest detail. Leonardo was one of the first to make sketches of the human body in cross section, giving names to each individual part. It should be noted that this method continues to be used at the present time.
The researcher paid special attention to the human eye, and therefore, long before his contemporaries, he described the fundamental laws of optics. So, for the first time he made a brilliant suggestion about the refraction of light in the lens of the eye of an animal and a person. Leonardo wrote in his diary that the eye lens is a kind of lens that is attached to the brain by attaching through the ophthalmic nerve.
Flights in a dream and in reality
As we wrote at the very beginning of the article, he was very interested in birds. Not surprisingly, many of his works are devoted to finding ways to fly, thanks to which a person could rise into the sky. It is he who owns the projects of the first helicopters (helicopters), airplanes and balloons.
As you may have noticed, the whole life of Leonardo da Vinci is closely connected with the sky: he loved birds, loved to create designs for all kinds of aeronautical mechanisms.
The Last Years of a Genius
When the creator was sixty years old, he suddenly discovered that he simply did not have enough money. This is strange, since almost all talented sculptors and artists of that time had many rich sponsors. Why didn't Leonardo have them?
The fact is that he had the glory of a gifted, but very scattered genius. Even if Leonardo da Vinci (whose history knows many similar episodes) took on some project, no one could guarantee that he would complete it and not leave it halfway. Perhaps that is why he created no more than a dozen paintings in his entire life.
Approximately at the age of 60, da Vinci paints a self-portrait (there is in the article). He makes it a simple red crayon. The portrait shows a very aged man, with sad eyes, wrinkled skin and a long white beard. Was Leonardo lonely in his last years, was he disappointed that not all of his projects were considered feasible by his contemporaries? Alas, we will never know for sure.
This brilliant scientist died at the age of 67. It happened on May 2, 1519. He spent the last two years of his life at the court of the French monarch, as he really appreciated science and everything that Leonardo did for its development. Thus ends a brief biography of Leonardo da Vinci.
Mirror writing and diaries
After his death, they were able to find more than five thousand pages of notes and a wide variety of diaries. Immediately striking was the mirror letter with which Leonardo carefully encrypted his notes. Who would need to read them? From whom did the old scientist defend himself with such vigor?
It should not be forgotten that even during the Renaissance, the Church was still an extremely powerful organization. Almost everything that Leonardo wrote could easily be interpreted as "demonic". However, the scientist was surprisingly good relationship with many high-ranking members of the clergy, and therefore some scholars suggest that Leonardo simply had his own quirks, writing down his notes in this way.
This theory is supported by the fact that deciphering the "mirror" letter is not particularly difficult. It is unlikely that churchmen, if they really set themselves such a goal, would not be able to read it.
Thus, the inventions of Leonardo da Vinci left a deep mark on culture and art, science and technology, and in all other areas of modern society.