Relates primarily to Leonardo da Vinci(1452-1519). He was not only a brilliant painter, sculptor and architect, but also a great scientist, engineer and inventor. In terms of scale, versatility and complexity of personality, no one can compare with him.

Fate did not treat Leonardo too favorably. Being the illegitimate son of a notary and a simple peasant woman, he achieved a worthy place in life with great difficulty. We can say that he remained in many respects not understood and not recognized by his time. In Florence, the birthplace of his first successes, the Medici were rather wary of him, appreciating in him mainly a musician who made unusual instruments.

The authorities of Milan, in turn, perceived him very reservedly, seeing in him an engineer, a skillful organizer of holidays. In Rome, Pope Leo X also kept him at a distance, entrusting him with the draining of the swamps. In the last years of his life, at the invitation of the French king, Leonardo went to France, where he died.

Leonardo da Vinci, indeed, remaining a genius of the Renaissance, belonged not only to his time, but also to the past and future. In many ways, he did not accept the Platonic humanism that dominated Italy, reproaching Plato for his abstract theoreticism. Of course, the art of Leonardo was the highest embodiment of the ideals of humanism. However, as a scientist, Aristotelian empiricism was much closer to him, and with it he was transferred to the 13th century, to the late Middle Ages, when Aristotle was the ruler of thoughts.

It was then that the spirit of scientific experiment was born, to the approval and development of which Leonardo made a decisive contribution. At the same time, again as a scientist and thinker, he was centuries ahead of his time. Leonardo developed a system of thinking that would spread after the Renaissance, in modern times. Many of his ideas and technical projects are plans for an airplane, helicopter, tank, parachute, etc. - will be embodied only in the XIX-XX centuries.

Based on the facts that Leonardo was an illegitimate son, that he created few works, that he created slowly and for a long time, that many of his works remained unfinished, that there were no highly talented among his students, etc., Freud interprets his work through the prism oedipal complex.

However, these facts can be explained differently. The fact is that in art, Leonardo behaved like experimenter. Creativity acted for him as an endless search and solution of ever new problems. In this, he differed significantly from Michelangelo, who already saw the future finished statue in a solid block of marble, for the creation of which it was necessary simply to remove, cut off everything superfluous and unnecessary. Leonardo was in constant creative search. He constantly and in everything experimented - whether it be chiaroscuro, the famous haze on his canvases, colors or just the composition of paints. This is evidenced by his numerous sketches, sketches and drawings, in which he seems to experience various human postures, facial expressions, etc. Sometimes the experiment failed. In particular, the composition of paints for The Last Supper turned out to be unsuccessful.

In each work, Leonardo solved some difficult problem. When this decision was found, he was no longer interested in bringing the canvas to completion. In this sense, the scientist-experimenter in him took precedence over the artist. Here, again, he was ahead of the development of painting by whole centuries. Only in the second half of the XIX century. French impressionism embarked on the path of such an experiment, which led art to modernism and the avant-garde.

Leonardo avoided everything motionless and frozen. He loved movement, action, life. He was attracted by the changing, gliding, decomposing light. As if spellbound, he followed the behavior of water, wind and light. He advised his students to draw a landscape with water and wind, at sunrise and sunset. He looked at the world through the eyes of Heraclitus, through his famous formula: "Everything flows, everything changes."

In his works, he sought to express a transitional, changing state. This is exactly how the mysterious and strange half-smile of his famous "La Gioconda". Thanks to this, the whole facial expression becomes elusive and changing, strange and mysterious.

In the work of Leonardo da Vinci, already quite clearly identified two important trends. which will determine the subsequent development of Western culture. One of them comes from literature and art, from humanitarian knowledge. It rests on language, on knowledge of ancient culture, on intuition, inspiration and imagination. The second comes from the scientific knowledge of nature. It rests on perception and observation, on mathematics. It is characterized by objectivity, rigor and accuracy, discipline of the mind and knowledge, analysis and experiment, experimental verification of knowledge.

With Leonardo, both of these tendencies are still coexisting peacefully. Between them not only there is no conflict and confrontation, but. on the contrary, there is a happy union. Leonardo emphasizes that "experience is the common mother of art and science." The artist in it is inseparable from the scientist and science. Art takes the place of philosophy and science. He considers thinking and drawing as two ways of knowing reality. to analyze and understand it. Starting from the elements thus discovered, he carries out a new synthesis, which is at the same time a creative process, which in one case leads to a work of art, and in the other to a scientific discovery. Leonardo points out that art and science are by nature identical. They have a common method and common goals. They are based on the same creative process. However, already in the next - XVII - century, the paths of art and science will diverge. The balance between them will be upset in favor of science.

Leonardo da Vinci worked in different types and genres of art, but the greatest fame brought him painting.

One of Leonardo's earliest paintings is Madonna with a Flower, or Benois Madonna. Already here the artist appears as a true innovator. He overcomes the boundaries of the traditional plot and gives the image a broader, universal meaning, which is maternal joy and love. In this work, many features of the artist's art were clearly manifested: a clear composition of figures and volume of forms, the desire for conciseness and generalization, psychological expressiveness.

The painting “Madonna Litta” became a continuation of the started theme, where another feature of the artist’s work was clearly manifested – the play on contrasts. The theme was completed with the painting “Madonna in the Grotto”, which speaks of the full creative maturity of the master. This canvas is marked by an ideal compositional solution, thanks to which the depicted figures of the Madonna, Christ and angels merge with the landscape into a single whole, endowed with calm balance and harmony.

One of the pinnacles of Leonardo's work is Fresco "The Last Supper" in the refectory of the monastery of Santa Maria della Grazie. This work impresses not only with its overall composition, but also with its accuracy. Leonardo not only conveys the psychological state of the apostles, but does so at the moment when it reaches a critical point, turns into a psychological explosion and conflict. This explosion is caused by the words of Christ: "One of you will betray me."

In this work, Leonardo made full use of the method of concrete juxtaposition of figures, thanks to which each character appears as a unique individuality and personality. The calm look of Christ further emphasizes the excited state of the rest of the characters. The beautiful face of John contrasts with the distorted fear, the predatory profile of Judas, etc. When creating this canvas, the artist used a linear and aerial perspective.

The second pinnacle of Leonardo's work was the famous portrait of Mona Lisa, or "La Gioconda". This work laid the foundation for the genre of psychological portrait in European art. When creating it, the great master brilliantly used the entire arsenal of means of artistic expression: sharp contrasts and soft undertones, frozen immobility and general fluidity and variability. subtle psychological nuances and transitions. The whole genius of Leonardo lies in the amazingly lively look of Mona Lisa, her mysterious and enigmatic smile, mystical haze covering the landscape. This work is one of the rarest masterpieces of art.

While in France, Leonardo departs from artistic practice. He is engaged in the analysis and systematization of his notes on art, he is thinking of writing a book on painting. But he did not have time to complete this work. Nevertheless, the notes he left are of great theoretical and practical importance. In them, he reveals the foundations of a new, realistic art. Leonardo comprehends and summarizes his creative experience, reflects on the great importance of anatomy and knowledge of the proportions of the human body for painting. He emphasizes the importance of not only linear, but also aerial perspective. Leonardo for the first time expresses the idea of ​​the relativity of the concept of beauty.

Leonardo da Vinci was born on April 15, 1452 in the village of Anchiato near the city of Vinci (hence the prefix to his surname). The boy's father and mother were not married, so Leonardo spent his first years with his mother. Soon his father, who served as a notary, took him to his family.

In 1466, da Vinci became an apprentice in the studio of the artist Verrocchio in Florence, where Perugino, Agnolo di Polo, Lorenzo di Credi also studied, Botticelli worked, Ghirlandaio visited, etc. At this time, Leonardo became interested in drawing, sculpture and modeling, studied metallurgy, chemistry , drawing, mastered work with plaster, leather, metal. In 1473, da Vinci qualified as a master at the Guild of Saint Luke.

Early creativity and scientific activity

At the beginning of his career, Leonardo devoted almost all his time to working on paintings. In 1472 - 1477 the artist created the paintings "The Baptism of Christ", "Annunciation", "Madonna with a Vase". In the late 1970s he completed Madonna with a Flower (Madonna Benois). In 1481, the first major work in the work of Leonardo da Vinci, The Adoration of the Magi, was created.

In 1482 Leonardo moved to Milan. Since 1487, da Vinci has been developing a flying machine, which was based on bird flight. Leonardo first created the simplest apparatus based on wings, and then developed the mechanism of an airplane with full control. However, it was not possible to bring the idea to life, since the researcher did not have a motor. In addition, Leonardo studied anatomy and architecture, discovered botany as an independent discipline.

Mature period of creativity

In 1490, da Vinci creates the painting “Lady with an Ermine”, as well as the famous drawing “Vitruvian Man”, which is sometimes called “canonical proportions”. In 1495 - 1498, Leonardo worked on one of his most important works - the fresco "The Last Supper" in Milan in the monastery of Santa Maria del Grazie.

In 1502, da Vinci entered the service of Cesare Borgia as a military engineer and architect. In 1503 the artist creates the painting "Mona Lisa" ("La Gioconda"). Since 1506, Leonardo has served under King Louis XII of France.

Last years

In 1512, the artist, under the auspices of Pope Leo X, moved to Rome.

From 1513 to 1516, Leonardo da Vinci lived in the Belvedere, working on the painting "John the Baptist". In 1516, Leonardo, at the invitation of the French king, settled in the Clos-Luce castle. Two years before his death, the artist's right hand went numb, it was difficult for him to move independently. Leonardo da Vinci spent the last years of his brief biography in bed.

The great artist and scientist Leonardo da Vinci died on May 2, 1519 in the Clos Luce castle near the city of Amboise in France.

Other biography options

• Leonardo was demanding and precise in all his affairs. Even being fond of painting, he insisted on a complete study of the object before starting the drawing.
• Leonardo da Vinci made a huge contribution to engineering and hydraulics, the scientist invented a bicycle, a wheel lock, a searchlight, a catapult, etc.
• Leonardo da Vinci's manuscripts are priceless. They were fully published only in the 19th and 20th centuries. In his notes, Leonardo noted not just reflections, but supplemented them with drawings, drawings, and descriptions.
• The life of Leonardo da Vinci, whose biography was full of incredible events, was described by many famous authors - D. Merezhkovsky, V. Zubov, M. Landrus, R. Giacobbo, A. Gastev and others. Many of the books about the artist were created for children.
• see all

Biography and episodes of life Leonardo da Vinci. When born and died Leonardo da Vinci, memorable places and dates of important events in his life. Quotes from an artist and a scientist, images and videos.

The life of Leonardo da Vinci:

born April 15, 1452, died May 2, 1519

Epitaph

"Prophet, il demon, il sorcerer,
Keeping an eternal mystery
Oh Leonardo, you are the harbinger
Still unknown day.
From Dmitry Merezhkovsky's poem "Leonardo da Vinci"

Biography

Leonardo da Vinci is one of the most mysterious figures in world history and definitely the most outstanding genius of the Renaissance. He is credited with the invention of the first prototypes of the helicopter, parachute, car, hang glider, scuba gear and dozens of other mechanisms, without which modern civilization is simply unthinkable. Da Vinci himself called himself more of a scientist and engineer than an artist, although his creative activity to this day does not cease to amaze the imagination of art historians and ordinary connoisseurs of painting and sculpture. In addition, da Vinci's works were reflected in other areas of science and art: in physics, astronomy, anatomy, philology, and others. There were legends about Leonardo during his lifetime, he took root in the milestones of history as a truly titanic figure, a true genius, centuries ahead of his time.

Leonardo was born in a small village near the town of Vinci, the name of which, according to the traditions of that time, formed the basis of his surname. His father was a wealthy hereditary notary, his mother was a simple peasant woman. From childhood, da Vinci studied with one of the most influential artists of the time, Andrea del Verrocchio, whom he managed to surpass at the age of 20. So, when the young man completed the writing of The Baptism of Christ, Verrocchio announced that from now on all faces would be painted exclusively by Leonardo.

Subsequently, da Vinci served at the courts of famous politicians, aristocrats and kings, moving between Florence, Milan, Rome. He held the posts of an architect, military engineer, designer, was aware of the principles of urban planning, wrote fundamental works on medicine and other sciences. During the mature life of Leonardo da Vinci, dozens of masterpieces came out from under his brush: “Lady with an Ermine”, Vitruvian Man, “Madonna Litta”, as well as countless brilliant sketches. Unfortunately, only a tiny part of his works has been preserved in memory of Leonardo, but even they are enough to appreciate the remarkable contribution of the artist to the development of world art.

The last years of da Vinci lived in the royal castle of Clos Luce at the invitation of Francis I. Leonardo's health progressively faded, and soon he even lost the ability to move independently. However, nothing is known about the artist’s mysterious illness, and the causes of da Vinci’s death are still being debated. Shortly before his death, Leonardo da Vinci left a will, and later died in the presence of the king and his students. The body of the artist was buried in the castle of Amboise, and da Vinci's grave was marked with a laconic inscription: "The ashes of Leonardo da Vinci, the greatest artist, engineer and architect of the French kingdom, lie in the walls of this monastery."

life line

April 15, 1452 Birth date of Leonardo da Vinci.
1467 Admission to study with the artist Andrea del Verrocchio.
1472 Admission to the guild of painters of St. Luke.
1476 Opening your own workshop.
1502 Entering the service of Cesare Borgia as an architect.
1506 Serving the French King Louis XII.
1512 Moving to Rome under the auspices of Pope Leo X.
1516 Service with King Francis I.
2 May 1519 Date of death of Leonardo da Vinci.

Memorable places

1. Leonardo Museum in Vinci - the city near which the genius was born.
2. Da Vinci Museum in Florence.
3. Da Vinci Museum in Milan.
4. The Louvre, where the works of Leonardo da Vinci are kept, including the famous Mona Lisa.
5. National Gallery of Art in Washington, where the works of da Vinci are presented.
6. State Hermitage in St. Petersburg, where you can see the work of da Vinci.
7. London National Gallery, where da Vinci's works are kept.
8. National Gallery of Scotland, where the works of da Vinci are kept.
9. Clos Luce Castle, where da Vinci is buried.

Episodes of life

Once, when Leonardo was still young, a neighboring peasant came to his father with a request to find an artist to decorate his homemade shield. The father agreed and allowed his son to take over. The young da Vinci approached the matter with unprecedented originality: he depicted the guise of the Gorgon Medusa on the shield, and used real snakes, grasshoppers and other insects as improvised material. Leonardo thought that a shield decorated in this way could not only protect its owner well, but also frighten enemies. It ended with the fact that the father did not appreciate his son's creativity and bought another shield for the peasant. The original was subsequently sold to the wealthy Medici family in Florence.

Interestingly, there is practically no information about Leonardo's personal life in history. Judging by the available facts, he was not married and did not even have affairs with women. Da Vinci's only life partner was one of his students named Salai (from Italian "devil"). Nothing is reliably known about the relationship between Leonardo and Salai, except that their relationship lasted more than 25 years. It is surprising that da Vinci did not maintain such a long relationship with anyone from his entourage.

Covenant

"Only solitude gives the necessary freedom."

“Just as a well-lived day brings peaceful sleep, so a well-lived life brings peaceful death.”

The life and work of Leonardo da Vinci

condolences

"He was not only a great painter, but also a great mathematician, mechanician and engineer, to whom the most diverse branches of physics owe important discoveries."
Friedrich Engels, philosopher

“Everyone knows the names of Raphael, Titian, Bellini, Michelangelo - these are just some of the ones worthy of mention. However, no one has achieved such mastery in so many different areas as Leonardo da Vinci."
Svyatoslav Roerich, artist

“The loss of Leonardo beyond measure saddened everyone who knew him, because there was never a person who would bring so much honor to the art of painting. This is a master who truly lived his whole life with great benefit for mankind.
Irina Nikiforova, bibliographer

Key dates in the life of Leonardo da Vinci

1452 - Birth of Leonardo in Anchiano or Vinci. His father has been a notary in Florence for three years. He marries sixteen-year-old Albiera Amadori. 1464/67 - Leonardo's arrival in Florence (the exact date is unknown). Death of Albiera and grandfather.

1468 - Leonardo is still listed on his grandmother's fiscal declaration in Vinci.

1469 - Leonardo is included in the declaration of his father in Florence and becomes an apprentice to Verrocchio. The coming to power of Lorenzo the Magnificent.

1472 - Leonardo is entered into the register of the corporation of artists.

1473 - the first landscape sketches and probably the first version "Annunciations".

Death of Father Leonardo's second wife.

1474 - portrait of Ginevra Benci.

1476 - Denunciation of Leonardo and trial for sodomy. The birth of the first legitimate child of his father, married by his third marriage.

1477 - nothing is known about Leonardo for a year and a half. Botticelli writes "Spring".

1478 - Leonardo paints two Madonnas and an altarpiece left unfinished. The Pazzi conspiracy, the flood, the plague.

1479 - an order for "Saint Jerome", which remained unfinished, and for the "Benois Madonna".

1480 - Leonardo begins the Adoration of the Magi, unfinished and left by him at Benci. Sforza comes to power in Milan. Lorenzo Medici does not want to send Leonardo to Rome.

1481 - All the best artists of Florence are sent by Lorenzo Medici to Rome to paint the Sistine Chapel. Leonardo does not receive this honor.

1482 - Leonardo goes to Milan.

1483 - Leonardo joins the da Predis brothers; they write "Madonna in the Rocks" together. Charles VIII becomes king of France.

1485 - plague in Milan. Leonardo opens his workshop in which the "Madonna Litta" is created.

1486 - model of a lantern for the Milan Cathedral. Savonarola begins to preach in Florence.

1487 - portrait of the "Musician". Leonardo creates the scenery for the Feast of Paradise, his first big dramatization, which will take place three years later.

1488 - painted "Lady with an Ermine", a portrait of Cecilia Gallerani, mistress of the Duke of Milan. Death of Verrocchio.

1489 - Leonardo is engaged in anatomical drawings of the skull and architectural drawings, and also creates decorations for the celebration on the occasion of the marriage in Tortona of Giangaleazzo Sforza and Isabella of Aragon. Construction of the first automaton. Order for the creation of an equestrian statue of the founder of the Sforza dynasty.

1490 - Leonardo's meeting in Pavia with Francesco di Giorgio Martini, the exchange of plans and projects. Works in the field of hydraulics. Salai's arrival. The famous Paradise holiday.

1491 - a holiday and a tournament of "wild people", scenery, costumes, staging. Marriage of the Duke of Milan to Beatrice d'Este. Continuation of work on the "Big Horse". Sketches of storms, battles and a series of profiles.

1492 - Bramante erects a choir in the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. In December, Leonardo completes the plaster model of the Big Horse and prepares to move on to the casting stage.

1493 - Katerina, apparently his mother, comes to Leonardo; she lives with Leonardo for about two years before her death. Leonardo paints allegories, engages in anatomical practice and flight research.

1494 - Casting in bronze of the "Big Horse" did not take place due to the threat of war and the need to use metal to make cannons. Charles VIII starts the Italian Wars and occupies Naples. The nephew of the Duke of Sforza dies in Pavia. The deposition of the Medici and their expulsion from Florence. Savonarola takes control of the city.

1495 - decoration of the rooms of the palace of the Duke of Sforza. Repeated trips to Florence. Order for the "Last Supper" in Santa Maria delle Grazie.

1496 - dramatization of "Danae" by Baldassare Taccone. The portrait of the new mistress of the Duke of Milan is a painting now known as La Belle Ferroniera. Friendship with Luca Pacioli and the beginning of lengthy mathematical studies with him. Project of the book "Divine Proportion".

1497 - continuation of work on The Last Supper. New students in Leonardo's workshop. The second production of Danae. Death of Beatrice d'Este.

1498 decoration of the Sala delle Asse. Continued work on "Divine Proportion" in collaboration with Luca Pacioli. Sforza gives Leonardo a vineyard. Treatise on aircraft. After Charles VIII, Louis XII takes the throne of France. Savonarola burned at the stake in Florence.

1499 - the flight of the Duke of Sforza in connection with the approach of the French army. Louis XII enters Milan. Leonardo intends to leave the city.

1500 - Leonardo goes to Mantua to Isabella d'Este, where he paints her portrait. Then, together with Pacioli, he goes to Venice, where he works as a military engineer. Sforza again takes possession of Milan, but soon falls into the hands of the French. The plaster model of the Big Horse is damaged. Leonardo returns to Florence. Filippino Lippi gives him the order to create an altarpiece for the Church of the Annunciation of the Order of the Servites - "St. Anna". Fulfillment of small orders.

1501 - exhibition of cardboard "Saint Anna". Success and new orders. "Madonna with a spindle". Continuation of work in collaboration with Pacioli on a book on geometry. The French occupied Rome.

1502 - friendship with Machiavelli, who introduces Leonardo Cesare Borgia as a military engineer; in the retinue of Borgia, Leonardo makes an aggressive campaign in Italy, makes topographic surveys, draws maps and plans, and creates a mobile bridge. Innovations in the field of cartography.

1503 Leonardo returns to Florence. Having no job, he offers his services to the Turkish Sultan Bayezid II, who, however, does not consider it necessary to answer him. Participation in the siege of Pisa as a military engineer; Leonardo proposes a canal project to change the course of the Arno River. Machiavelli seeks for Leonardo an order for the creation of the fresco "Battle of Anghiari" to decorate the Council Hall of the Signoria Palace in Florence. Apparently, at the same time, work begins on the Gioconda and Leda.

1504 - The Tuscan Republic consults with a board of local artists, including Leonardo, about the location of Michelangelo's "David". Death of Father Leonardo. His brothers do not allow him to his father's inheritance. Continuation of work on the "Battle of Anghiari" and "La Gioconda".

1505 - competition with Michelangelo on painting the hall of the Council of the Florentine Signoria. Leonardo studies the flight of birds. Continuation of work on the Gioconda, a copy of which is made by Rafael. New version of Leda.

1506 - Leonardo is invited by Predis to return to Milan to complete the Madonna of the Rocks. Florence doesn't want to let him go. Leonardo receives permission for three months. Charles d'Amboise, governor of Milan, keeps him until the end of the year. Creation of the second version of the Madonna in the Rocks. Francesco Melzi enters Leonardo's workshop.

1507 - Louis XII enters Milan and returns Leonardo his rights to the vineyard, grants him part of the canal, water rent and a year's pension. Leonardo organizes celebrations on the occasion of the official entry of Louis XII into Milan. Uncle Leonardo dies, and his brothers start a lawsuit to challenge his inheritance rights. In September, Leonardo returns to Florence.

1508 - In Florence, Leonardo puts his manuscripts in order and assists Francesco Giovanni Rustici in creating the sculptures of the Baptistery. Repeated trips from Florence to Milan and back. Painting of two now lost Madonnas. Resumption of anatomical research. In April, Leonardo returns to Milan, where he completes the Madonna in the Rocks. Michelangelo painting the Sistine Chapel.

1509 - The Venetians are defeated by the French. Leonardo organizes the triumph of Louis XII. Continues work on "Leda", "Saint Anna" and "Saint John the Baptist".

1510 - Leonardo in Pavia continues his anatomical studies. Death of Botticelli.

1511 - death of Charles d'Amboise. Leonardo goes with Melzi to Vapprio d'Adza.

1512 - the son of Lodovico Moro returns to Milan, and Leonardo is forced to leave this city. The Medici return to power in Florence.

1513 - Leonardo arrives in Rome at the invitation of Giuliano de' Medici, brother of the new pope, and settles with his team in the Belvedere. Work on the creation of incendiary mirrors.

1514 - Leonardo's scientific and anatomical studies bring him out of favor with the pope. While on a mission to drain swamps near Rome, Leonardo comes down with malaria.

1515 - Salai leaves Leonardo and returns to Milan.

Death of Louis XII, accession of Francis I to the French throne. Giuliano is going to France to get married. Leonardo becomes the object of slander and intrigue. At the end of the year, he travels with Pope Leo X to peace negotiations with Francis I, with whom he establishes friendly relations. The king invites Leonardo to his place, but the master is still indecisive and returns to Rome. Machiavelli writes the treatise The Emperor.

1516 - Giuliano de' Medici dies. Leonardo remains in Rome without any support and decides to go to France. The king puts at his disposal the castle of Cloux near Amboise, the royal residence.

1517 - With the help of Melzi, Leonardo puts his manuscripts in order, preparing them for publication. He organizes court celebrations in Amboise on various occasions: the dauphin's christening, the anniversary of the French victory at Marignano, the marriage of Lorenzo di Piero di Medici. Leonardo enjoys fame and honor. By order of the king, he designs a new royal palace, draws up a plan for an ideal city, proposes projects for the construction of a canal and drainage of marshes in Sologne.

1518 - Leonardo organizes royal festivals at Amboise on May 3 and 15 and at Cloux on June 19.

August 12 - a magnificent funeral in Saint-Florentin. During the French Revolution, the burial place of Leonardo was liquidated and his remains were lost ...

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Chapter II. Leonardo da Vinci. Faust Verancio In the fifteenth century in Italy there lived a wonderful man named Leonardo da Vinci. He was a painter, a sculptor, a musician-composer, an engineer, a mechanic, and a scientist. His beautiful paintings and drawings are proud of in

The paintings of Leonardo da Vinci are beautiful and full of mysteries. They are brought to an unthinkable degree of perfection, because the master worked on each of his creations for several years.

Our list includes all greatest paintings by Leonardo da Vinci, with photos, names and detailed information about each of them. The list did not include drawings of inventions, caricatures, as well as paintings, in relation to which art critics have doubts that they belong to Leonardo's brush. Also not included in the selection are copies of paintings that have not survived to this day.

Years of writing: 1490.
Where is: Academy Gallery, Venice.
Materials: paper, pen, ink, watercolor.
Dimensions: 34.3 x 24.5 cm.

If you say that this is not a painting, but a drawing, you will be absolutely right. Indeed, the Vitruvian Man is a drawing, an illustration made by Leonardo for the book of the great ancient Roman architect Mark Vitruvius and placed in one of his diaries.

However, this drawing is no less famous than the paintings listed in our list. It is considered not only a work of art, but also a scientific work. And demonstrates the ideal proportions of the human body.

After studying mathematics and geometry, in particular the work of Vitruvius, Leonardo's thirst for knowledge reached its zenith. In Vitruvian Man, he applied the idea of ​​universal symmetry, the golden ratio, or "divine proportion" not only to size and shape, but also to weight.

• 6 palms = 1 cubit;
• length from the tip of the longest to the lowest base of 4 fingers = 1 palm;
• 4 palms = 1 foot;
• arm span = height;
• 4 palms = 1 step;
• 4 cubits or 24 palms = the height of a person.

Other world-famous paintings by Leonardo da Vinci that incorporate the golden ratio are Mona Lisa, The Annunciation, and The Last Supper.

Years of writing: 1478 — 1480.
Where is: Alte Pinakothek, Munich.
Materials: oil painting on the board.
Dimensions: 42 x 67 cm.

Many art historians attribute this work to the young Leonardo, when he was still an apprentice in the painting workshop of Verrocchio. There are a number of details that support this version, such as the detailing of the Madonna's face, the drawing of her hair, the landscape outside the window, and the soft and diffused light characteristic of the Italian artist.

Unfortunately, the years did not spare the picture, and due to improper restoration, the surface of the paint layer went uneven.

Years of writing: 1472 — 1476.
Where is: Uffizi, Florence.
Materials: oil painting on the board.
Dimensions: 98 x 217 cm.

It was with the "Annunciation" that Leonardo da Vinci began as an artist. This painting was supposedly created in collaboration with Andrea del Verrocchio, to whose workshop he was given at the age of 14 years old. In favor of the authorship of the future famous Italian master, the amazing anatomical accuracy characteristic of all Leonardo's works, as well as a number of sketches in the diaries that have come down to our time, speaks. In favor of the authorship of another person - the nature of the strokes and the composition of the colors with which Mary was written; they contain uncharacteristic lead for da Vinci.

Interestingly, if you look at the picture standing right in front of it, then some flaws in the anatomy are noticeable. For example, Mary's hand seems to be somewhat longer than is typical for ordinary inhabitants of the planet Earth. However, if you go to the right side of the picture and look from there, then Mary's hand magically shortens, she herself becomes larger and the center of gravity of the plot is transferred to her figure - as prescribed by the plot. Most likely, the alleged irregularity in physique is the result of a carefully designed optical illusion: the picture was supposed to hang at an angle to the viewer.

Years of writing: 1476
Where is: Uffizi, Florence.
Materials: oil painting on the board.
Dimensions: 177 x 151 cm.

And Leonardo wrote this work in collaboration with his teacher. According to Giorgio Vasari, who compiled the biography of the artist, Verrocchio instructed the young apprentice (at the time of writing the picture, Leonardo was 24 years old) to paint the figure of a white-haired angel in the left corner of the picture. The teacher was so impressed with the skill of the student that he, disgraced, no longer painted.

Years of writing: 1474 — 1478.
Where is: National Gallery of Art, Washington.
Materials: oil painting on the board.
Dimensions: 38.8 x 36.7 cm.

The wreath of laurel and palm branches on the back of the picture hints that it depicts a difficult woman. The first wreath indicates her poetic pursuits, and the second indicates that she is not a stranger to mercy and compassion. This impression is supported by the strict and somewhat severe beauty of the model, her pale alabaster skin, and her eyelids lowered, as if in thought. Her intellectual pursuits are also indicated by the almost complete absence of jewelry and emphatically modest clothing. And rightly so - the painting depicts the poetess Ginevra de Benci.

The manner of the image (especially shading with fingers - Leonardo has just begun to master this technique, so the paint layer is uneven in places) already speaks loudly about the skill of the creator. Especially characteristic soft lighting and the landscape in the background, as if shrouded in a luminous haze.

Years of writing: 1479 — 1481.
Where is: Hermitage, St. Petersburg.
Materials: oil painting on canvas.
Dimensions: 48 x 31.5 cm.

“Ghost of an old woman” with a “wrinkled neck”, “swollen body” and “toothless grin” - such unflattering words described the picture by an American art critic, who was instructed by the owners - the Benois family - to establish authorship. Despite all the colorful epithets, he still attributed it as belonging to the brush of Leonardo da Vinci - both the manner of writing and the soft diffused light inherent in the artist, naturally creating the volume of two figures, speak in favor of this.

One of the symbolic details is a cruciferous plant, hinting at what fate awaits the child. However, neither the mother nor the baby knows about it yet. He plays carelessly, and she looks at him with a smile.

Years of writing: 1479 — 1482.
Where is: Uffizi, Florence.
Materials: oil painting on the board.
Dimensions: 246 x 243.

One of the paintings of the great artist, sculptor, scientist and engineer of the Renaissance, unfortunately, remained unfinished. Leonardo moved to a place of residence in Milan and was not going to return. Fortunately, the customers kept the unfinished painting. It is notable for its non-standard composition and rich symbolic meaning.

For example, Mary sits under an oak tree, which is a symbol of eternity, a palm tree grows in the distance - a sign of Jerusalem, and the ruins of a pagan temple on the horizon - the destruction of the pagan religion, which was replaced by Christianity.

Years of writing: 1480 — 1490.
Where is: Vatican Pinakothek.
Materials: oil painting on the board.
Dimensions: 103 x 75 cm.

Despite the fact that the picture remained unfinished, it made a strong impression on contemporaries. This is primarily due to the amazing anatomical accuracy of the image of the human body, which Leonardo was famous for.

A difficult fate awaited the picture - after some time the work was sawn, and the boards were used for the most base purposes. It is alleged that one of the art lovers found part of the picture in the form of a chest lid.

Years of writing: 1478 — 1482.
Where is: Hermitage.
Materials: tempera, board.
Dimensions: 42 x 33.

The mastery of the great Italian artist was manifested, among other things, in the details that tell a kind of story. For example, a woman's red dress is equipped with special cuts for feeding, one of which is sewn up. Apparently, she decided that it was time to stop breastfeeding. But one of them was ripped open in a hurry - stitches and hanging ends of the thread are visible.

Years of writing: 1483 - 1490 and 1495 - 1508.
Where is: Louvre and London National Gallery.
Materials: oil painting on the board.
Dimensions: 199 x 122 cm

In the world there are two almost identical works by Leonardo with the same name. One is in Paris and the other is in London. The first version of da Vinci was ordered for the altar door, and with a clearly defined plot. However, the artist, apparently, considered that his talent and skill give him the right to some liberties. As a result, there were so many of them that customers refused to pay for the work. A long-term lawsuit began, which, however, ended relatively successfully. The second version began to hang in the church, and the first one disappeared from the art criticism radars for about a hundred and fifty years, until it was found in the treasury of the French kings.

Like many other paintings by Leonardo, this one is full of encrypted messages. Cyclamen next to Jesus symbolizes love, primrose - virtue, acanthus - the coming resurrection, and St. John's wort - the blood shed by Christian martyrs. It was this picture that the author of the sensational "The Da Vinci Code" tried to use as an illustration of his constructions, where he stated that in fact the meaning of the traditional plot is completely different.

Years of writing: 1485 — 1487.
Where is: Ambrosian Library, Milan.
Materials: oil painting on the board.
Dimensions: 43 x 31.

The only portrait image of a man among the famous paintings of da Vinci. Initially, art critics believed that the painting depicted the Duke of Milan himself, the patron and friend of Leonardo da Vinci (as far as a person occupying such a social position can be someone else's friend). Until it was subsequently discovered that the young man was clutching a scroll in his hands, beginning with the words "angelic song." Therefore, the painting was renamed "Portrait of a Musician". And a number of art historians make a bold assumption that this is Leonardo himself, because music was also part of his sphere of interests.

Years of writing: 1488 — 1490.
Where is: Czartoryski Museum, Krakow.
Materials: oil painting on the board.
Dimensions: 54.8 x 40.3 cm.

Although the authorship of the brilliant Italian artist was sometimes questioned, at the moment, art critics agreed: this is one of the best paintings by Leonardo da Vinci, if not the most perfect from a picturesque point of view. It is believed that the artist, who adored riddles and ciphers, encrypted her name in the image of a white animal in the hands of the model. In Latin, the mustelid family is called gale, and the name of the girl is Caecilia Gallerani.

The snow-white skin of an ermine (and the portrait most likely depicts it) is a daring challenge to the somewhat dubious status of the kept woman of the Duke of Milan. According to popular beliefs, this animal values ​​​​its immaculate white fur so much that it is ready to die rather than stain it with dirt.

Years of writing: 1495 — 1498.
Where is: Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan.
Materials: fresco.
Dimensions: 460 x 880 cm.

One of the most famous paintings by Leonardo da Vinci, in fact, is not one. This is a kind of the largest and most unsuccessful experiment of the great Italian scientist. At the end of the 15th century, the Duke of Milan ordered the famous artist to paint the wall of the monastery for an amount that would now be equivalent to 700 thousand dollars.

It was assumed that the artist, like many before him, would paint on wet plaster - after the final polishing, such painting would be strong and durable. However, the fresco imposes its own limitations - in addition to the specific manner of applying paints (it is required to write immediately and in white, further corrections are impossible), only some pigments are suitable for it. And then their brightness decreases, "eaten" by a well-absorbing surface.

For Leonardo, who was skeptical of authorities, who reached everything on his own and, apparently, was proud of this circumstance, such restrictions were unbearable. With true renaissance scope, he decided to discard the legacy of the past and rework the entire process - from the composition of the plaster to the paints used. The result was predictable. The paint layer of the fresco began to collapse two decades after the end of the work. In addition to unsuccessful technical solutions, the picture also suffered from time.

First, the inhabitants of the monastery decided to saw off Christ's legs, making a door in this place, and then mediocre painters, trying to renew the painting, shamelessly distorted its plot (for example, the hand of one of the apostles turned into ... a loaf). The building was flooded, then a hayloft was made out of it, and a bomb hit the temple in World War II. Fortunately, the fresco was not damaged by it. It is not surprising that barely 20% of the original painting has survived to our time.

It is interesting that it was this crumbling and from time to time tinted image that for many years was the most famous painting by da Vinci - but what is there, the only one available to a simple viewer. The rest were all kept by the rich of this world. The status quo changed only with the transfer of the Mona Lisa from Napoleon's bedchamber to the Louvre.

From the other two frescoes created by da Vinci, only fragments have survived to this day.

Years of writing: 1493 — 1497.
Where is: Louvre, Paris.
Materials: oil painting on the board.
Dimensions: 62 x 44 cm.

An interesting legend is connected with one of the most famous paintings by Leonardo da Vinci. When the painting came to France, one of the owners made an inscription on it - "ferroniera". This mysterious word (as well as the undoubted beauty of a woman) excited the imagination of people close to art for many years.

The gallant "historian of love", Guy Breton, who already lived in our time, composed a whole story. Allegedly, the nameless beauty was the mistress of Francis the First, and she began to wear her jewelry to hide the bruise received during the night with the king.

Most likely, the painting by Leonardo da Vinci with the title "Beautiful Ferroniera" depicts Lucrezia Crivelli. She was one of the mistresses of Leonardo's patron, the Duke of Milan. And the name comes from her forehead decoration - ferroniere.

Years of writing: 1500 — 1505.
Where is: National Gallery, Parma.
Materials: oil painting on the board.
Dimensions: 24.6 x 21 cm.

The unfinished image of a young woman with a careless hairstyle (hence the other name of the painting - La Scapigliata, disheveled) is written in a manner similar to other unfinished works - with oil paints with a small addition of pigment. Art critics, however, believe that the contrast between the barely outlined hair and the superbly executed face was part of the artist's plans.

Probably, Leonardo was inspired by a passage from the ancient writer Pliny the Elder, popular during the Renaissance. He said that the great artist Apelles deliberately left his last image of the Venus of Cossus unfinished, and that admirers admired him more than his other works.

Years of writing: 1501 — 1517.
Where is: Louvre, Paris.
Materials: oil painting on the board.
Dimensions: 168 x 112 cm.

Contemporaries deeply appreciated the liveliness and naturalness of facial expressions of all three participants in the scene - especially Leonard's signature mysterious half-smile, with which Anna looks at her daughter and grandson.

2. Mona Lisa (La Gioconda)

Years of writing: 1502 — 1516.
Where is: Louvre, Paris.
Materials: oil painting on the board.
Dimensions: 76.8 x 53.

It is perhaps difficult to find a person on the globe who would not know the Gioconda. This is certainly the most famous work of the talented Italian. Many mysteries and mysteries of this painting by Leonardo da Vinci have not been solved so far:

"Mona Lisa" had a special meaning in the artist's life - it's no secret that sometimes, carried away by something new, he reluctantly returned to the interrupted work. However, he worked on the Gioconda with passion and enthusiasm. Why?

It is not clear exactly who is depicted in the portrait. Was it the wife of the merchant del Giocondo? Or the same woman who posed for The Lady with the Ermine? There is even a version that Salai, one of the artist's apprentices, depicted by him in at least two more paintings, acted as a model for Mona Lisa.

What color was the Gioconda's dress originally? Apparently, Leonardo again experimented with paints, and again unsuccessfully, so nothing remained of the original color of the sleeves. Contemporaries, by the way, admired the luxurious coloring of the picture.

And, finally, a mysterious half-smile - does she smile at all, or is it just an illusion skillfully created by the artist due to the shadows in the corners of her lips?

Years of writing: 1508 — 1516.
Where is: Louvre, Paris.
Materials: oil painting on the board.
Dimensions: 69 x 57 cm.

The last painting by the artist, which supposedly depicts Salai, one of the artist's apprentices, who, for unknown reasons, enjoyed the special disposition of Leonardo. The master forgave the disciple a lot. Up to the theft of money for a cloak bought in advance, in which Salai was draped for "Bacchus" - a painting that has survived to this day only in the form of a copy. A pampered face, carefully curled curls and a particularly immodest half-smile gave rise to certain doubts about the nature of the relationship between master and apprentice.

However, it is difficult to understand anything from the artist’s diaries - after allegations of sodomy at a young age, he carefully avoided mentioning his personal life anywhere. By the will, he left his estate and money, by the way, to Leonardo to the same Salai and one more of his assistants.

Turin self-portrait by Leonardo da Vinci

Leonardo da Vinci - Turin self-portrait

Years of writing: after 1512.
Where is: Royal Library, Turin.
Materials: sanguine, paper.
Dimensions: 33.3 x 21.6 cm.

It is considered a self-portrait of the artist, drawn at the age of 60. The portrait is made with a stick for drawing from kaolin and iron oxides, which is why the painting has a yellowish tint. Currently not exhibited due to fragility.

There is still controversy surrounding the authorship of the popular work, despite the fact that the shading goes from left to right, as was customary for Leonardo, but some art historians consider it a fake. According to some reports, during X-ray photography, a painting was found under the image of an old man, presumably dated to the 17th century.

The most expensive painting by Leonardo da Vinci in a private collection: The Savior of the World

Price:$400 000 000
Years of writing: 1499 — 1507.
Where is: private collection.
Materials: oil painting on the board.
Dimensions: 66 x 47 cm.

At a Christie's auction in November 2017, the painting fetched an impressive $400 million. Now it is kept in the private collection of one of the Saudi princes and may be exhibited in the Louvre branch in this country.