This seems to be the month of some of our Renaissance masters! While these aren’t necessarily the types of art work that I would hang in my home, I fully appreciate the foundations they laid for centuries of artists, and in Leonardo da Vinci’s case, centuries of scientists as well. Da Vinci is probably most well known for paintings like the “Mona Lisa” and the mural “The Last Supper”, however many of his drawings were studies on anatomy, physiology, and mechanical/mathematical concepts. He broke from the artistic traditions of the time, and forged new paths of perspective and composition that gained him much notoriety.
On a trip to Paris, France in 2007, we stopped by The Louvre to view the Mona Lisa. Making sure we had the route planned perfectly, when we entered, it was a bee line to the painting. Interestingly, it was a much different experience than I expected. She always seemed like one of the large portraits that we see, but in real life, the painting is smaller than most posters of today, at only 20×30 inches. She is behind plexiglass and security ropes (perhaps even more so now?), so when you approach the painting at a distance it was a bit underwhelming. There were strict photo rules that I followed, so I don’t have a pic to share. It was a wonderful experience to see a historical piece like that in person, but definitely one that took some adjustment from expectation to reality. Know what I mean??
So, it would be near impossible to summarize all the impacts of Leonardo da Vinci here, but the art and journals of the true “Renaissance Man” are to be admired. Da Vinci’s personal life was kept very private – there were rumors, of course, but it feels like even if he didn’t quite fit into the mold expected, he was intelligent, kind, gentle – it’s even said that he would purchase caged birds, just to let them go. It is also said that he was a man not bothered by vanity and ambition, although he was quite famous during his life. He did not yearn for the glory, as so many in that time did, but knew well how valuable his contributions were.
- Read more about da Vinci’s life and see his works HERE and HERE
- Experience and explore one of da Vinci’s most famous works in The Louvre in Paris – the “Mona Lisa”
- Learn more about da Vinci’s science and inventions, as well as Natural Philosophy
A few key works of da Vinci
Mona Lisa 
The Vitruvian Man 
Lady with an Ermine 
Studies of the Arm Showing the Movements Made by the Bicep 
Study of Horse 
Design for a Flying Machine 
Self Portrait 
The Adoration of the Magi 
Saint Jerome in the Wilderness (Unfinished) 
Last Supper
Influential Words of Leonardo da Vinci
“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”
“The noblest pleasure is the joy of understanding.”
“Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen.”
Leonardo da Vinci
What do you think of simplicity as sophistication? We want to hear more about what YOUR favorite artists! Who do you love the most?
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