Leonardo da Vinci The Ideal “Renaissance Man”

I. Early Life A. Born April 15, 1452 B. Extremely curious; observed natural world for hours C. Showed artistic talent artist at very early age 1. Apprenticed to Verrocchio, famous Florentine painter 2. Assisted Verrocchio with The Baptism of Christ & other works

II. Leonardo the Naturalist A. Felt the best way to learn about the world was to observe 1. Spent hours studying & sketching nature 2. Studied flow of water & theorized on creation of canals similar to Panama Canal opened in 1914 3. Studied flight of birds; theorized on flight of man

III. Leonardo the Anatomist Received corpses from Florence morgue Dissected corpses to study body & how it works Believed understanding anatomy enhanced his art First to diagram skeletal & muscular system, the eye, brain, heart & human fetus Discoveries were hundreds of years ahead of their time, were not published until after his death

B. Da Vinci’s study of the ideal human body: Vitruvian Man Studies of a human fetus in utero B. Da Vinci’s study of the ideal human body: Vitruvian Man

IV. Leonardo the Engineer A. If asked, Leonardo would have said he was first an engineer B. Most of his designs never built System for operating a steering wheel Portable bridges built 500 years later 4. Multi-barreled cannon on a cart self- driven with gears & weights 3. The armored tank; designed so it could not be built

5. Designed the parachute 300 years before the first jump Leonardo’s Diving Suit 5. Designed the parachute 300 years before the first jump

V. Fascinated with Flight A. Da Vinci was fascinated with human flight Da Vinci’s helicopter – the “Aerial Screw” Studied forms of birds & bats to design his “ornithopter”

Modern models of the ornithopter and aerial screw.

VI. Leonardo the Sculptor As a sculptor, da Vinci was fascinated with anatomy & musculature of horses 1. Designed massive bronze horse sculpture for Duke of Milan 2. Bronze was assembled, but made into weapons when Milan was attacked 3. Not built during da Vinci’s life 4. Completed in 1999 as gift from USA to Milan Play Video

5. Before painting or sculpting, Leonardo completed sketches called “studies” Beeswax cast of Horse & Rider - the only Leonardo sculpture in existence

VII. Leonardo the Painter Leonardo is definitely most well- known as a painter 1. Often made his own paints 2. Pioneered layering of paint & use of perspective & vanishing points 3. Invented sfumato (smoke) technique, where colors blended without clear lines of division Da Vinci’s Virgin of the Rocks

Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa

Da Vinci’s The Last Supper

VIII. Leonardo’s Legacy Considered greatest mind of the Renaissance and greatest example of the “Renaissance Man” 1. A master of many different talents B. Served Dukes, Kings, Popes C. Died peacefully of old age at his home in Amboise, France 1. May 2, 1519