Leonardo Da Vinci Prints

Leonardo Da Vinci Artwork One of the three most famous artists of the Italian Renaissance is Leonardo da Vinci, and the other two are Raphael and Michelangelo. A painter, engineer,...
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Leonardo Da Vinci Artwork

One of the three most famous artists of the Italian Renaissance is Leonardo da Vinci, and the other two are Raphael and Michelangelo. A painter, engineer, draughtsman, sculptor, architect, da Vinci is revered for being a polymath. Despite having completed a handful of paintings, he was considered a successful painter whilst still alive. It was only later that the world learnt of his scientific and architectural genius.

Early Life

Leonardo da Vinci was born close to Vinci, in 1452, the town which provided his surname. His parents were never married—his father was an attorney and notary, his mother was a peasant. He became an apprentice at fifteen, under the prominent sculptor and painter Andrea del Verrocchio. Growing up, da Vinci became interested in nature, perhaps thanks to his uncle who also loved the natural world. He made several sketches and drawings of the natural world.

Why is da Vinci so Popular?

Leonardo da Vinci remains popular today not only thanks to his genius gift but questions of authenticity over newly discovered work. The latest is the painting Salvator Mundi, which set records at Sotheby’s when it sold for over 450 million dollars. Da Vinci believed art and science were complementary to one another, rather than opposing disciplines. He was also the original Renaissance Man—someone who does multiple things extremely well, as da Vinci did. Thanks to his avid curiosity in all things art, science, and nature, da Vinci drew many of his theories down. Now it’s widely regarded that da Vinci was a man ahead of his time. 

Artworks

Only eight of da Vinci’s works are undoubtedly attributed to him, while another nine are considered attributes. His first commission was The Adoration of the Magi for a monastery, which had never been completed. This is perhaps because da Vinci was a notoriously slow painter and much of his paintings were never finished. Da Vinci did, however, sketch and draw in multiple journals. This is where he drew the famous Vitruvian Man

Mona Lisa (1503-1506)

Perhaps the most intriguing detail of the Mona Lisa is the woman’s slight smile. It’s one of the most famous faces around the world and it belongs to Lisa del Giocondo, who was the wife of a Florentine merchant. The Mona Lisa was painted on poplar wood, and, over time, the wood has begun to warp. The Mona Lisa can be found in the Louvre, Paris, protected behind a solid glass casing and a temperature-controlled room.

The Last Supper (1495-1498)

Leonardo da Vinci painted The Last Supper in Milan. for the city’s monastery. The painting depicts the Passover dinner where Christ reveals to the Apostles that one of them will betray him. The twelve men around the table wear shocked expressions, while some look angry or horrified. In the painting, da Vinci depicts Judas holding a bag of silver, his bribe money. Over the years, The Last Supper has become known worldwide, and its paint and colour have begun to flake and fade. The Last Supper is more precious today than it was when it was created.

Salvator Mundi (1500s)

There’s a lot of intrigue surrounding the painting Salvator Mundi, and for good reason. The original artwork, which depicts Jesus Christ with his hand raised in blessing, was painted by Leonardo da Vinci around 1500 and was one of da Vinci’s most copied paintings, with dozens of replicas hanging in museums around the world. He had originally painted in for Louis XII, king of France, which had been lost over time.