What year was Da Vinci born? Leonardo da Vinci - biography, interesting facts

Leonardo da Vinci can safely be attributed to unique people our planet... After all, he is known not only as one of the greatest artists and sculptors of Italy, but also as the greatest scientist, explorer, engineer, chemist, anatomist, botanist, philosopher, musician and poet. His creations, discoveries and research were several epochs ahead of their time.

Leonardo da Vinci was born on April 15, 1452 near Florence, in the city of Vinci (Italy). Quite a bit of information is known about da Vinci’s mother, only that she was a peasant woman, was not married to Leonardo’s father, and raised her son in the village until he was 4 years old, after which he was sent to his father’s family. But Leonardo’s father, Piero Vinci, was a fairly wealthy citizen, worked as a notary, and also owned land and the title of Messer.

Leonardo da Vinci elementary education, which included the ability to write, read, and learned the basics of mathematics and Latin at home. For many, his manner of writing was interesting. mirror image from left to right. Although, if necessary, he could write traditionally without much difficulty. In 1469, the son and his father moved to Florence, where Leonardo began to study the profession of an artist, which was not the most revered at that time, although Piero had a desire for his son to inherit the profession of a notary. But at that time, an illegitimate child could not be a doctor or a lawyer. And already in 1472 Leonardo was accepted into the guild of painters of Florence, and in 1473 the very first dated work of Leonardo da Vinci was written. This landscape depicted a sketch of a river valley.

Already in 1481 - 1482. Leonardo was accepted into the service of the ruler of Milan at that time, Lodovico Moro, where he served as the organizer of court holidays, and part-time as a military engineer and hydraulic engineer. Being engaged in architecture, da Vinci had a huge influence on the architecture of Italy. In his works, he developed various options for a modern ideal city, as well as projects for a central domed temple.

At this time, Leonardo da Vinci tried himself in various scientific directions and almost everywhere he achieves unprecedented positive results, but he cannot find the favorable situation he so needs in Italy at that time. Therefore, with great pleasure, in 1517 he accepted the invitation of the French king Francis I to the position of court painter and arrived in France. During this period, the French court tried to actively join the culture of the Italian Renaissance, so the artist was surrounded by universal veneration, although, according to the testimony of many historians, this veneration was rather ostentatious and of an external nature. The artist’s weakened strength was at its limit and after two years, on May 2, 1519, Leonardo da Vinci died in, near Amboise, in France. But despite his short life, Leonardo da Vinci became a recognized symbol of the Renaissance.

Who lies in Leonardo's grave? April 8th, 2017

Leonardo da Vinci. Self-portrait.

Leonardo da Vinci is considered one of the most prominent representatives Renaissance. This “universal man” was far ahead of his time with his brilliant creativity, discoveries, research. The master left behind a lot unsolved mysteries, including the place of his burial. Da Vinci did not die in Italy, as many believe, but in France. However, many scientists are still arguing whose remains actually rest under the granite slab with the name of the great master.

How did this happen?

Castle of Cloux (Clos-Lucé), place of Leonardo's death.

After death Giuliano Medici Leonardo da Vinci lost a powerful patron. When in 1516 he was invited by the French king Francis I to take the place of court artist, the aged da Vinci agreed without a drop of doubt. At that time, France was actively involved in the Renaissance, so da Vinci was universally revered. However, the artist was already 65 years old at that time. The master's strength was leaving him, and his right hand was going numb. He picked up paints less and less. Fate destined him to live in France for only a couple of years.

Reconstructed room of Leonardo da Vinci in the castle of Clos (Clos-Lusset) in Amboise. France.

According to legend, the French king Francis I was at da Vinci's deathbed when he passed into another world. At the castle of Cloux (Clos-Lucé), where he died Great master, the room in which Leonardo da Vinci lived is now open to public viewing. The interior of the apartments differs from general style castle, because historians have tried to reconstruct the interior in the Renaissance style down to the smallest detail.

Church of Saint-Floraten, in whose chapel Leonardo da Vinci was originally buried. |

As a result of the long Huguenot wars that took place in the second half of the 16th century, the Church of Saint-Floraten was gradually destroyed. The poor took away the sarcophagi of the aristocrats, among which was the grave of Leonardo da Vinci. They even took the lids of the coffins, dumping the remains of the dead in one pile

Chapel of Saint-Hubert.

In 1863, thanks to the energy of the French critic Arsene Gousset, excavations were carried out at the site of the church. The found remains of the deceased were mixed, and the bones of Leonardo da Vinci were chosen at random. The critic Husset was guided by the lifetime description of the artist's appearance - large stature, massive skull, high forehead. Next to the “suitable” remains, we were able to find stones with the badly worn letters INC. The researcher then discovered slabs with the inscriptions LEO and DUS. Arsene Gousset rejoiced: the fragments formed into the name of the great master LEOnarDUS vINCius.

Tombstone of Leonardo da Vinci.

In the Gothic chapel, built into the steep stone wall of the castle of Amboise, whose fortifications dominate the town of the same name, there is gravestone with the name Leonardo da Vinci. Therefore, many visitors to the Amboise Castle mistake this elegant Gothic chapel, as if floating in the air, for the actual burial place of the great artist.

Granite slab and epitaph of Leonardo da Vinci in the Chapel of Saint-Hubert.

sources

Leonardo da Vinci was born in the town of Vinci (or near it), located west of Florence, on April 15, 1452. He was the illegitimate son of a Florentine notary and a peasant girl, was brought up in his father’s house and, being the son educated person, received a thorough primary education.

1467 - at the age of 15, Leonardo became an apprentice to one of the leading masters Early Renaissance in Florence, Andrea del Verrocchio; 1472 - joined the guild of artists, studied the basics of drawing and other necessary disciplines; 1476 - he worked in Verrocchio’s workshop, apparently in collaboration with the master himself.

By 1480, Leonardo already had large orders, but 2 years later he moved to Milan. In a letter to the ruler of Milan, Ludovico Sforza, he introduced himself as an engineer, military expert and artist. The years he spent in Milan were filled with various activities. Leonardo da Vinci painted several paintings and famous fresco « last supper” and began to diligently and seriously keep his notes. The Leonardo we recognize from his notes is an architect-designer (the creator of innovative plans that were never implemented), an anatomist, a hydraulic engineer, an inventor of mechanisms, a creator of decorations for court performances, a writer of riddles, puzzles and fables for the entertainment of the court, musician and painting theorist.

1499 - after the expulsion of Lodovico Sforza from Milan by the French, Leonardo leaves for Venice, visits Mantua on the way, where he participates in the construction of defensive structures, and then returns to Florence. At that time, he was so passionate about mathematics that he didn’t even want to think about picking up a brush. For 12 years, Leonardo constantly moved from city to city, working for the famous in Romagna, designing defensive structures (never built) for Piombino.

In Florence he enters into rivalry with Michelangelo; This rivalry culminated in the enormous battle compositions that the two artists painted for the Palazzo della Signoria (also Palazzo Vecchio). Then Leonardo conceived a second equestrian monument, which, like the first, was never created. Throughout all these years, he continues to fill out his notebooks. They reflect his ideas related to the most different subjects. This is the theory and practice of painting, anatomy, mathematics and even the flight of birds. 1513 - as in 1499, his patrons are expelled from Milan...

Leonardo leaves for Rome, where he spends 3 years under the auspices of the Medici. Depressed and upset due to the lack of material for anatomical research, he engages in experiments that lead nowhere.

The kings of France, first Louis XII, then Francis I, admired the works of the Italian Renaissance, especially Leonardo's Last Supper. Therefore, it is not surprising that in 1516 Francis I, well aware of Leonardo’s versatile talents, invited him to the court, which was then located in the castle of Amboise in the Loire Valley. As the sculptor Benvenuto Cellini wrote, despite the fact that the Florentine worked on hydraulic projects and plans for the new royal palace, his main occupation is the honorary position of court sage and adviser.

Fascinated by the idea of creating aircraft, the Florentine first developed the simplest apparatus (Daedalus and Icarus) based on wings. His new idea is an airplane with full control. But it was not possible to bring the idea to life due to the lack of a motor. The scientist’s also famous idea is a vertical take-off and landing device.

Studying the laws of fluid and hydraulics in general, Leonardo made a great contribution to the theory of locks and sewer ports, testing ideas in practice.

Famous paintings by Leonardo - “La Gioconda”, “The Last Supper”, “Madonna with an Ermine”, and many others. Leonardo was demanding and precise in everything he did. Even before painting, he insisted on fully studying the subject before starting.

Leonardo's manuscripts are priceless. They were published in full only in XIX-XX centuries. In his notes, Leonardo da Vinci noted not just thoughts, but supplemented them with drawings, drawings, and descriptions.

Leonardo da Vinci was talented in many fields; he made significant contributions to the history of architecture, art, and physics.

Leonardo da Vinci died in Amboise on May 2, 1519; By this time, his paintings were usually distributed to private collections, and his notes lay in various collections, almost completely forgotten, for several more centuries.

Secrets of Leonardo da Vinci

Leonardo da Vinci encrypted a lot so that his ideas would be revealed gradually, as humanity could “ripen” to them. He wrote with his left hand and in very small letters, from right to left, so that the text looked like a mirror image. He spoke in riddles, made metaphorical prophecies, and loved to make puzzles. Leonardo da Vinci did not sign his works, but they are present identification marks. For example, if you take a closer look at the paintings, you may find a symbolic bird taking off. There are, apparently, a lot of such signs, which is why one or another of his hidden “brainchildren” are unexpectedly discovered on famous paintings, through centuries. So, for example, it happened with the “Benois Madonna”, which for a long time, as a home icon, was carried with itinerant actors.

Leonard discovered the principle of scattering (or sfumato). The objects on his canvases have no clear boundaries: everything, like in life, is blurry, penetrates one into another, which means it breathes, lives, awakens imagination. To master this principle, he advised practicing: looking at stains on walls, ashes, clouds or dirt that appear from dampness. He specially fumigate the room where he worked with smoke in order to look for images in clubs.

Thanks to the sfumato effect, the flickering smile of Gioconda appeared: depending on the focus of the view, it seems to the viewer that Gioconda is smiling either tenderly or sinisterly. The second miracle of the Mona Lisa is that it is “alive.” Over the centuries, her smile changes, the corners of her lips rise higher. In the same way, the Master mixed the knowledge of various sciences, so his inventions find more and more applications over time. From the treatise on light and shadow come the beginnings of the sciences of penetrating force, oscillatory motion, and wave propagation. All of his 120 books have been distributed around the world and are gradually being revealed to humanity.

Leonardo da Vinci preferred the analogy method to all others. The approximate nature of an analogy is an advantage over the precision of a syllogism, when a third inevitably follows from two conclusions. But the more bizarre the analogy, the further the conclusions from it extend. Take, for example, Da Vinci’s famous illustration, which proves the proportionality of the human body. Human figure with outstretched arms and spread legs fits into a circle, and with closed legs and raised arms fits into a square. This “mill” gave rise to various conclusions. Leonardo was the only one who created designs for churches in which the altar is placed in the middle (symbolizing the human navel), and the worshipers are evenly spaced around. This church plan in the form of an octahedron served as another invention of the genius - the ball bearing.

The Florentine loved to use contrapposto, which creates the illusion of movement. Everyone who saw his sculpture of a giant horse in Corte Vecchio involuntarily changed their gait to a more relaxed one.

Leonardo was never in a hurry to finish a work, because unfinishment is an integral quality of life. Finishing means killing! The Florentine's slowness was the talk of the town; he could make two or three strokes and leave the city for many days, for example, to improve the valleys of Lombardy or to create an apparatus for walking on water. Almost every one of it significant works- “unfinished”. The master had a special composition with which he finished painting as if he deliberately created “windows of incompleteness.” Apparently, he left a place where life itself could intervene and correct something...

He played the lyre masterfully. When Leonardo's case was heard in the Milan court, he appeared there precisely as a musician, and not as an artist or inventor.

There is a version that Leonardo da Vinci was a homosexual. While the artist was studying in Verrocchio's studio, he was accused of molesting a boy who posed for him. The court acquitted him.

According to one version, Gioconda smiles from the realization of her secret pregnancy.

According to another, the Mona Lisa was entertained by musicians and clowns while she posed for the artist.

There is another assumption, according to which, “Mona Lisa” is a self-portrait of Leonardo.

Leonardo da Vinci, apparently, did not leave a single self-portrait that could be unambiguously attributed to him. Experts doubt that Leonardo's famous self-portrait of Sanguine (traditionally dated 1512-1515), depicting him in old age, is such. It is believed that this is probably only a study of the head of the apostle for the Last Supper. Doubts that this is a self-portrait of the artist began to be expressed in the 19th century; the last one to express them was recently one of the leading experts on Leonardo da Vinci, Professor Pietro Marani.

Scientists at the University of Amsterdam and American researchers, having studied the mysterious smile of Mona Lisa using a new computer program, unraveled its composition: according to them, it contains 83 percent happiness, 9 percent disdain, 6 percent fear and 2 percent anger.

Leonardo loved water: he developed instructions for underwater diving, he invented and described a device for underwater diving, Breathe-helping machine for scuba diving. All of Leonardo da Vinci's inventions formed the basis of modern underwater equipment.

Leonardo was the first of the painters to begin dismembering corpses in order to understand the location and structure of the muscles.

Observations of the Moon in the waxing crescent phase led the researcher to one of the important scientific discoveries- Leonardo da Vinci established that sunlight reflected from our planet and returned to the moon in the form of secondary illumination.

The Florentine was ambidextrous - he was equally good with his right and left hands. He suffered from dyslexia (impaired reading ability) - this ailment, called “word blindness,” is associated with reduced brain activity in a certain area of the left hemisphere. Known fact, Leonardo wrote in a mirror way.

Relatively not so long ago, the Louvre spent $5.5 million to rehang the most famous masterpiece the artist “La Gioconda” from the general one to a room specially equipped for her. Two thirds were allocated for La Gioconda State Hall, occupying a total area of 840 sq. m. The huge room was rebuilt into a gallery, on the far wall of which the famous work of the great Leonardo now hangs. The reconstruction, which was carried out according to the design of the Peruvian architect Lorenzo Piqueras, lasted about 4 years. The decision to move the Mona Lisa to a separate room was made by the administration of the Louvre due to the fact that in its original place, surrounded by other paintings Italian masters, this masterpiece was lost, and the public was forced to stand in line to see the famous painting.

2003, August - a painting by the great Leonardo worth 50 million dollars, “Madonna with a Spindle,” was stolen from Drumlanrig Castle in Scotland. The masterpiece was stolen from the home of one of the richest landowners in Scotland, the Duke of Buccleuch.

It is believed that Leonardo was a vegetarian (Andrea Corsali in a letter to Giuliano di Lorenzo Medici compares him with one Hindu who did not eat meat). The phrase often attributed to Leonardo: “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 cemeteries! Also in early age I gave up meat" taken from English translation novel by Dmitry Merezhkovsky “Resurrected Gods. Leonardo da Vinci."

Leonardo da Vinci created designs for a submarine, a propeller, a tank, a loom, a ball bearing and flying cars.

While building canals, Leonardo made an observation that later entered geology under his name as a theoretical principle for recognizing the time of formation of the earth's layers. He concluded that our planet is much older than the Bible indicated.

Da Vinci's hobbies even included cooking and the art of serving. In Milan, for thirteen years he was the manager of court feasts. He invented several culinary devices to make the work of cooks easier. Leonardo's original dish - thinly sliced stewed meat with vegetables placed on top - was very popular at court feasts.

In Terry Pratchett's books there is a character whose name is Leonard, whose prototype was Leonardo da Vinci. Pratchett's Leonard writes from right to left, invents various machines, practices alchemy, paints pictures (the most famous is the portrait of Mona Ogg)

A considerable number of Leonardo's manuscripts were first published by the curator of the Ambrosian Library, Carlo Amoretti.

Italian scientists made a statement about the sensational discovery. According to them, an early self-portrait of Leonardo has been discovered. The discovery belongs to the journalist Piero Angela.

Leonardo da Vinci is one of the most talented and mysterious persons of the Renaissance. The Creator left behind a lot of inventions, paintings and secrets, many of which remain unsolved to this day. Da Vinci is called a polymath, or “universal man.” After all, he reached heights in almost all areas of science and art. In this article you will learn the most interesting things from the life of this person.

Leonardo da Vinci was born on April 15, 1452 in the settlement of Anchiano in the Utuscan city of Vinci. The parents of the future genius were lawyer Piero, 25 years old, and orphan peasant Katerina, 15 years old. However, Leonardo, like his father, did not have a surname: da Vinci means “from Vinci.”

Until the age of 3, the boy lived with his mother. The father soon married a noble but barren lady. As a result, 3-year-old Leonardo was taken into care by a new family, separated from his mother forever.

Pierre da Vinci gave his son a comprehensive education and more than once tried to introduce him to the notary profession, but the boy did not show any interest in the profession. It is worth noting that during the Renaissance, illegitimate children were considered equal to legitimate ones. Therefore, even after the death of his father, Leonardo was helped by many noble people of Florence and the town of Vinci itself.

Verrocchio's workshop

At the age of 14, Leonardo became an apprentice in the workshop of the painter Andrea del Verrocchio. There the teenager drew, sculpted, and learned the basics of the humanities and technical sciences. 6 years later, Leonardo qualified as a master and was accepted into the Guild of St. Luke, where he continued to study the basics of drawing and other significant disciplines.

History includes the incident of Leonardo's victory over his teacher. While working on the painting “The Baptism of Christ,” Verrocchio asked Leonardo to draw an angel. The student created an image that was many times more beautiful than the whole picture. As a result, the amazed Verrochio left painting for the rest of his life.

1472–1516

1472–1513 years are considered the most fruitful in the artist’s life. After all, it was then that the polymath created his most famous creations.

In 1476–1481 Leonardo da Vinci had a personal workshop in Florence. In 1480 the artist became famous and began to receive incredibly expensive orders.

1482–1499 Da Vinci spent a year in Milan. The genius arrived in the city as a messenger of peace. The head of Milan, the Duke of Moro, often ordered da Vinci various inventions for wars and for the amusement of the court. In addition, Leonardo da Vinci began keeping a diary in Milan. Thanks to personal notes, the world learned about many of the creator’s discoveries and inventions, and about his passion for music.

Due to the French invasion of Milan, in 1499 year the artist returned to Florence. In the city, the scientist served Duke Cesare Borgia. On his behalf, da Vinci often visited Romagna, Tuscany and Umbria. There the master was engaged in reconnaissance and preparing fields for battles. After all, Cesare Borgia wanted to seize the Papal States. All christian world considered the Duke a fiend from hell, and da Vinci respected him for his tenacity and talent.

In 1506 Leonardo da Vinci returned to Milan again, where he studied anatomy and the study of the structure of organs with the support of the Medici family. In 1512, the scientist moved to Rome, where he worked under the patronage of Pope Leo X until the latter's death.

In 1516 Leonardo da Vinci became a court advisor to the King of France, Francis I. The ruler allocated the artist the castle of Clos-Lucé and gave him complete freedom of action. In addition to an annual fee of 1000 ecus, the scientist received an estate with vineyards. Da Vinci noted that French years gave him a comfortable old age and were the calmest and happiest in life.

Death and grave

Leonardo da Vinci's life was cut short on May 2, 1519, presumably from a stroke. However, signs of the disease appeared long before this. The artist couldn't move right hand due to partial paralysis already in 1517, and shortly before his death he completely lost the ability to walk. The maestro bequeathed all his property to his students.

Da Vinci's first tomb was destroyed during the Huguenot Wars. Remains different people mixed and buried in the garden. Later, archaeologist Arsene Houssay identified the artist's skeleton from the description and transferred it to a reconstructed grave on the grounds of the Castle of Amboise.

In 2010, a group of scientists intended to exhume the body and conduct DNA testing. For comparison, it was planned to take material from the artist’s buried relatives. However, the owners of Watermelon Castle did not allow da Vinci to be exhumed.

Secrets of personal life

Personal life was kept in the strictest confidence. The artist described all love events in his diary using a special code. Scientists put forward 3 opposing versions regarding the personal life of a genius:

Secrets in the life of da Vinci

In 1950, the list of Grand Masters of the Priory of Sion, a Jerusalem order of monks founded in the 11th century, was made public. According to the list, Leonardo da Vinci was a member of a secret organization.

A number of researchers believe that the artist was its leader. The main task of the group was to restore the Merovingian dynasty - the direct descendants of Christ - to the throne of France. Another of the group's missions was to keep the marriage of Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene secret.

Historians dispute the existence of the Priory and consider Leonardo's participation in it a hoax. Scientists emphasize that the Priory of Sion was created in 1950 with the participation of Pierre Plantard. In their opinion, documents were forged at the same time.

However, few surviving facts can only speak of the caution of the monks of the order and their desire to hide their activities. Da Vinci's writing style also speaks in favor of the theory. The author wrote from left to right, as if imitating Hebrew writing.

The Priory Mystery formed the basis of Dan Brown's book The Da Vinci Code. Based on the work, a film of the same name was made in 2006. The plot talks about a cryptex allegedly invented by Da Vinci - an encryption device. When you try to hack the device, everything written is dissolved in vinegar.

Predictions of Leonardo da Vinci

Some historians consider Leonardo da Vinci a seer, others - a time traveler who found himself in the Middle Ages from the future. So, scientists are wondering how the inventor could create a gas mixture for scuba diving without knowledge of biochemistry. However, it is not only da Vinci’s inventions that raise questions, but also his predictions. Many prophecies have already come true.

So, Leonardo da Vinci described Hitler and Stalin in detail, and also predicted the appearance of:

missiles;
telephone;
Skype;
players;
electronic money;
loans;
paid medicine;
globalization, etc.

In addition, da Vinci painted the end of the world, depicting an atomic mushroom. Among future cataclysms, scientists have described the collapse of the earth's surface, the activation of volcanoes, the flood and the coming of the Antichrist.

Inventions

He left the world a lot of useful inventions that became prototypes:

parachute;
airplane, hang glider and helicopter;
bicycle and car;
robot;
eye glasses;
telescope;
spotlights;
scuba gear and spacesuit;
lifebuoy;
military devices: tank, catapult, machine gun, mobile bridges and wheel lock.

Among Da Vinci's great inventions, his "Ideal City". After the plague pandemic, the scientist developed a project for Milan with proper planning and sewerage. It was supposed to divide the city into levels for the upper classes and trade, and ensure constant access of water to houses.

In addition, the master rejected narrow streets, which were a breeding ground for infections, and emphasized the importance of wide squares and roads. However, the Duke of Milan Ludovico Sforza did not accept the bold scheme. Centuries later, a new city, London, was built according to an ingenious project.

Leonardo da Vinci also left his mark on anatomy. The scientist was the first to describe the heart as a muscle and tried to create a prosthetic aortic valve. In addition, da Vinci accurately described and depicted the spine, thyroid gland, tooth structure, muscle structure, location of internal organs. Thus, the principles of anatomical drawing were created.

The genius also contributed to the development of art, developing blurred drawing technique and chiaroscuro.

Great paintings and their mysteries

He left behind many paintings, frescoes and drawings. However, 6 works were lost, and the authorship of another 5 is disputed. There are 7 works of Leonardo da Vinci that are most famous in the world:

1. - Da Vinci's first work. The drawing is realistic, neat and done with light pencil strokes. When looking at the landscape, it seems that you are looking at it from a high point.

2. "Turin self-portrait". The painter created a masterpiece 7 years before his death. The painting is valuable because it gives the world an idea of what Leonardo da Vinci looked like. However, some art historians believe that this is just a sketch for the Mona Lisa, made from another person.

3. . The drawing was created as an illustration for the book. Da Vinci captured a naked man in 2 positions superimposed on each other. The work is considered simultaneously an achievement of art and science. After all, the artist embodied canonical proportions bodies and golden ratio. Thus, the drawing emphasizes the natural ideality and mathematical proportionality of man.

4. . The picture has religious plot: it is dedicated to the Mother of God (Madonna) and the Christ Child. Despite its small size, the painting amazes with its purity, depth and beauty. But “Madonna Litta” is also shrouded in mystery and raises a lot of questions. Why does the baby have a chick in his hands? Why is Our Lady's dress torn in the chest area? Why is the picture made in dark colors?

5. . The painting was commissioned by the monks, but due to his move to Milan, the artist never completed the work. The canvas depicts Mary with the newborn Jesus and the Magi. According to one version, 29-year-old Leonardo himself is depicted among the men.

6th masterpiece –

“The Last Supper” is a fresco depicting Christ’s last supper. The work is no less mysterious and mysterious than the Mona Lisa.
The history of the creation of the canvas is shrouded in mysticism. The artist quickly drew portraits of all the characters in the picture.

However, it was impossible to find prototypes for Jesus Christ and Judas. Once da Vinci noticed a bright and spiritual young man in the church choir. The young man became the prototype of Christ. The search for a model for the drawing of Judas dragged on for years.

Later, da Vinci found the most vile person in his opinion. The prototype of Judas was a drunkard found in a sewer. Having already completed the picture, Da Vinci learned that Judas and Christ were drawn by him from the same person.

Among the mysteries of the Last Supper is Mary Magdalene. Da Vinci depicted her at the right hand of Christ, as a lawful wife. The marriage between Jesus and Mary Magdalene is also indicated by the fact that the contours of their bodies form the letter M - “Matrimonio” (marriage).

7th masterpiece – “Mona Lisa”, or “La Gioconda”

"Mona Lisa" or "La Gioconda" is the most famous and mysterious picture Leonardo da Vinci. To this day, art historians argue about who is depicted on the canvas. Among the popular versions: Lisa del Giocondo, Constanza d'Avalos, Pacifica Brandano, Isabella of Aragon, an ordinary Italian, da Vinci himself and even his student Salai in women's dress.

In 2005, it was proven that the painting depicts Lisa Gerandini, the wife of Francesco del Giocondo. This was indicated by the notes of da Vinci's friend Agostino Vespucci. Thus, both names become understandable: Mona - short for the Italian Madonna, my mistress and Gioconda - after the surname of Lisa Gerandini's husband.

Among the secrets of the painting is the demonic and at the same time divine smile of the Mona Lisa, which is capable of enchanting anyone. When you focus on your lips, they seem to smile more. They say that people who look at this detail for a long time go crazy.

A computer study has shown that Mona Lisa's smile simultaneously expresses happiness, anger, fear and disgust. Some scientists are convinced that the effect is caused by the absence of front teeth, eyebrows or the heroine’s pregnancy. Others say that the smile seems to fade away due to the fact that it is in the low frequency range of light.

Researcher Smith-Kettlewell argues that the smile change effect is due to random noise in the human visual system.

The look of the Mona Lisa is also written in a special way. From whatever angle you look at the girl, it seems that she is looking at you.

The technique of writing La Gioconda is also impressive. The portrait, including the eyes and smile, is a series of golden ratios. Face and hands shape isosceles triangle, and some details fit perfectly into the golden rectangle.

Secrets of Da Vinci's paintings: hidden messages and meanings

The paintings of Leonardo da Vinci are shrouded in mysteries that hundreds of scientists from all over the world are struggling with. In particular, Ugo Conti decided to use the mirror method. The scientist was prompted to this idea by da Vinci’s prose. The fact is that the author wrote from left to right, and his manuscripts can only be read with the help of a mirror. Conti applied the same approach to reading paintings.

It turned out that the characters in da Vinci’s paintings point with their eyes and fingers to the places where the mirror should be placed.

A simple technique reveals hidden images and figures:

1. In the painting “The Virgin and Child, Saint Anne and John the Baptist” discovered whole line demons. According to one version, this is the Devil, according to another, the Old Testament god Yahweh in the papal tiara. It was believed that this god “protects the soul from the vices of the body.”

Click to enlarge

2. In the painting “John the Baptist”- “tree of life” with an Indian deity. A number of researchers believe that in this way the artist hid the mysterious painting “Adam and Eve in Paradise.” Da Vinci's contemporaries often mentioned the painting. For a long time It was believed that "Adam and Eve" - separate picture.

3. On the “Mona Lisa” and “John the Baptist”- the head of a demon, the Devil or the god Yahweh in a helmet, somewhat similar to the hidden image on the canvas “Our Lady”. With this, Conti explains the mystery of the looks in the paintings.

4. On “Madonna of the Rocks”(“Madonna in the Grotto”) depicts the Virgin Mary, Jesus, John the Baptist and an Angel. But if you hold a mirror to the picture, you can see God and a number of biblical characters.

5. In the painting “The Last Supper” a hidden vessel is discovered in the hands of Jesus Christ. Researchers believe this is the Holy Grail. In addition, thanks to the mirror, the two apostles become knights.

6. In the painting “The Annunciation” hidden angelic, and in some versions alien, images.

Hugo Conti believes that you can find a hidden mystical drawing in every painting. The main thing is to use a mirror for this.

In addition to mirror codes, the Mona Lisa also stores secret messages under layers of paint. Graphic designers noticed that when the canvas is turned on its side, images of a buffalo, lion, monkey and bird become visible. Da Vinci thus told the world about the four Essences of man.

Some interesting facts about da Vinci include the following:

The genius was left-handed. Many scientists explain this by the master’s special writing style. Da Vinci always wrote in a mirror manner - from left to right, although he could write with his right hand.
The Creator was not constant: he quit one job and jumped to another, never returning to the previous one. Moreover, da Vinci moved to completely unrelated areas. For example, from art to anatomy, from literature to engineering.
Da Vinci was a talented musician and played the lyre beautifully.
The artist was a zealous vegetarian. Not only did he not eat animal food, but he also did not wear leather or silk. Da Vinci called people who eat meat “walking cemeteries.” But this did not prevent the scientist from being the manager at court feasts and creating new profession- "assistant" cook.
Da Vinci's passion for drawing knew no bounds. So, the master spent hours sketching the bodies of the hanged in detail.
According to one version, the scientist developed colorless and odorless poisons, as well as glass listening devices for Cesare Borgia.

They say that geniuses are born only when the world is ready to accept them. However, Leonardo da Vinci was far ahead of his era. The bulk of his discoveries and creations were appreciated only centuries later. Da Vinci by example proved that human mind knows no boundaries.

Books were written and films were made about the titan of the Renaissance, and monuments were erected in his honor. Minerals, craters on the Moon and asteroids were named after the great scientist. And in 1994 they found it for real beautiful way perpetuate the memory of a genius.

Breeders have developed a new variety of historical rose, called Rosa Leonardo da Vinci. The plant blooms continuously, does not burn out and does not freeze in the cold, like the memory of “ universal man».

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Amboise Castle. The last refuge of a genius.

Last works

During 1517 and 1518, Leonardo continued his scientific experiments, working on architectural projects and plans for festive productions. One of the main projects of this period was preparation for publication of the Diaries.

In organizing his "library" of records for the publication of books on painting, anatomy, architecture and engineering Leonardo hoped for Melzi's help. The artist himself was working hard at this time on an architectural project in Romorantin.

Famous sketch (c. 1510–1515) attributed to Leonardo as a self-portrait

Leonardo's physical ailments forced him to hand over the work on unfinished works entirely to his assistants, who completed them under his professional guidance. However, he was still able to draw, and his sketches from this period include designs for costumes and scenery intended for palace celebrations. One of the stage inventions attributed to Leonardo is mentioned on October 1, 1517 in the diary of the Mantuan ambassador to France, Rinaldo Ariosto. During the celebration in Argentan, located 193 km west of Paris, a mechanical lion walked onto the stage, walked a few steps, then the door on its chest swung open, revealing lilies, a symbol of royal power in France.

Next year was full of various projects. Leonardo wanted to finally publish his works, but new orders occupied all his time and attention. On June 19, the stage production of “The Feast of Paradise,” conceived and designed by Leonardo for the Sforza family in Milan in 1490, was recreated in Clu to celebrate the wedding of Francis I’s niece, Maddalena de la Tour d’Auvergne, to Lorenzo de’ Medici. All stage sets were designed by Leonardo.

Last year

At the age of 67, Leonardo's health deteriorated. Vasari describes it this way: last days: “In his old age he was seriously ill, unable to get out of bed for several months. When he felt the approach of death, he made every effort to join the sacraments catholic church and the holy Christian faith: with great lamentations he confessed and repented of his sins. And although he could hardly rise, leaning on the shoulders of friends and servants, he was happy to piously accept holy communion, standing on your feet, not lying in bed."

From Vasari's story about Leonardo's last days, we learn that he was given unction by a Catholic priest according to all the rules, and he himself insisted on getting out of bed to receive the Sacrament.

Madonna and Child with Saint Anne, fragment (circa 1502–1516).

In the last days of his life, Leonardo repented of having offended God and all of humanity by “not working in his art as he should have.” In his youth, Leonardo believed in God as the Supreme Being, believed that human soul immortal. But he was not only an artist, but also a scientist, and in his geological, astronomical and anatomical studies he could not help but wonder about the existence of man on Earth, his origin and evolution. And as often happens, in the face of death Leonardo reconciled with God in order to prepare his funeral service according to church canons.

Death of a Master

Bazari writes that just before his death Leonardo “was seized by convulsions, the messengers of death.” The king at that moment approached him and raised his head. In a few moments great artist died in the arms of the king. His death caused a great stir. Vasari laments: “The loss of Leonardo in highest degree saddened everyone who knew him, because not a single person who had lived before brought such glory to painting.” Vasari speaks of the beauty of Leonardo himself, of his ability to “listen to both sides” and then “to persuade even the most stubborn arguer to the opposite side.”

It is easy to imagine with what bitterness this news was received in Florence. The grief of his fellow countrymen was also aggravated by the fact that Leonardo’s last will was not to give his ashes to his native city, unlike Michelangelo, who died in 1564: his body was taken from Rome and taken to Florence, because this was the last will of the deceased .

In Florence, Giovanni Strozzi composed a verse of praise, with which Vasari ends the story of the artist’s life:

Vince costui pur solo
Tutti altri; e vince Fidia e vince Apelle
E tutto il lor vittorioso stuolo -

He alone defeated all others:
And Phidias and Apelles,
And the entire victorious galaxy...

The poet plays on the name Vinci, connecting it with the Latin verb vincere, which means “to win, to conquer.”

Will

Leonardo da Vinci's will was drawn up in a French court, and the King of France was present at his death. Whole life passed from Leonardo's illegitimate birth in a tiny village to his death in the royal chambers.

Last will Leonardo da Vinci, expressed in his will, drawn up at the royal court in Amboise on April 23, 1519, nine days before the artist's death, extends to those people who meant a lot to him during his lifetime.

Caricature of a lawyer or academic (1495–1519). Was bequeathed by the artist Melzi.

Donations for the Poor

Leonardo da Vinci left 70 soldi in copper and silver to the poor patients of the Saint Lazarus Hospital in Amboise. Leonardo, who throughout his life won for himself the right to be a respected person in society, who through his work reached the highest levels among the creative elite, who moved freely among princes, kings and nobles, found time to remember those members of society whose fate was far from as rosy as his own. Perhaps at that moment he remembered his poor peasant mother.

Family

Milanese nobleman Francesco Melzi, Leonardo's assistant and companion, was tasked with informing the da Vinci family of the contents of the will. In a letter dated June 1, 1519, addressed to “the Venerable Giuliano and his brothers,” Melzi informs the seven half-brothers that the 400 gold scudi in securities held in Leonardo’s account at the bank of Santa Maria Nuova in Florence belong to them. Leonardo also bequeathed to them a small plot of land in Fiesole. This will shows that a truce was reached between Leonardo and members of his father's family, although we do not know for sure. Melzi did not provide Giuliano da Vinci with information about what his friends and servants inherited from the master.

Study of a man in a turban (1510–1519). Was bequeathed by the artist Melzi.

Servants

Leonardo bequeathed to his maid Maturina clothes “made of good black fabric, trimmed with leather,” a woolen dress and 2 gold ducats. The servant Battista de Vilanis received all the furniture and household items from the Cloux mansion. Leonardo bequeathed to him the water section of the San Cristoforo canal in Milan for personal use, as well as half of the garden located on the outskirts of Milan. All this de Vilanis received in perpetual possession for his devoted service to the master. The second half of the garden and the house standing on it, built by Salai, were left to Salai and his family, as well as their heirs, for perpetual use. Salai was also bequeathed the Mona Lisa, Saint Jerome and Madonna and Child with Saint Anne. After Salai’s death from an arrow wound in 1524, his two sisters inherited these paintings, as well as “St. John the Baptist” and “Leda and the Swan,” which have not reached us, as well as several small works by the artist.

Francesco Melzi

Leonardo's assistant, who joined the artist in 1507, received by will all the books that were in Leonardo's possession at the time of his death, as well as all the tools used by the artist, notes and sketches made by him. It was a significant collection of manuscripts and drawings by Leonardo. From Melzi's letter to Leonardo's family, which reported the artist's last will, it is clearly visible how Melzi revered the master. “I am sure that you have been informed of the death of Master Leonardo, your brother, who was also my brother and the best of fathers.” This short but powerful phrase tells us a lot about the deep understanding that reigned between Melzi and Leonardo, and also about why this particular student inherited the most personal of all the artist's possessions.

Funeral preparations

Leonardo wished to be buried within the Church of San Florentin in Amboise, and his body was to be interred by the priests of this church. According to his will, he left money for 60 candles, which were to be carried by 60 poor people at his funeral. He also ordered three solemn masses and thirty minor Gregorian masses for the priests and pastors of the diocese. For this purpose, 4.5 kg of thick wax candles were bequeathed to each of the four churches of the diocese.

The Death of Da Vinci updated: September 16, 2017 by: Gleb