What is Vinci famous for? Leonardo da Vinci - the most interesting and mysterious of his life

Leonardo da Vinci can safely be considered one of the unique people of 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, researcher, 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 received his primary education, which included the ability to write, read, and basic mathematics and Latin, at home. For many, his manner of writing in mirror image from left to right was interesting. 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 achieved unprecedented positive results almost everywhere, but could not find the favorable environment he needed so much 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.

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. The entire 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 his French years gave him a comfortable old age and were the calmest and happiest in his 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 could not move his right hand due to partial paralysis since 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. The remains of various people were 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, the thyroid gland, the structure of the teeth, the structure of the muscles, and the location of the 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 the canonical proportions of the body and the golden ratio. Thus, the drawing emphasizes the natural ideality and mathematical proportionality of man.

4. . The painting has a 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 painting by 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 a woman'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. The face and hands form an 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 a number of 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” was a 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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Da Vinci was a talented musician and played the lyre beautifully.
4. 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 a master of ceremonies at court feasts and from creating a new profession - an “assistant” cook.
5. Da Vinci's passion for drawing knew no bounds. So, the master spent hours sketching the bodies of the hanged in detail.
6. 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 proved by his own example that the 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 a truly beautiful way to perpetuate the memory of the 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 the “universal man”.

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Capturing the scale of Leonardo da Vinci's personality is impossible. A person who became a legend during his lifetime remains a legend and an unattainable ideal in the modern world.

The genius or, as he is often called, the titan of the Renaissance, Leonardo da Vinci, is a truly unique personality. His life is an amazing kaleidoscope - in all areas that he undertook, from painting to complex engineering inventions, he achieved incredible heights. Meanwhile, we know almost nothing about Leonardo himself - he was a very secretive and lonely person, and the first biography was written 30 years after his death by Giorgio Vasari.

Leonardo was born on April 15, 1452 in the small town of Vinci in northwestern Italy. The history of his family holds several mysteries, since it is unknown who his mother was. All sources indicate that her name was Katerina, but what she did is an open question. Traditionally it is believed that she was a simple, young peasant woman. Leonardo's father was the notary Piero da Vinci, who was 25 years old at that time. The father was present at the child's baptism and recognized him, but for unknown reasons, Leonardo spent the first 4 years of his life in the village of Anhiano. In the year of his son's birth, Piero marries Albier Amador and only 4 years later takes his son to live with him. The position of a notary in those days was considered quite noble, so Leonardo spent his childhood and youth in prosperity and prosperity. The father was married 3 times, had 12 children and lived to be 77 years old. But he, as Vasari noted, was an ordinary person, which makes Leonardo’s unusualness even more interesting. One way or another, the father still gave his son a good home education, albeit unsystematic, which Leonardo later mentioned in his notes.

The young man's talent manifested itself at an early age. An interesting episode is in which Pierre da Vinci asked his son to paint a large wooden shield as a gift to one of his neighbors. Leonardo approached the matter with joy and great responsibility, choosing the image of the Gorgon Medusa for the design on the shield. The drawing was made so realistically that when my father saw it, he literally reeled in horror. Of course, he could not give such a masterpiece as a gift and kept it for himself. Now a copy of this shield by Caravaggio is kept in one of the museums in France. It was probably after this incident that Piero decided to send his son to study in Florence, where Leonardo, under the edification of the famous artist Verrocchio, studied painting. Thus began a period in the life of Leonardo da Vinci, called the Florentine period.

Florence at that time was one of the main centers of the intellectual elite of all Western Europe. Leonardo, having found himself among such famous artists as Botticelli, Ghirlandaio, Bellini and many others, stands out for his detachment and loneliness. It is clearly evident in his notes that his loneliness is conscious. He believed that “if you are lonely, then you are completely your own,” and did not seek to make close acquaintances with anyone. This is partly why he was not part of the circle of intellectuals of the Florentine ruler Lorenzo de' Medici. But not only because of this he could not get into the intellectual environment of that time. One of the reasons was something that Leonardo himself was annoyed about - his poor knowledge of Latin, which until modern times was considered the main language of science. But another reason was more important - Leonardo was an artist, and during the Renaissance, artists were considered more likely to be artisans or even professional painters carrying out orders; artists were treated like servants. Not appreciated by the circle of humanist intellectuals, da Vinci's talent amazed Verrocchio. While working in the workshop, the teacher instructed Leonardo to paint an angel on one of his canvases. The figure of an angel painted by da Vinci impressed the teacher so much that, according to Vasari, he never picked up a brush again. The student surpassed the teacher. Soon Leonardo opens his own workshop.

At this time, Pope Sixtus IV invited the best Tuscan craftsmen to work in the Vatican. Among them were Ghirlandaio, Botticelli, Perugino, Philip Lippi, Signorelli and many others, but not Leonardo. It is possible that the underrated genius felt some annoyance at what happened and decided to move to Milan. In addition, his engineering and scientific inclinations were already increasingly mastering him, and Milan at that time was almost the opposite of sophisticated Florence - it was an industrial city, where many craftsmen, gunsmiths and artisans established strong production. Leonardo asks for patronage from local businessman Lodovico Sforza, and positions himself primarily not as an artist, but as an engineer, talking in a letter about his own engineering ideas, such as cannons, closed chariots, catapults and ballistas, and only mentions in one line about his artistic activities. Sforza takes Leonardo to court and gives him various tasks, both engineering and related to art. One of the tasks was the construction of a monument to the founder of the Sforza dynasty - Francesco Sforza. The statue in the form of a horse with a rider was supposed to become a symbol of the legitimacy and majesty of the family’s power, and Leonardo set to work. Work on the monument continued for 16 years. After several unsuccessful castings, a clay statue of the horse was made, but due to the French invasion of Milan in 1499, it was irretrievably lost. Fortunately, the drawings have been preserved, from which one can judge the extraordinary nature of Leonardo’s idea.

The Milanese period increasingly confirmed the engineering and artistic talent of Leonardo da Vinci. It was then that his paintings “Lady with an Ermine”, “Madonna Litta”, “Madonna in the Grotto”, “The Last Supper”, and many anatomical and simple pencil drawings appeared. One of the most famous drawings by Leonardo da Vinci is the Vitruvian Man - the figure of a man in two superimposed positions, inscribed in a circle and a square. The drawing measures 34.3×24.5 cm and is made in ink and watercolor. The figure of a man shows the mathematical proportions of the human body in accordance with data from the treatises of the Roman architect Vitruvius. The Vitruvian man is a kind of symbol of the natural ideality of man, his internal symmetry and mathematical proportionality. The drawing is thus both a work of art and a scientific work.

Da Vinci's engineering developments and ideas, which have come down to us in his notes, cannot but surprise. It’s amazing how a person at the turn of the 15th-16th centuries could be so far ahead of his time! The drawings preserved designs for a rotating chain for a bicycle, machines for mass production, various aircraft, machine tools and much more. He developed projects for urban improvement, designed locks, dams, canals, mills, and even calculated the cost of these projects, but, unfortunately, no one took on them. Da Vinci’s irrepressible and intense inventive and engineering activity seemed to be a protest against those circles of intellectuals where he did not get into. He proved to himself that he was still part of this circle, and was doing it head and shoulders above others.

After the invasion of French troops, Leonardo returns to Florence. Here he receives an assignment from the Senoria to participate in the painting of the Great Council Hall of the Palace of the Senoria, where Michelangelo was already working at that time. So the two giants of the era began to work together, although without any particular affection for each other. As Vasari notes, from time to time the then young Raphael came to see the work of the masters. A truly incredible situation! Around the same time, Leonardo painted his main masterpiece - the world-famous “La Gioconda” or “Mona Lisa”. The history of this painting attracts art historians from all countries, and the mysterious Mrs. Lisa del Giocondo does not leave viewers indifferent. The most famous work of painting in the world had an incredible impact on global artistic culture, and Leonardo da Vinci himself did not part with his masterpiece, even when he left for France. He had three such favorite paintings: “Mona Lisa”, “John the Baptist” and “St. Anne with the Madonna and Child Christ”.

Leonardo again spent some time in Milan in the service of the French king Louis XII, and then in Rome with Pope Leo X. In 1516, da Vinci was invited to the court by the new king of France, Francis I. He received the title of the first royal artist, engineer and architect, but in essence it was just a “decoration” of the court - it was prestigious for the king to have “that same Leonardo”, who had already become a legend. Unfortunately, the artist’s health was deteriorating, his right arm was paralyzed, it was increasingly difficult for him to move without assistance, so he could carry out his official duties. Then Francis I purchased the Mona Lisa from Leonardo, thereby ensuring its safety for centuries.

Shortly before his death, the artist moved to the small town of Amboise, on the Loire River. At the age of 67, Leonardo da Vinci was already bedridden. In full consciousness, he writes a will: all his manuscripts and books went to one of his students, Francesco Melzi. On May 2, 1519, Leonardo da Vinci quietly passed away.

The phenomenon of a brilliant artist, scientist, and writer still excites the minds of researchers. The personality of Leonardo da Vinci does not fit into any human size, the scope of his activities is enormous, and the influence he had on the entire world culture is incredibly amazing. Leonardo is truly inexhaustible; modernity is considering more and more new aspects of his life and work, trying to comprehend the secrets of the “universal man”. An asteroid is named after him, many authors use the prototype of Leonardo da Vinci in their works, films and TV series are being made in one way or another related to the legacy of the great da Vinci, and much more. He became more than just a historically significant figure - he became an image, a titan and an unattainable ideal.

He was one of those who buy birds at the market only to record on paper the trajectory of the wings leaving the cage. When nuns in one of the monasteries began to go crazy and die, everyone blamed the Devil. Except for Da Vinci, who discovered a deadly poison - ergot in the place where the novices applied their lips.

Most people know Leonardo da Vinci as a painter - thanks to the famous Mona Lisa. But he was also an unsurpassed designer, mechanic, and inventor.

Genius was inherent in Da Vinci by nature itself - he was born ambidextrous, and both parts of his brain, logical and creative, could act simultaneously. Thanks to this, Da Vinci came up with ideas that were tens, hundreds, thousands of years ahead of his time.

Among his inventions are aircraft, artillery guns, self-propelled structures on wheels, and a diving suit. The brilliant artist, close to the Medici court, more than once saved his patron from collapse and helped restore his rule after the rebellion staged in Florence by the Pazzi family. On this day, Leonardo actually invented the loudspeaker - thanks to a system of metal shields that reflected sound, he made all of Florence hear the address of Lorenzo de' Medici.

Many have tried to briefly describe the work of Leonardo da Vinci. But it was not possible to restore the entire history - many of the creator’s inventions were passed off as “new” 400 years later (hang glider, parachute). Although Da Vinci’s notes and drawings already contained diagrams and descriptions of the operating principles of these inventions. Many were appropriated by other artists, and some were simply lost.

Leonardo was forced to conduct many of his studies in secret - they were condemned by the church. And yet, he was one of the first to study anatomy through dissection of dead bodies, explore the capabilities of the human mind, and treat diseases with blood transfusions. He conducted research not only on his faithful friends, but also on himself, risked his life many times - but remained alive. Apparently, the Universe itself refused to deprive humanity of such a genius.

Until now, the operating principle of many of da Vinci’s inventions cannot be deciphered by modern scientists - perhaps the codes and diagrams drawn by the artist could become a real discovery in the field of cosmology, chemistry, and physics. But alas, most of them are a sealed secret for contemporaries. Even the smile of Mona Lisa and the history of the creation of this painting became the basis for dozens of scientific papers and treatises - not to mention the mechanical flying birds made of precious metals or the pigskin submarine invented by Da Vinci. And his “Vitruvian Man” became one of the most recognizable images on the planet and one of the secret symbols of Nietzscheanism.

Very soon, Da Vinci’s mystery will become even deeper - the artist’s precious notes, stored in his Museum and Milan Library, are dying from mold that has infected them.

Getting acquainted with the work of Leonardo da Vinci briefly - at least - is now a necessity for everyone. Otherwise, you risk never knowing how great and brilliant Da Vinci was.

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Their names are like a sign of quality. They are familiar even to those who are infinitely far from the world of art. Each of them was a special phenomenon of its time.

Some have the role of a discoverer, some attract with their mystery, some surprise with their realism - so different, but unique.

These artists have become a symbol of an era, country, style.

Leonardo da Vinci. great and mighty

The works of this artist, inventor, musician, anatomist and generally “universal person” still surprise us.

Thanks to his paintings, world painting has reached a new qualitative level. He moved towards realism, comprehending the laws of perspective and understanding the anatomical structure of man.

He depicted ideal proportions in the drawing “Vitruvian Man”. Today it is considered both an artistic masterpiece and a scientific work.

The most recognizable work of a genius is

Here we can see Leonardo's main achievement in painting. Sfumato, that is, a blurred line and superimposed shadows in the form of haze. Hence such a living image. And the feeling that Mona Lisa is about to speak.

Today, the name of the mysterious Mona Lisa has been cruelly erased by caricatures and Internet memes. But that didn't make her any less beautiful.

Also read about the master’s recently discovered masterpiece in the article.

Hieronymus Bosch. Mysterious and mysterious

Half-humans, half-mutants, huge birds and fish, unprecedented plants and crowds of naked sinners... All this is mixed and woven into multi-figure compositions.

Hieronymus Bosch is very recognizable. And his most famous work is the triptych “The Garden of Earthly Delights”.

There is no other artist who uses so many details to express ideas. What ideas? There is no consensus on this matter. Dissertations and books were dedicated to Bosch, they sought interpretations of his characters, but they never came to any single opinion.

The right wing of the “Garden of Earthly Delights” is dedicated to Hell. Here the master set as his goal to frighten both the peasant and the educated contemporary with depressing visions awaiting after death. Well... Bosch succeeded. Even we feel a little uneasy...

But Bosch evolved during his creative career. And by the end of his life, multi-figure, large-scale works gave way to a very close approach to the heroes. So they barely fit into the frame. This is the work of “Carrying the Cross.”

Regardless of whether Bosch views his heroes from afar or up close, his message is the same. Show human vices. And reach us. Help us save our souls.

Raphael. Subtle and inspired

The most famous representative amazes with his harmonious compositions and lyricism. Painting beautiful people is not as difficult as placing them correctly on the canvas. This is where Raphael was a virtuoso.

Perhaps no master in the world influenced his colleagues as much as Raphael did. His writing style will be mercilessly exploited. His heroes will wander from one century to another. And they will lose their relevance only at the beginning of the 20th century. In the age of modernism and avant-garde.

When remembering Raphael, we first of all think about his beautiful Madonnas. During his short life (38 years), he created 20 paintings with her image. And it never happened again.

Rembrandt. Real and poetic

Rembrandt depicted the world as it was. Without embellishment or varnishing. But he did it very sincerely.

On Rembrandt’s canvases there is twilight, from which figures emerge, illuminated by golden light. Beautiful in their naturalness. These are the characters in his painting “The Jewish Bride.”

The fate of the greatest Dutch painter is like a springboard - from obscurity to ascend to wealth and popularity, only to then fall down and die in poverty.

He was not understood by his contemporaries. Who preferred beautiful everyday scenes with cute, carefully written details. Rembrandt painted human feelings and experiences, which was not at all fashionable.

It is a great miracle that the most famous works, such as “Returns of the Prodigal Son”, are in Russia, where you can come to admire, understand, feel.

Goya. Deep and bold

Goya began his creative journey with youthful ardor and idealism. He even became a court artist at the Spanish court. But he soon became fed up with life, seeing the greed of the world, stupidity, and hypocrisy.

Just look at his group photo, where Goya didn’t even try to smooth over the empty facial expressions and repulsive arrogance of the royal family.

Goya created many paintings reflecting his civic and human position. And the world knows him primarily as a courageous artist and truth-teller.

The proof can be seen in the simply incredible work “Saturn Devouring His Son.”

This is a cold-blooded, most honest interpretation of a mythological plot. This is exactly what a crazy Kronos should have looked like. Who is scared to death that he might be overthrown by his children.

Ivan Aivazovsky. Grandiose and devoted to the sea

The greatness of the elements, hopelessness. Will the handful of sailors who survive the storm be able to escape? The morning sun with its warm rays seems to give subtle hope.

Aivazovsky can be called the most important marine painter of all time. No one has written the character of the sea element so diversely. No one has depicted so many sea battles and shipwrecks.

At the same time, Aivazovsky was also a documentarian, thoroughly depicting ship equipment. And a bit of a dreamer. After all, in fact, the Ninth Wave is written incorrectly - on the open sea, the wave never bends like an “apron”. But for greater spectacle, Aivazovsky wrote it just like that.

Claude Monet. Colorful and airy

Monet is considered the most prominent representative. He was devoted to this style throughout his long life. When the main characters are light and color, the lines disappear and the shadows may well be blue.

His "Rouen Cathedral" shows how an object changes when viewed through the sun's rays. The cathedral trembles, lives in the rays.

Monet experimented a lot with brushstrokes in order to convey not so much nature as impressions of it. And this is where he saw the truth. Why photographically repeat a landscape or object?

In recent years, the old artist painted his garden. We can also look at one of the most picturesque corners of this garden in the painting “White Water Lilies”. It is stored in Moscow.

Vincent Van Gogh. Crazy and sympathetic

Pablo Picasso. Different and searching

This famous womanizer became famous not only for his frequent change of muses, but also for his frequent change of artistic directions. At the beginning of the 20th century, he created many works in the “African style”, when instead of faces he painted masks of exotic tribes. Then there was cubism, and also abstractionism and surrealism.

The pinnacle of his work can be called the emotional “Guernica,” dedicated to a city destroyed by the war. A symbol of suffering and barbarism.

It was Picasso who came up with the idea of ​​combining full face and profile in portraits, breaking objects into simple shapes and assembling them into amazing forms.

He changed the entire landscape of fine art, enriching it with revolutionary ideas. Could anyone before Picasso have painted a portrait of the famous philanthropist Ambroise Vollard like this?

Salvador Dali. Shocking and merciless

Who is he? A crazy artist, a freak of his time or a competent PR man? Salvador Dali made a lot of noise with his surrealism.

But there were also very deep themes in his works, for example, war and destruction. There were also very intimate ones. Sometimes Dali, in his desire to surprise, went too far.

Once, on one of his paintings at an exhibition, the artist wrote in ink “Sometimes I spit with pleasure on the portrait of my mother.” After this prank, Dali's father did not speak to him for several years.

But we also remember him for his endless love for his muse, his wife Gala. She can be seen in many of his paintings. Even in the image of Madonna.

Yes, yes, Dali was a believer. True, he became one already as a mature person, under the influence of the events of the Second World War.

Dali is a complete shocker. He came up with a taxi in which it always rains and an aphrodisiac tuxedo with hanging glasses of liquor. Quite enough to remain forever in the history of art.

Summarize

There have been thousands of artists in the world. But only a few managed to become so famous that almost every inhabitant of the Earth knows them.

Some of them lived 500 years ago, like Leonardo, Raphael and Bosch. And someone created in the 20th century, like Picasso and Dali.

What do they all have in common? They all, each in their own way, changed the time in which they lived. As art critic Alexander Stepanov said, only a mediocre artist lives in step with his time.

We are waiting for the next genius of the same magnitude. Maybe he's already creating right now. Jeff Koons? Damien Hirst? Or maybe a duet of artists Recycle group? What do you think?..