Leonardo Da Vinci's Accomplishments

The Italian Renaissance was an artistic breakthrough. Many paintings and sculptures emerged in the 15th century, and their creators gained popularity all throughout Europe. Leonardo da Vinci, an Italian Renaissance inventor and scientist, painted some of the world’s most famous pieces of art. To begin, Leonardo da Vinci’s background helped mold his character and established his purpose in life. His beginning of a wonderful life all began outside the little village of Vinci on April 15th, 1452 (Romei 6). He was born the illegitimate son of Ser Piero da Vinci, a notary, and Caterina, a peasant girl. Because of this, Leonardo’s future was not in line for the job of his father. Instead, he proved himself talented in drawing and sculpting (“Leonardo
Through 1478 until 1482, Leonardo had his own studio in Florence. While there, he received a commission for the Adoration of the Kings, however, he did not finish it. He became a court artist for the Duke of Milan in 1482 and stayed there until 1499. In Milan, Leonardo painted Madonna of the Rocks around 1483. At the same time, Leonardo also wrote down his thoughts about anatomy and science into his notebooks. Around 1487, he drew the Vitruvian Man, which showed how a perfectly-proportioned man could fit into shapes like squares and circles. Aircraft such as helicopters and man-powered flying machines are also found in Leonardo’s notebooks (Summers). The Last Supper, commissioned by Ludovico il Moro, is found on the wall of a dining hall in the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie (Romei 42). Started in 1495, it is one of the most famous pieces of art on the planet (Romei 62). Because Leonardo was experimenting with a new technique of painting, it began to decay immediately when it was completed in 1498 (“The High Renaissance in Italy”). Cesare Borgia, an infamous warlord, worked with Leonardo around 1502. Marching with Borgia’s army in the Romagna region, he even made maps and built barracks, war machinery, and a fort (“Leonardo da Vinci”). After the Duke of Milan was overthrown, Leonardo fled back to Florence (Summers). There he painted the Mona Lisa, a portrait of a Lisa
He was centuries before his time, and his wide range of interest led to him trying to develop every skill imaginable (Amey 22-23). For building flying machines, Leonardo looked at the birds and their flight, and for anatomy, he took autopsies so he could understand the body more (Summers). Modern inventions such as robots, digital computers, and even the first heart valve were all designed by him. His way of thinking brought in a whole new era of experimentation into the world and still affect the world today. (Stefan). As they came to him, all of his thoughts and ideas were written and sketched, producing a multitude of breathtaking notebooks. Because they were never published until centuries later, many of his inventions were not known until years later (“Leonardo da Vinci”). Seeing his thoughts turned into a drawing is stunning, and Leonardo’s ability to do so is astonishing. Michelangelo and Raphael, the leading artists at the time, were both impressed by Leonardo’s abilities as well, and he was an influence to both of them. Painters now try to imitate Vinci’s knowledge of perspective and mastery of observation. One example of Leonardo being ahead of the game was the use of sfumato, the painting of a hazy atmosphere. Eyes take in images through a haze produced by dust and humidity in the atmosphere, and Leonardo understood this concept. The