On April 15, 1452, perhaps the most mysterious and mystical artist, Leonardo da Vinci, was born.
On the birthday of a genius, we recall interesting facts from his life and the most popular and expensive paintings.
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci is an Italian artist and scientist, inventor, writer, and musician, one of the largest representatives of the art of the High Renaissance, a vivid example of the “universal man”. Leonardo made an unbearable contribution to the development of world artistic culture, paving the way for many talented student artists.
He owns the first sketches of a bicycle, the design of a parachute, a tank, a catapult, a telescope, and many other discoveries.
Leonardo da Vinci: interesting facts from the life
- Few people know that the Renaissance genius could write and draw with both hands. This fact was confirmed thanks to one of the author’s paintings – “Landscape of Arno”.
- Leonardo never parted with his notebook. In it, he wrote down important things and drew everything that came to his mind.
- Scientists from the United States have thoroughly studied the mysterious smile of the Mona Lisa using a new computer program and put forward their theory: according to their data, it contains 83% happiness, 9% neglect, 6% fear, and 2% anger.
- Da Vinci was the first to explain why the sky is blue. In the book “On Painting” the scientist wrote:
The blueness of the sky is due to the thickness of the illuminated particles of air, which is located between the Earth and the blackness above.
- The term “golden ratio” was introduced by Leonardo da Vinci. If the human figure – the most perfect creation of the universe – is tied with a belt and the distance from the belt to the feet is measured, then this value will refer to the distance from the same belt to the top of the head, as the entire height of a person is related to the length from the belt to the feet.
Now the “golden section” is considered a universal manifestation of structural harmony. It is found in nature, science, art, cosmetology – in everything that a person can come into contact with. Once acquainted with the golden rule, humanity no longer cheated on it.
So, thanks to the “golden section” in the world every day more and more people with “ideal” proportions of faces and bodies are born from the light hands of plastic surgeons.
Leonardo da Vinci: TOP 10 most popular paintings by the artist
Saint Anne with the Madonna and the Christ Child
The painting “Saint Anna with the Madonna and the Christ Child” belongs to the late period of Leonardo da Vinci’s work and, according to scientists, was written between 1508 and 1510. In fact, the artist continued to work on the painting for about ten years, but the thing remained unfinished.
Portrait of a musician
“Portrait of a Musician” is also one of the unfinished works of Leonardo da Vinci, allegedly painted by the artist from 1490 to 1492. It has been painted many times, restored, and modified. Now the picture is stored in the Pinakothek Ambrosiana.
Portrait of Ginevra de Benci
“Portrait of Ginevra de Benci” was painted by da Vinci around 1474-1476. The painting is oil on wood and measures 42×37 cm. It is the only painting by Leonardo outside the Old World: today, “Portrait of Ginevra de Benci” is kept in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.
Self-portrait (Turin self-portrait)
It is believed that the “Turin Self-Portrait” is indeed a self-portrait of Leonardo da Vinci, made by the artist presumably in 1512 or later.
John the Baptist
The painting “John the Baptist”, also known as “Saint John the Baptist”, was painted by the artist from 1513 to 1516. Most art historians agree that this is the last painting by Leonardo that has come down to us.
Madonna Litta
The painting “Madonna Litta” by Leonardo da Vinci was supposedly painted in 1490 and is currently in the collection of the Hermitage (St. Petersburg).
Savior of the world
To date, “Savior of the World” is considered the most expensive painting in history ever sold. Dated around 1500.
lady with ermine
“Lady with an Ermine” by Leonardo da Vinci was painted around 1489-1490 in oil on a walnut board.
The Last Supper
The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci is one of the most respected, studied, and repeated paintings that our world has ever created. Books, films, paintings, musical works, and even conspiracy theories are dedicated to her.
Mona Lisa (La Gioconda)
According to one of the most popular versions, da Vinci began to paint the painting “Mona Lisa” in 1503-1504 in Florence, and the execution of the order took him as much as 4 years, despite its small size. Many believe that the woman depicted in the painting is an Italian noblewoman named Lisa del Giocondo, the wife of a wealthy Florentine silk merchant named Francesco del Giocondo.