Leonardo da Vinci

By Alex Hamilton

Da Vinci’s life Leonardo was born in Vinci just outside of Florence, Italy in 1452.

Da Vinci literally means, “from Vinci”. He died in 1519 in Florence. He was a man of many talents, including astronomy, botany,

geology, geometry, engineering, and inventing. He became apprenticed to Andrea del Verrocchio in Milan at the

age of 14. Del Verrocchio was a leading painter and sculptor in France, in the late 1460’s.

Leonardo returned to Florence after the French overthrew Ludovico Sforza and made him flee Milan in 1499.

Leonrado wrote a letter to the Duke of Milan, offering his talents as a inventor, and painter (above right). It began, “Having, most illustrious lord, seen and considered the experiments of all those who pose as masters in the art of inventing instruments of war, and finding that their inventions differ in no way from those in common use, I am emboldened, without prejudice to anyone, to solicit an appointment of acquainting your Excellency with certain of my secrets.”

Da Vinci’s Life (continued)

A peasant made a round shield and aked Ser Piero (Leonardo’s dad) to get it painted for him. Leonardo painted a painting of monster spitting fire which was so scary that Ser Piero sold it to a Florentine art dealer, who sold it to the Duke of Milan. Having made money from the shield, Ser Piero bought a shield decorated with a heart pierced by an arrow. He gave this to Vasari.

Once, Michelangelo made fun of Leonardo for never finishing his works. This started a battle of artists. Both sides failed to complete their projects.

Da Vinci’s Life(continued)

For King Francis I that Leonardo made a mechanical lion that could walk forward, then open its chest to reveal a bouquet of lilies (above right).

Leonardo died a natural death at Clos Luce on May 2, 1519. Francis I had become a close friend. Some records say that the King held Leonardo's head in his arms as he died, although this story may not be true. He was buried in the Chapel of Saint-Hubert in the castle of Anboise.

• About twenty years after Leonardo's death, Francis said, "There had never been another man born in the world who knew as much as Leonardo, not so much about painting, sculpture and architecture, as that he was a very great philosopher."

Famous Paintings Da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa (above left) in 1503. He is

probably most famous for painting this. The Mona Lisa was originally a painting of a woman sitting on a balcony, but eventually, the pillars were cut off. You can still see the railing and the bases of the pillars, though.

He painted The Baptism of Christ (above right) with his master (Verrocchio) in 1472. He painted an angel in it, and it was so much better than his master’s, his master never picked up a paintbrush again.

He painted the Last Supper (below) in 1498 Leonardo rarely finished his paintings, and was made fun

of for it.

Famous Inventions and Blueprints/ Plans

Da Vinci planned a helicopter, a concentrated solar power, a calculator, the double hull and a theory of plate tectonics (a big, major plate in the Earth). He also invented an automated bobbin winder and a machine for testing the tensile strength of wire (how much weight it can hold). His invention blueprints are in the above right

tank

Leonardo da Vinci Q & A's

• Q:Why is Da Vinci famous?A:He is probably most famous for painting the

Mona Lisa. He also is famous for painting the Baptism of Christ.

• Q: What inspired him to be an artist?

A: Da Vinci’s dad apprenticed Leonardo to Verrochio, and that is how his career started.

More Da Vinci Q’s

• Q: What were Da Vinci’s jobs?

A: He was a painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist (doctor), geologist, botanist (plant

surveyor) and writer.

Da Vinci Fun Facts

• Da Vinci was a , and because being left-handed was called the devil’s work back then, he wrote lefty, but backward! His writing often needs to be read with a mirror. He started this habit as a child.

• Da Vinci only finished a handful of his works. He lost interest in them quickly, or got busy with other paintings.

lefty

Credits

Pictures

Lorenz, Zichi 11/14 <zichi.posterous.com>Larry Page and Sergey Brin <Google.com> 11/14 Google.com

Information

Wikianswers.com January 15, 2010 <www.wikianswers.com>Wikipedia.com January 13, 2010

<www.wikipedia.com>DK Publishing Eyewitness Book: Da Vinci and His Times New

York 2006World Book Encyclopedia US 1994

Stanly, Diane Leonardo Da Vinci. China South China Printing Company