When asked about the most famous artist during the Renaissance, nearly everyone would agree that it is “Leonardo Da Vinci”. But what makes him so renowned? Certainly, his iconic works such as the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper contribute to his fame. However, Leonardo’s influence goes beyond painting and has infiltrated various popular mediums in modern times. Examples include best-selling books like Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code and globally acclaimed video games such as Assassin’s Creed II. In every portrayal of his character, the contemporary world appears to crave more of Leonardo.
His skill in using a paintbrush is unquestionable, but there may be other artists from his time who could be considered equal to him, or possibly even better in terms of skill. This raises the question: why are these artists not revived in a way that allows each new generation to appreciate them? We are fascinated by Leonardo because of the diverse range of his talents. While his artwork is renowned worldwide, his notebooks and inventions are also widely famous. In fact, with the latest investigations into Leonardo’s life, it is his scientific mindset that is of greater interest and scrutiny.
Nearly 500 years later, the public’s fascination with Leonardo Da Vinci’s complex brain remains unchanged. He was a genius who influenced eras, trends, and cultural change. People were amazed by his ability during his time and continue to flock from all over the world to see his work today. His art goes beyond symbolism and color, attracting viewers. I believe that his extensive knowledge in math and science also greatly contributes to this.
Da Vinci was not only a talented painter, but it was his incorporation of scientific knowledge that set his art apart from that of his contemporaries. His early fascination with understanding proportions allowed Leonardo and his art to develop rapidly in an innovative manner. Growing up away from his family for most of his life, he had to teach himself how to paint during childhood, without the guidance of a master or a father skilled in the same craft until later in life.
Leonardo’s persistent desire to learn more never waned, leading him to delve into the study of anatomy in the late 1480s. This obsession remained with him throughout his entire life, and I will discuss this aspect of his interest later. His keen focus on proportion is exemplified in his Vitruvian Man (c. 1487), which meticulously adheres to Vitruvius’ human sizing references. In fact, Leonardo’s visual interpretation of De Architectura, the renowned text, is not only the most accurate among artists of his time but also the most widely recognized.
Leonardo quotes Vitruvius and provides his own commentary in his notes, ensuring accuracy during his study of man. Throughout his lifetime, his investigation of human forms continued, and in later years, Leonardo was able to delve into the body on a more intimate level. With a perpetual curiosity for the functioning of the human body, Leonardo employed his knowledge to captivate his audience with his artwork. Among his numerous notebooks, many pages are devoted to the examination of the human figure.
When young, Leonardo utilized his understanding of people and observational skills to create art. However, as he aged, his curiosity shifted towards comprehending the human body as an organic machine, surpassing its role merely as a painting subject. As his projects multiplied, so did his thirst for knowledge. At a certain point, Leonardo cataloged 116 books pertaining to surgery, anatomy, and medical studies of humans. Uncontent with textual learning alone, he personally embarked on studying humans, using his own hands as instruments.
At this point, Leonardo began to participate in human dissections and observed the human body firsthand. He not only attempted to comprehend the functioning of organs and muscles, but also familiarized himself with the proper terminology for these internal structures and their purposes, as documented in his meticulous notes on the dissections he attended. While most artists of his time depicted what they believed to be true (often mistakenly adding non-existent elements), Leonardo was committed to accurately portraying the subjects he observed in his artwork.
Leonardo’s notes encompassed various body parts in different phases of deconstruction, including calves, feet, shoulders, back, face, and genitals. He also diligently studied the formation of fetuses and the mechanics of copulation. Leonardo’s insatiable curiosity knew no limits, enabling him to advance his artistry to extraordinary levels. However, the functioning of human eyes remained a perplexing enigma even for his brilliant intellect, yet he remained resolute in his determination to unravel its mysteries.
The Italians in the Renaissance era were renowned for their use of one point perspective. This artistic technique, which aimed to create consistency and realism in art, fascinated the public with its remarkable precision. However, Leonardo da Vinci expressed doubts about this approach. According to him, even if a painting is executed flawlessly in terms of outline, shadow, light, and color, it cannot achieve the same level of three-dimensionality as a natural model unless the viewer observes it from a great distance with one eye. Leonardo believed that monocular viewing deviated from the way humans naturally perceive objects.
The man tried to explain that depth is created when each eye sees the object from a different angle, but this cannot be reproduced by paint. Despite having only one canvas, the viewer sees the image through two eyes. The man was frustrated by his inability to overcome this limitation of paint. He acknowledged that a painting can never perfectly replicate what the eyes see, but he continued attempting to imitate it as closely as possible.
The device he invented was both brilliant and simple: blurring the background objects to draw attention to the object he wanted viewers to focus on. Prior to this, every minute detail was emphasized, but Leonardo recognized that focusing on each object individually created an artificial perception because his eyes could not simultaneously focus on the surrounding area while concentrating on a subject.
With a desire to comprehend proportion, Leonardo had a curiosity for geometry. By acquiring knowledge of the methods used in this mathematical field, Leonardo’s work greatly improved. Through collaboration with mathematician Fra Luca Pacioli on De divina proportione during his youth, it can be inferred that Leonardo had a personal interest in expanding his mathematical knowledge. As both a teacher and a friend to Leonardo, Pacioli played a role in enhancing the young artist’s grasp of geometry, explaining various shapes and volumetric forms.
Leonardo aimed to enhance comprehension of his ideas by incorporating visual aids into his book. Among the illustrations provided by Leonardo are depictions of Pacioli’s “The Regular Solids”. These meticulously crafted drawings enable readers to grasp Pacioli’s concepts with relative ease. Furthermore, Leonardo’s commitment to completing this extensive series of images sheds light on his artistic inclination. Unlike most of his unfinished projects, Leonardo demonstrated a strong determination to see this endeavor through.
Each of the shapes in De divina proportione by Leonardo da Vinci were meticulously considered and drew with equal attention, indicating his strong interest in the subject matter. Pacioli’s influence inspired Leonardo to merge his artistic talent with his newfound mathematical knowledge, resulting in a harmonious partnership. Throughout his lifetime, Leonardo relied on Pacioli’s “golden ratio” method to enhance the quality of his work.
What interested the artist was the method of blocked proportions: the largest section of the piece divided by the smaller section is the same size as the whole divided by the largest section, and so on until the measurements of the object are infinitely looping into smaller mathematically correct shapes. Leonardo was able to utilize the basis of nature’s math, known as the Fibonacci code, through art. The golden or “divine” ratio gets its name from its similarities to god. It is unique, trinity proportioned, indescribable rationally, and always similar to itself.
When the golden proportion is applied visually, it creates a pleasing and thoughtful composition that captures the viewer’s attention. Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous and critically acclaimed works, The Last Supper and the Mona Lisa, exemplify his mastery of this proportion. These pieces utilize the golden ratio to perfection, resulting in a composition that pleases viewers even if they are unaware of why it works. The Last Supper, painted on a wall at Santa Maria delle Grazie around 1498, employs the divine ratio throughout the entire composition. The arrangement of subjects and architecture surrounding Christ appears naturally correct and draws the viewer’s eye towards him through the Fibonacci sequence. On the other hand, the Mona Lisa, created around 1507, incorporates the golden ratio specifically within the facial measurements of the subject.
The mysterious and captivating smile and gaze of the Mona Lisa, like any other woman featured in a painting, raises the question of what sets her apart. Leonardo achieved her beauty by incorporating divine proportions into her face; the size of her face in relation to the position of her chin, nose, and eyes showcases mathematical perfection. Leonardo’s skill in understanding proportions earned him acclaim, but he knew that pleasing his audience required more than just this talent.
Leonardo demonstrated a scientific prowess that surpassed that of any artist. His ability to reach scientific conclusions surpassed the capabilities of all other artists, making him the embodiment of talent they all aspired to have. Notably, as Leonardo’s scientific studies deepened, his artistic endeavors flourished. The pinnacle of his studies coincided with the creation of his most famous works, which showcased the best amalgamation of science and art. It is Leonardo’s remarkable process of grappling with the unknown that distinguishes him as a superior artist of his era and for all time.
An artist is not only someone who can skillfully paint what they observe in a realistic manner. They are also individuals who are captivated and motivated by the world surrounding them. They strive to acquire knowledge and document what they have learned, with the intention of benefiting the world through their discoveries. Leonardo da Vinci, the most renowned Renaissance artist, not only created art but also incorporated scientific principles in his work.
Works Cited: Anna Suh, edit. , Leonardo’s Notebook (New York: The Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers,2005).
Finished work can only provide limited insight into an artist’s process, particularly when most publicized work is commissioned for specific purposes. Leonardo da Vinci, for instance, had a relatively small number of completed pieces available for study. However, he left behind a vast collection of sketches and written ideas that offer a glimpse into his thought process. By closely examining these sketches, one can uncover the mathematical brilliance that underlies the work of this master artist. (Carlo Pedretti, ed., Leonardo da Vinci, The European Genius, (Cartei & Bianchi Edizioni:2007).
This text offers me the opportunity to learn more about Leonardo’s background and what distinguishes him from other artists of his time. I hope to discover significant differences that highlight the uniqueness of his art and thinking. According to Eugene Muntz in “Leonardo Da Vinci: Artist, Thinker, and Man of Science” (Hoo: Grange, 2006), Leonardo Da Vinci is primarily known for his famous works like the Mona Lisa or The Last Supper.
According to this book, Leonardo da Vinci was not only an artist but also possessed many other talents. The book critically examines both the well-known and lesser-known aspects of Leonardo’s mind. In his article “Leonardo da Vinci: Art in Science” featured in Daedalus, James S. Ackerman explores how Leonardo’s combination of art and science sets him apart from his contemporaries. It is the scientific aspect within his art that distinguishes him from others. The deliberate planning and attention to layout displayed by Leonardo are unparalleled in my experience. Although composition can be achieved without the use of science and math, Leonardo was able to perfect it.
The article “Leonardo Da Vinci’s Struggles with Representations of Reality” by Nicholas Wade, Hiroshi Ono, and Linda Lillakas examines Leonardo’s documented struggles in understanding what he wanted to represent in his art. The authors emphasize that no artist can comprehend everything they wish to portray. They argue that Leonardo’s persistent studies reveal his desire to overcome confusion and provide insights into his personal struggles.
To gain a better understanding of the mathematical aspect of Leonardo’s studies, the website “Polyhedra & Plagiarism in the Renaissance,” last modified in 1998, proves helpful. Traditional sources briefly mention Leonardo’s use of the “golden ratio,” but this website clarifies its actual proportion while also providing information on Pacioli and his studies.
In Sven Dupre’s article “Optics, Pictures and Evidence: Leonardo’s Drawings of Mirrors and Machinery,” some lesser-known ideas regarding machinery and innovations are explored. These sources contribute to a comprehensive understanding of Leonardo’s struggles, interests, and contributions across various fields.
Although primarily recognized as a master painter, it is worth noting that Leonardo also possessed great skill as an industrial designer. However, he rarely made his blueprints available to the public.Despite selling some of his inventions for the benefit of others, a large part of Leonardo’s creations were motivated by his own curiosity. His personal studies aimed at uncovering answers to his questions are a clear reflection of his insatiable desire to understand how things worked.
