Leonardo Da Vinci- the famous painter and inventor of all time, died in 1519 in Amboise, France, at the age of 67. However, he left behind an incredible legacy that lives on today – a gift celebrated in museums worldwide and experienced by millions through films and books.
Despite his fame today, Da Vinci was relatively unappreciated in his own time and was not included in the list of top Italian artists in Vasari’s Lives of the Artists. Even during his lifetime, he was known more as an engineer and inventor than an artist. The works of Leonardo da Vinci were not recognized for their value until the 20th century.
As he is an important painter of all time, his famous paintings often overshadow his achievements. To honor his legacy, let’s look at some of his most significant accomplishments.
Leonardo da Vinci’s Early Years
During his early years, he had access to a wide range of subjects key to the Renaissance way of thinking. From math and geometry to anatomy and astronomy, his curiosity was boundless. In addition, he constantly drew and experimented with his art in many ways, proving that he had what it took to be a true artist.
With the skills he acquired during these early years, Da Vinci created masterpieces like Mona Lisa and The Last Supper that are studied to this day by students all over the world. So when you look at these famous works, you’re no doubt looking at some of the most important pieces of artwork ever created.
That’s not all! His father inspired him to appreciate science at an early age; by the time he was 15, he’d begun keeping notebooks where he recorded experiments in physics and biology. These observations would later lead to inventions such as his designs for high-flying gliders and automobiles.
Influences on His Life and Work
His influences on his life and work can be primarily credited to the cultural milieu of Florence at the time. He was apprenticed at the studio of artist Andrea del Verrocchio, whose other students included noted painters Botticelli and Domenico Ghirlandaio.
Additionally, his influences include:
- The teachings of Verrocchio.
- His exposure to a wide variety of contemporary art and science.
- His friendship with Medici family members.
However, perhaps the most considerable influence was the great city he called home: Florence. With its intense interest in art, culture, science, and politics at the time (the Renaissance), it shaped much of da Vinci’s future ideas and works that continue to inspire people today.
The Master Artist
From a very tender age, Leonardo da Vinci showed tremendous artistic talent. He developed his skills quickly and soon became a master painter—and created the Mona Lisa. This was to become his most iconic piece and is considered by many to be one of the greatest works ever created.
Another masterpiece, ‘The Last Super,’ is considered by many to be one of the greatest Leonardo da Vinci’s paintings of all time because of its vivid color palette, masterful use of light and shadow, and overall accurate depiction of human anatomy.
Da Vinci painted only about 30 canvases during his lifetime, meaning that some were left unfinished at his death in 1519. But his artistry has left its mark on history, one that is still being felt today.
The Inventor
In addition to his artistic prowess, da Vinci was also a prolific inventor. He sketched designs for inventions that wouldn’t be invented for hundreds of years—his flying machine and even an early helicopter version. He’s a brilliant man and made great contributions to physics, engineering, architecture, etc.
Many of his designs—from aerial screw-shaped machines to underwater breathing apparatuses—were never built during his lifetime. However, it’s remarkable that he had the foresight to draw them in detail and leave instructions on how they could be constructed, allowing future generations with the capability and interest to pick up where he left off.
His journals contain hundreds of drawings in which he solved mechanical problems with ease. For example, he sketched out the idea for the parachute some 400 years before it became a reality and designed an armored tank that would allow soldiers inside to rotate gun barrels by simply turning cranks on either side of the vehicle. His legacy is truly unrivaled.
The Scientist
Da Vinci was also a scientist who dabbled in anatomy, astronomy, engineering, and geology. One of the great thinkers in history, he is widely known for his inventions and innovative theories.
One such theory that we are still testing out today involves his Vitruvian Man, who was positioned with one foot directly in front of the other to form a 90-degree angle. This perfectly square pose is known as the Golden Ratio or Golden Proportion and has been applied to everything from architecture to art.
He wrote hundreds of pages on anatomy and civil engineering throughout his lifetime. For example, he used optics as a way to understand perspective; geology to study Earth’s rocks; hydraulics as a basis for understanding water flows; anatomy (of both humans and animals) as a way to better understand structure; botany as an approach towards understanding plant life, and the list goes on! In fact, experts believe that if he were alive today, he would be considered a top-notch scientist rather than an artist.
The Bottom Line
Leonardo Da Vinci’s legacy is as colorful and meaningful as the artist himself. From paintings and inventions to life philosophy, contributions are some of the most astounding in the history of humanity. After centuries of his demise, he continues to be heralded for not only introducing new ways of thinking but also for changing lives. When artists did not always have the best reputation, da Vinci’s genius was unquestioned by both contemporaries and later generations alike.
