Category: Leonardo da Vinci

The cause of novels popularity

Before we get to address the question of whether Dan Browns novel The Da Vinci Code would still be relevant by the year 2070, we will need to discuss what caused this novel to win instant favor with readers today. Even though some critics suggest that it was due to novels particularly high literary quality, we cannot subscribe to such a point of view.

After all, novels plot appears unnecessarily overcomplicated, the situations that characters find themselves dealing with  unrealistic, and the characters  utterly predictable. For example, the character of Leigh Teabing does not only appear but also talks as if he was the incarnation of Englishness. Nevertheless, as we are all aware of  after having been published, The Da Vinci Code became a bestseller within the matter of few days. How can it be explained?

The reason why Browns novel was able to attain such popularity is that the motifs, contained in it, correspond to the unconscious anxieties, on the part of those for whom it was written  the dwellers of Western post-industrial megalopolises. In its turn, these anxieties derive out of the process of urbanites growing increasingly non-religious.

Nowadays, the process of Western countries secularization became unstoppable. Even today, the number of native-born Westerners who consider themselves truly religious is best defined as utterly neglectable. The validity of this statement appears self-evident, once we assess the strength of peoples religiosity in countries that feature worlds highest standards of living  Denmark, Sweden and Norway.

According to most recent sociological surveys, only 1% of these countries native-born citizens affiliate themselves with any religion, whatsoever. The reason for this is simple  people who enjoy a nice life, do not need some tribal God, with a lot of rules and little mercy, representing an integral part of their worldviews.

One of the most important aspects of post-industrial living is the fact that such living becomes increasingly rationalistic. Nowadays, we are fully aware of the fact that, in order for an individual to attain prosperity, he or she would simply have to obtain good education and start working hard, as opposed to praying to Saint Mary, so that material riches would fall out of the sky, as many people in such culturally rich but intellectually backward Catholic countries, as Mexico, Peru and Philippines do.

It is namely Westerners tendency to rationalize lifes challenges, which explains why The Da Vinci Code connects with these peoples mode of existence  even before having been exposed to Browns novel, they felt that the story of Holy Ghost impregnating Saint Mary was nothing but the fairy tale of the worst kind.

People simply became tired of self-proclaimed servants of God popularizing two thousand years old nonsense about talking donkeys, sun standing still in the sky and universes creation in six days, as the word of God. This was the reason why reading of The Da Vinci Code came to them like the breath of a fresh air.

The significance of the novel and its future

In his novel, Brown was able to confirm something that rationalistically minded citizens have been suspecting since long time ago  Jesus was just as sexual and mortal as we all are.

As one of novels most prominent characters, Sir Teabing had put it: A child of Jesus would undermine the critical notion of Christs divinity and therefore the Christian Church, which declared itself the sole vessel through which humanity could access the divine and gain entrance to the kingdom of heaven (216). Todays Christianity is best described as dying religion, as opposed to the alive religion of Islam, for example.

What Brown achieved by publishing his novel, is depriving Christianity of the remains of its theological validity  hence, driving one of the last intellectual nails into this religions coffin. Therefore, we cannot agree with Catholic critics of The Da Vinci Code, who often refer to the plot of Browns novel as being based upon pseudo-historical speculations, and therefore  not worthy of readers attention.

Apparently, it never occurred to Christian critics that, while referring to novels affiliation with the literary genre of fiction as the foremost proof to the sheer fallaciousness of the claims, contained in it, they actually contribute to promoting Browns cause even further  whatever the improbable it might sound. The reason for this is simple  while being encouraged to analyze what accounts for fictious motifs in The Da Vinci Code, readers are being simultaneously provoked to analyze what represents fictious motifs in the Bible.

In his book, Dawkings (2006) had made a perfectly good point, while stating: The only difference between The Da Vinci Code and the gospels is that the gospels are ancient fiction while The Da Vinci Code is modern fiction (97). Despite the format of Browns novel, it does operate with a variety of historically proven facts, which Christians do not like discussing, simply because these facts leave very little doubt as to the Bible being anything but the actual word of God.

For example, in his dialogue with the characters of Langdon and Sophie, Sir Teabing provides readers with the insight onto the fact that, before being incorporated into Christianitys dogma, the divinity of Jesus was actually voted upon by attendees of Council of Nicaea (325 A.D.): At this gathering (Council of Nicaea)& many aspects of Christianity were debated and voted upon  the date of Easter, the role of the bishops, the administration of sacraments, and, of course, the divinity of Jesus (199). In other words, Browns novel is in fact utterly effective, for as long as dismantling Christian myth is being concerned.

Thus, the significance of The Da Vinci Code should be discussed within the context of an overall process of Christianitys desacralization. And, there are good reasons to believe that by the year 2070, this process will result in the status of Christianity being reduced from that of one of worlds most influential religions, to two thousand years old folklore of Jewish sheep herders. In very near future, science will become peoples religion, at least in Western countries.

When this happens, Browns novel will be deprived of its actuality. After all, if someone today wrote a novel, aimed to expose ancient Greek god Zeus as such that never existed, it would be very unlikely for this novel to become a bestseller  people already know that. In a similar manner, since by the year 2070 just about everybody is going to be fully aware of the imaginary essence of Christian fables, this will result in Browns novel being deprived of its controversial appeal.

Therefore, it would only be logical to hypothesize that by the year 2070, The Da Vinci Code will no longer be considered relevant, simply because by that time, the foremost idea contained in it (namely, Jesus being mortal and sexual man), would be recognized as self-evident.

References

Brown, Dan. The Da Vinci Code. Sydney: Anchor Books, 2009. Print.

Dawkings, Richard. The God Delusion. Toronto: Bantam Press, 2006. Print.

Introduction

This paper is a personal reflection on the evidence Dan Brown uses in his book, and how he uses the same to support his case. For better understanding of the evidence, the paper contrasts the evidence brown uses to similar materials in the Gospel narratives of John, Mark and Luke. Brown gives special attention to the Gospel of Philip. However, he treats the gospel in a wide conspiracy theory that generally affects ones appreciation of the Gospel.

In this paper, I look into the dangers of Browns undiscriminating use of the Gnostic Gospel of Phillip. There are many positive things one can learn from the gospel of Philip leading to better understanding of Jesus relationship with women in his inner circle, however, I feel that misrepresentation of the same, as evidenced in Browns work, might lead to misunderstanding the gospels altogether.

Thesis Statement

After considering the evidence that Brown uses in the Da Vinci Code, especially the gospel of Philip, I am of the opinion that although Gnostic gospels rejected by the early church portray Jesus as more emotionally attached to women in his life, these gospels may contribute negatively to the understanding of Jesus broader relationship to women.

Browns Evidence

It is very interesting that Dan Brown uses Leonardo Da Vincis painting depicting The Last Supper as conclusive evidence that Mary Magdalene was the most beloved disciple of Jesus. In the book, through dialogue between Leigh and Sophie, we learn that the figure at the right hand of Jesus, in Da Vincis painting, is the figure of Mary Magdalene. Additionally, through Leigh, we learn that at the time of Jesus crucifixion, Mary Magdalene was pregnant with Jesus child.

According to Brown, the absence of a chalice in Leonardos painting is a pointer and proof of link between Mary Magdalene and the Holy Grail. Dan Brown builds on this evidence to illustrate that Mary Magdalene was actually pregnant with Jesus child. In the book Leigh leads Sophie to accept that Mary Magdalene was the Holy Grail due to V shape formed as per the sitting arrangement. The V shape is a symbol from Judaism that refers to feminism in a sacred sense.

Although the theory is consistent, the evidence that Brown uses is not conclusive. For me, brown is using suppositions and circumstantial evidence. For example Brown argues that the apostle John, the beloved one as per bible gospels, is not represented in the Da Vinci Picture. To what extent this was historically true; brown has no other evidence apart from the painting, which he is only but interpreting.

The other evidence brown posits is the color schemes used to portray Jesus and Mary Magdalene in the Da Vincis painting. In the painting, Jesus is presented wearing a red blouse and royal blue cap, while John (as per bible gospels) or Mary Magdalene (as per Brown) has a royal blue blouse with a red cap on.

The interchange between the colors of the cap and blouse that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were wearing symbolizes their being one as a result of being joined in marriage. This is an interesting assertion but it left me wondering if that was the original intention of the painter. It appears like brown is making up his own story and interpreting the color schemes in the painting to fit his schema.

Contrast between Browns Evidence and Bible Gospel Narratives

For a person who understands the bible gospels, I could not help but notice the contradictions between Browns account and gospel accounts. All evidence presented by Dan Brown contradicts similar narratives in the gospel of Luke, John, Mathew and Mark. According to the Gospel, the Last Supper was the last meal Jesus shared with His disciples.

There is no mention of a woman among them; the exact opposite of what Leonardos painting, as interpreted by Brown, depicts. All the four gospels do not mention the presence of Mary Magdalene at the last supper.

They all indicate that the beloved disciple, John, is the one who was seated at the right hand side of Jesus. The fact that the four gospels depict john as having been the beloved disciple, for me, discredit Browns claims to a large extent. Further, the gospel of Philip does not help Browns case, either, because it does not mention Mary Magdalene as having been a beloved disciple.

Brown alleges that Mary Magdalene was married to Jesus. Bible gospels only report that Mary Magdalene was healed of demons by Jesus. The full narrative of how Jesus met Mary Magdalene and healed her of demons is in the gospel of Luke, chapter eight. The gospels indicate that she was also present at Jesus crucifixion and at the tomb early in the morning.

On the morning when Jesus rose from the dead He sent her to go and announce the good news to the apostles. According to the bible account, therefore, Mary Magdalene was a devoted follower of Jesus Christ and not His wife. Apart from his interpretation of the painting and writings in the gospel of Philip, brown does not provide any other convincing evidence to cement his claims.

The Gospel of Philip

Brown uses the painting and the gospel of Philip to portray Jesus as purely human in contrast to what the bible gospels tend to portray. The gospel according to Philip comprises of collection of sayings of Jesus. This gospel is also said to have explored deeply the sacrament of marriage.

The Da Vinci Code presents the Gospel of Philip as the main evidence that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene. According to me, by treating the content of the Gospel of Philip within the context of a broad conspiracy theory, brown does not do justice to the gospel. It is clear that he tries to interpret the gospel to fit his conspiracy.

Generally, the gospel of Philip is full of parables which are not easy to interpret. There are many metaphorical statements that can easily be construed to mean anything (Smith, 2005, p. 9). Its very hard to interpret and understand the texts. However, there are passages in the gospel that directly refer to Jesus and Mary Magdalenes close relationship.

The only reason why Brown uses the Gospel of Philip to claim that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married is the claim in the gospel that Mary was a companion of Jesus. The gospel does not have in-depth narration that can be used as evidence to this claim (Smith, 2005, p. xiv).

Conclusion

Considering the evidence presented by brown, I am convinced that use of the Gnostic Gospel of Philip and other Gnostic gospels rejected by the early church may contribute both positively and negatively to our understanding of Jesus broader relationship with women. Several purported Gnostic Gospels, which were rejected by the church, e.g. the Gospel of Mary Magdalene portray Mary Magdalene as the special disciple of Jesus.

In the Gospel of Thomas, Jesus is reported to have said to Mary Magdalene that He will make her male like his male disciples. This can be interpreted in many ways but I think it basically meant that Mary Magdalene and, by extension, all women are equal to men. This is refreshing and it supports St. Pauls teaching that before God we are all equal, whether male or female.

Although these gospels, rejected by the early church, portray Jesus as more emotionally attached to women in his life, which is good, on the other hand these gospels may contribute negatively to our understanding of Jesus broader relationship to women. When interpreted or used mischievously in conspiracy theories, they are construed to mean very different things.

For example, Browns interpretation or portrayal of the personal relationship between Mary Magdalene and Jesus may raises eyebrows. According to me, the focus of the gospels cant have been on sexual intimacy but spiritual intimacy.

Therefore, I personally feel that to the extent these gospels affirm gender equality i.e. that all human beings are loving children of one Father or Mother in Heaven, they are welcome. However, to the extent that the writings are somehow confusing and can thus be construed wrongly as prove in conspiracy theories, I think the church leaders were right in rejecting them.

References

Smith, P., A., 2005, the Gospel of Philip Annotated & Explained, Skylight Paths Publishing, Woodstock

Leonardo Da Vinci

Leonardo was a famous European artist due to the popularity of his artworks. However, Monalisa remains the most popular work among his paintings. In this image, the woman is portrayed as a pyramid.

Her head forms the sharp tip of the pyramid while her closed arms represent the base. The folded arms imply that she is a composed woman. The smile on the womans face is used to portray her beauty and openness (Byrne 1).

The first character that captures the attention of the viewer is the ladys smile which is sandwiched by her dark clothing and long hair. Leonardo used the technique of sfumato (shadow and light) to add glossy texture on her hair.

The same technique was applied to hutch the smile on the ladys face by focusing on the edges of her mouth and eyes.

Monalissa by Leonardo da Vinci

The landscape in the background seems to be in a consistent state. There are many characters in the background such as a river, valleys and vegetation.

The light is flowing from a raised source because it only highlights on the area above the ladys arms. The same light is used to tell us more about the environment The extreme end of the image which represent the distance between the lady and the landscape is lighter (Meshberger and Rich 1).

The colors used in the image are of low intensity and they are partially integrated in the background. Shadows and light have been combined to create texture on the clothing of the lady.

The image is balanced because of the space occupied by the lady. Additionally, the image can be seen from two perspectives: the top and front views. The position between her head and the arms represent her height while her forehead unveils her thickness.

Michelangelo Buonarroti

The creation of Adam is among the popular paintings by Michelangelo. In this painting, there is a nude man who is laying on a rock. On the other side, there is another living being that is similar to man on the ground.

This other being is clothed, looks stronger and mightier, and is surrounded by young people (Kemp A 9). The nude man looks lonely and judging by the look on his face, he is asking for some help from the other being. The image presents a symbolism of religion and its importance.

Lines have been used to put emphasis on the masculinity of the male character. Adequate light has been distributed in the entire work to show the sort of resemblance that exists between the different characters (Kemp M 1).

The two entities are in different worlds and thus, can only communicate through their hands. The divine being and the aides are housed by a structure that resembles the human heart which means that the reality between the two is not something that can be seen or touched.

The creation of Adam by Michelangelo Buonarroti

The texture of the image is smooth because there are no hard surfaces or materials. The colors used are of low value and they play the role of adding a lively tone to the painting.

The blue color has been used to create distance between the nude man and the landscape. The green vegetation is created by making incomplete brush strokes but all the same, it creates the desired impression.

There is more space that is yet to be utilized and from the appearance, the nude man was the first image to be drafted. Similarly, the divine being might have been brought into the picture for filling the vacuum.

Works Cited

Byrne David. A History of Michelangelos Creation of Adam in the Sistine Chapel. 23 Aug 2006. Web.

Meshberger Lynn and Tony Rich. Explaining the Hidden Meaning of Michelangelos Creation of Adam. n.d. Web.

Kemp, Amelia. Smile, Please. The Guardian. 19 Oct. 2004. Web.

Kemp, Martin. Leonardo da Vinci: The Marvelous Works of Nature and Man. New York: Oxford University Press, Print. 2006.

Leonardo Da Vinci is a renaissance era painter. He learnt the art of painting from Verrocchio of Florentine. The portrait of Leonardo Da Vinci depicts the head of a very old man painted with a red color.

The old man has long hair while his big beard extends from his wide shoulders up to his chest. His eyes are oblique behind the eye brows staring at the person looking at it. The folds of his long face show that the person lacks teeth.

Documentation of the renaissance era does not show any other artists who had such long hair or beard. Hence, the persons long hair gives the portrait a very unique feature.

It is simple for a viewer to notice that the portrait looks far ahead and not at the person looking at it. Art should be a media of communication in informing an audience the ideas that the artist thought of when creating such a master piece.

Artists make use of paintings as a medium through which they communicate their ideas to the rest of us. They make use of color to inform the community.

In this regard, painting is a medium of communication between a painter and the society. Hence, it is very easy for a person looking at the Da Vinci portrait to understand its inert meaning.

The painting has raised too much controversy. Some people are of the view that the person in the portrait is too old to be Da Vinci. He died aged 67 but the picture shows a much older person who fails to match him. In fact, other people have suggested that it is Da Vincis dad.

There is great disparity between the age that Da Vinci died of and the age of the person on the portrait. This has offered critics a platform with which to suggest that Da Vinci could have painted this portrait after he had quit his career.

Essentially, the portrait is of a stressed man who for his age should not have such an old face. This is indicative of the fact that life must have been difficult for him then. (Livingstone 1264). He appears to be thinking of days to come. This could signify a foresight of art in coming generations.

The art of painting has to be passed from one generation to the other. Hence, for the picture to gaze ahead in such fashion, one can conclude that the painter had a desire to pass the power of art to the on coming generations.

Leonardo was a highly respected artist of the renaissance period. To ensure that he did not die with the richness of art, he indeed left the world immense history which still lives.

From the tributes of portraits like Mona Lisas and his own portrait, painters of the modern world are informed of the path that art has gone through from the renaissance period. Da Vinci envisioned that painting would further develop in the generations to come.

This gave him the tenacity to survive through difficult circumstances. Such zeal pushes modern day artists to develop their painting skills so that when they are faced with the chance to pass over to the next generation, they do it as gracefully as Da Vinci.

Painting is indeed a piece of art that shows life of a certain generation. In this case, Da Vincis portrait tells us about how creative and imaginative artists were in the renaissance period.

The use of such nice color in the picture shows how artists did their paintings many years ago. They developed paintings which lived on after their demise. This was a good legacy for an artist and the principles he believed in.

Da Vinci is still regarded as the one who painted the best portraits ever in history. Nevertheless, experts have not been able to identify how he looked like when he was young since he certainly left no portraits of his youthful years.

The only portrait that is the case for this essay is the one depicting his elderly years. A point to note is that the person in the portrait has a Greek nose. He also has long hair and an extensive beard.

These elements have made artists argue whether the picture is Da Vinci. Da Vinci was an Italian. Why then did he paint a portrait of himself having a Greek nose? Such kinds of faces were only related to apostles.

This gives a differing viewpoint concerning the veracity of the portrait. There are some artists who claim that the self portrait could have been Da Vincis effort in painting Thomas the apostle but not himself.

Thomas had a doubting mind according to the bible. Da Vinci is also said to have been a person who loved asking so many questions and would not easily conform to what he was told by others.

It is for this reason that he could have been related to the biblical doubting Thomas.

Works Cited

Livingstone, Margaret. Was Rembrandt stereoblind? New England Journal of Medicine. (2004) 351:1264-1265

Mona Lisa is a famous masterpiece painted by Leonardo da Vinci in the sixteenth century (see Figure 1). Even though there is no conclusive evidence, it is generally accepted that da Vinci began working on the painting in 1503 and finished it in 1516 (Mehra & Campbell, 2018). The painting belongs to renaissance art, which emerged in the 1400s and signified a gradual change in values from medieval art (Oxford Art Online, n.d.).

The period is associated with a rise of interest in humanistic learning, individualism, and nature (Oxford Art Online, n.d.). Moreover, Ball (2017) suggests that Renaissance artists aimed at making metaphysical statements. While Mona Lisa is a portrait, which does not seem to have any metaphysics connected with it due to its realism, it is not the case (Mehra & Campbell, 2018). Da Vinci is unique in the movement since he aimed at fusing art and science to address metaphysical matters (Ball, 2017). Ball (2017) explains that Mona Lisa is a fusion of microcosm to macrocosm. In other words, there is an analogy between the earth and the body, which da Vincis innovation (Ball, 2017). Therefore, Mona Lisa is not a traditional Renaissance painting, but it still has distinctive features of the period.

In the creation of his masterpiece, da Vinci was influenced by different historical events and trends in art, which can be seen in the painting. On the one hand, Europe became open to knowledge from the east, which led to the increased spreading of mathematics. According to Ball (2017), Leonardo da Vinci studied geometric optics, which made allowed him to depict Lisa Gherardini with great realism. Da Vincis background as a scientist made him implement his knowledge of art to approach the classical themes from another angle.

On the other hand, the artists still preferred for his content to be metaphysical, which is an obvious influence of the Renaissance. According to Ball (2017), the cascading fabric of [Mona Lisas] dress reflects Leonardos idea of universal flow forms (para. 6). At the same time, the interest in nature and humanistic learning are also present since there is a parallel between her hair and the flow of water (Ball, 2017). In other words, while the painting is unique and da Vincis style is exceptional, his works are influenced by historical events, science, and themes common to the period.

The research about Mona Lisa increased my appreciation in two ways. First, it allowed understanding the background and the hidden meaning of the painting. Second, the research uncovered the unique characteristics of da Vincis style, which were innovative for the period in the history of art. Knowing that Mona Lisa belongs to Renaissance, which tended to touch upon metaphysics, helps to understand that the painting is more than just a portrait. The context helps to realize that the painting is a reflection of the world at large.

References

Ball, P. (2017). Art: Under Mona Lisas smile. Nature, 546(7656), 32.

Mehra, M. R., & Campbell, H. R. (2018). The Mona Lisa decrypted: Allure of an imperfect reality. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 93(9), 1325-1327).

Oxford Art Online. (n.d.). Renaissance art and architecture. Web.

Initial Reaction to the Work

The work, which is within the analytical scope of this paper, is the Comparison of the Arts, which is the chapter from Leonardo Da Vincis notebooks, translated to English by MacCurdy (1955). Before dwelling upon the profound analysis of the work, it is essential to provide an initial reaction to the written passage. It is possible to state the chapter is quite short; however, its contents are of high significance. The initial purpose of the work is stated in its title, as the artist compares various forms of art (primarily, painting, poetry, and sculpture), claiming that painting is superior to other art forms. Da Vinci writes in a vivid and expressive language, which reveals that he was also talented as a writer. Thus, his arguments against poetry could be considered credible. It could be stated that I was moved by the authors reasoning as he provides several examples of the paintings superiority to other arts. Particularly, the artist observes that the painting possesses its own lights, shades, and perspective, while the sculpture is dependent on external lights and shades.

Analysis of the Work

Description of the Historical Context

As the initial thoughts on the work were discussed, it is possible to dwell upon the analysis of the chapter under discussion. First of all, the historical context, in which the work had been created, should be observed. One can hardly doubt that Da Vinci is one of the most famous and talented artists in the world history. However, the historical context in which he created his works is sometimes not paid enough attention when his art is discussed.

Da Vinci was born in 1452 in Vinci, a small Tuscan town, in the family of a wealthy Florentine notary, but his mother was a peasant, and thus his birth was illegitimate (West, 2017). His artistic abilities were revealed at a considerably early age, and in 1482 Da Vinci moved to Milan, where he started working in various spheres of arts and sciences. The most evident aspect of the historical context that should be taken into account is that the era of Renaissance was in its bloom in the lifetime of the artist, and he eventually became the symbol of this epoch. Renaissance is characterized by the rapid growth of various sciences and arts. This process was inspired by the revival of the Ancient Greek traditions as numerous works from that period became available for artists and scientists that lived in XV-XVI centuries.

Discussion of the Insights Gained from the Authors Biography

The insights from the authors biography are determined by the historical context of his or her lifetime to a considerable extent. In the case of Leonardo Da Vinci, this assumption is remarkably true, as he was the ideal man of the Renaissance. West (2017) states that Da Vinci is known for his work in various spheres of science and art: painting sculpture, medicine, anatomy, engineering, mechanics, and numerous others.

Based on this information, it is appropriate to assume that the artist was experienced significantly and profoundly in the majority of existing crafts. For example, referencing Fritz et al. (2016), the artist is often credited with developing the medium of red chalk as well as the use of tinted paper for his drawings as they afforded a greater range of tonal contrasts (p. 4). Therefore, it could be concluded that his assumptions, provided in the Comparison of the Arts, are based on his experiences, not solely on theoretical reasonings. This insight, gained from the biography of Da Vinci, puts the work under consideration into a more comprehensive context.

How the Work Explores a Particular Theme from its Period

Further, it is essential to discuss how the work under consideration explores a particular theme of its period. The historical context also plays an immensely important role in the understanding of this aspect of the work. Fritz et al. (2016) mention the era of the Renaissance is marked by the evolution of the understanding of the nature of art and science. Despite the fact that the Renaissance has its roots in the Ancient Greek revival, it was able to develop its own philosophy on the basis of the Ancient Greek works.

This particular theme is explored by Da Vinci in the Comparison of the Arts as well as in his notebooks in general. The form of the critical comparison itself is borrowed from the Ancient Greek tradition of philosophical dialogues. Accordingly, as it was in Ancient Greece, the discussions about the nature of the art were highly important for artists, philosophers, and scientists. It could be stated with certainty that Leonardo Da Vinci was the combination of the artist, philosopher, and scientist, and thus it was immensely important for him to argue about the core aspects of the art. Therefore, the Comparison of the Arts evidently represents an exploration of the topic, which was very important for the era of the Renaissance.

The Relevance of This Work for Todays Audiences

Despite the fact that it has been more than five centuries since the lifetime of Da Vinci, it is possible to state that his works are significantly relevant to this day. The most evident examples are his immensely famous paintings, such as Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. These paintings are within the cultural baggage of the majority of the Western society. Therefore, it could be assumed that his critical work about the nature of the art (such as the Comparison of the Arts) is also relevant to a considerable extent since they represent the unique approach to art that made Da Vinci a great artist.

Discussion of the Gained Knowledge

The conducted analysis of the historical context and other factors surrounding the work under consideration has expanded my understanding of the work significantly. Initially, I perceived the Comparison of the Arts positively due to the fact that the majority of the authors arguments were in accordance with my understanding of the arts. Moreover, some of them were new and refreshing insights for me, and they allowed me to understand the excellence of painting from a more profound perspective. However, after the analysis was conducted, I was able to appreciate the context in which the work has been created. The place of Leonardo Da Vinci in the history of art and science makes his assumptions about the nature of art to be more significant. While the overall perception of the Comparison of the Arts did not change drastically as I still perceive it as an excellent piece of critical work, I am able to appreciate the importance of the Da Vincis contribution to the development of fine arts in general.

References

Fritz, C. M., Humphrey, P., Mendoza-Ferguson, S., Pattiz, S., Race, R., Richards, I.,& Gallery, T. (2016). From artist to audience: Italian drawings and prints from the 15th through 18th centuries. Web.

MacCurdy, E. (1955). The notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci. New York, NY: George Braziller.

West, J. B. (2017). Leonardo da Vinci: Engineer, bioengineer, anatomist, and artist. American Journal of Physiology-Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology, 312(3), L392-L397.

Introduction

In the modern-day world of prevailing dynamism, that is moving from progress to greater progress, or better said beauty to higher beauty in an endless motion, underneath all ostensible pandemonium and bewilderment. The trend, which dominates the globe, is its demonstration of orderliness and maintenance, which display their external mark and at the same time symbolize the inflexible geometry of the cities of the world. In its smoke trails, in its analogous car tracks, and its streets, its factories, and the bridges and its gas tanks, by making use of the underscoring mechanical configuration, the artist could generate a new appearance of optimism through the simple shapes in art forms. This has happened down the ages of history in every century and artists in each century have depicted the society in their artwork through conscious formulations. In this paper, three painters and three paintings from three different centuries would be taken into consideration.

Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci

The first painting Mona Lisa is a 16th Century portrait by Leonardo da Vinci. Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci born on April 15, 1452, was a Tuscan polymath; a scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, painter, sculptor, architect, botanist, musician and writer. He is often tipped as the Renaissance man and a genius. This painting is also known as La Gioconda, the laughing one. (Foster, 37) In this painting, Leonardo da Vinci has painted the portrait of the wife of a wealthy Florentine merchant. This painting is famous for the elusive smile on the womans face. It has a mysterious quality particularly about the smile; Leonardo has subtly shadowed the corners of eyes and mouth. So, the exact nature of a smile remains mysterious, as if as a silent gesture of welcome. It is also known for its shadowy quality, the sensuous curve of womans cloth and hair; it came to be known as sfumato or Leonardos smoke, with imaginable rivers and mountains behind her. Another thing that is found is an unadorned dress. Leonardo used a pyramid design to leave the lady simple and calm. Her hands are folded, and her breast, neck and face glow in the same light. The face is brightly lit face which attracts the observer more. It is also noticeable that is no facial hair. X-ray examinations show that there are at least three versions of Mona Lisa under the present one. (Lamb, 136)

This painting tells many things about the social and cultural beliefs of the French people of the 16th century. Like there was no facial hair on the face of the Mona Lisa, researchers claim that for a woman of those times it was common to pluck facials here as they were deemed unsuitable. Also unadorned dress worn by the woman in paintings is the dress worn by women of that era. It was a dress of modest length with less objectionable style. This was arguable among the first paintings to depict the imaginary landscape in the background of the subject woman. Perhaps it is a beginning of a new era.

The Third Of May 1808 by Francisco Goya

The second painting is by Francisco Goya, (The Third Of May 1808) painted in 1814. The provincial government of Spain commissioned this painting and the focal point was to represent the dead as martyrs. It should be stated that the artist was extremely successful in revealing the agony of the assassinated people and the cold rigidity of the assassins. The soldiers are placed on the right-hand part of the painting and are represented in dark and grey shades. On the other hand, the people being assassinated are painted in comparatively vibrant colors with the central figure, trying to escape death, in white. There is a touch of red, representing blood, on the ground on the central left part and the viewers concentration is immediately guided towards this part.

From the artists point of view, it can be stated that there was a dilemma of creating dramatic patriotism and maintaining the realist philosophy at the same time. Being a master of his work Goya maintained both the elements with great balance. The upheld arms of the central figure in white indicate the fear and pain of the character and induce minimum dramatic essence in the painting however, on closer look, the agony in the eyes reflects the true representation of real life. Thus, this painting evokes the pain of the death of martyrs in accordance with the point of view of the artist but still sticks to the fundamental of the realist beliefs of the artist. (Sayre, 355)

The basic style of the painting incorporates dramatization of death and assassination as the fundamental need of the painting demanded such elements. This is because the subject of the painting was formulated to evoke patriotic feelings and it had to be mixed with the fundamentals of the realist beliefs. The juxtaposition of these two modes of approach makes the painting an absolute piece of great artistry. The use of realism in a dramatic mode sustaining the elements of day-to-day subjects like a rifle, military boots, and costume make the painting one of the highest order of imagination and one of the greatest manifestations of the idealism of realism and the political condition of the society. (Foster, 87)

LSD by Damien Hirst

The third artist is Damien Hirst. LSD by the artist represents a wide view of the influence of modern culture. The artwork of Damien Hirst is deeply influenced by the modern world of complexities of culture that includes various parameters like social, political, technological, economic and religious aspects. He came into prominence during the early part of the 1990s among the British artists and dominated the art scenario of the UK. Soon he was recognized as a prominent international artist at the beginning of the 2000s. He is almost overwhelmed by the concept of death. It can be stated that his artistic philosophy has been shaped and influenced by two different and opposing essences. One is beauty and the other is death. It is an interesting factor that these two elements are closely associated among the cultural aspects of the modern world and the artist has been highly influenced by these elements. (Kar, 88)

These two elements gave rise to the elements of space and complexities of Hirsts artwork. The main aspect of this picture, from a viewers perspective, is to look for the philosophic approach that the painter has taken to enumerate the stability and inconsistency of life. This work of art is exquisite because it places the viewers perspective that can be termed as bilateral. It is down-to-earth and materialistic in one way and at the same time, it renders the spiritual aspects of existence. Not many art forms are capable of evoking such aura and thus it could be termed as work right out of the grade one hall of fame. Overall, to summarize, it can be specified that LSD presents the most powerful analysis of space and the complexity related to existence and the eternality prevailing with all the differences and barriers imposed. Thus, more widely the term space can be used to depict a specific type of creative fabrication as engendering by human beings, and the term more often than not implies some extent of aesthetic value, which depicts the sensory or sensory-emotional values of the artist, and sometimes even portrays sentiments and tastes of that person. Thus, space in LSD can be well defined as a component of literature. Literature, no doubt, records in it the life and society from which it emerges, in doing so it can never distort the truth or magnify it. Thus, like literature art is also a mirror of society.

Hirst started his life in a period of history that was a time when the world was going through a difficult phase after the horrors of the war juxtaposed with the influence of the beat generation. It could be mentioned in the initial stages that it was degeneration time. Imperialism had taken its tolls on the world, which was grilling on the last fires of the great wars. The losses were too heavy, and the shocks, almost unbearable. People just lived through a test of the extent-organized cruelty and purposeful ruthlessness could reach. As far as the future was concerned, the initial tremors of what would lead to a massive cross across the globe were being felt. In this context, it would be relevant to mention that the generation was not finding their existence worthwhile, or in other words, they wanted more out of their life for they hardly knew what to believe. They were not able to keep complete faith in religion and neither could they abandon it completely. The artistic influence of this time was confusing. They showed that the truth was no longer a romantic affair but it was more of a compulsion for which even lies would work well if that helps in survival. (Lamb, 227-9)

It was also a regeneration time. Ideological conflicts and military interests were shaking civilization right up to its foundations. The doubts, dilemmas, and confusions were gradually, quite slowly indeed, giving way to a new and unique cultural revolution. It was happening all across the Western world. People suddenly seemed to realize that there was enough political warfare to disgrace humanity. The prevailing standards suddenly seemed to be meaningless, and the insurgent youths wanted something different to happen. From these parameters, the formulation of complexities is well defined in Hirsts work LSD. Simultaneously, the aspects of death also influenced him along with the opening up of the world economy and the concept of the global village. Under this parameter, he understood the influence of an emerging monoculture and homogeneous nature of art philosophy that became more open and adjusting as ever. (Thompson, 113)

Conclusion

In conclusion, it should be stated that all three of the artists painted in the form of social message and they believed that art should focus on social events and the manifestation of society should reflect on the canvas and the entire subject matter should be about different aspects of daily life with extreme success. They also believed that historical events, such as Spanish resistance, are as relevant as the daily life of a simple farmer or the high life of a wealthy duchess or the modern complexities, should be narrated most believably that they reflect the social strata and conveys social documentation. They said that there was nothing greater or more than in a picture but what was seen. All paintings represent accurate observation and represent the subject in the most social nature possible. It can be stated that to ascertain a piece of canvas to be judged as a work of art it is necessary to evoke a certain feeling within the viewers. There is no grammar involved in this part; no mathematics is needed; only the artistic sense is operational in this context from the part of the viewer. The interpretation may vary but the theme that evoked the interpretation of the viewer is all that is important to certify a painting as Art. In this context, too, these paintings come out with excellence.

Works Cited

Foster, Patience. Painting. Pennsylvania: Usborne, 1981.

Kar, Pulak. History of Realism. Kolkata: Dasgupta & Chatterjee, 2005.

Lamb, Davis. Cult to Culture: The Development of Civilization. Wellington: National Book Trust. 2004.

Sayre, Henry, M. A World Of Art; Upper Saddle River NJ: Prentice Hall, 2006.

Thompson, Don. The $12 Million Stuffed Shark: The Curious Economics of Contemporary Art. Ottawa: Doubleday Canada, Limited, 2009.

Leonardo da Vinci was one of the most genius people to walk this earth. Most people believe that he only worked in the art category but that’s simply not true. His creations and discoveries changed not only the art world, but the engineering world too. Leonardo da Vinci was born April 15, 1452. He sadly passed away May 2, 1519. He is most known for his skills as a painter, sculptor , engineer , architect and craftsman. Some of his most famous paintings of Renaissance humanists, the last supper and Mona Lisa.

His journal showed his scientific inquiry and how he was simply ahead of his time. Leonardo DiCaprio‘s father so Piro was a well-known man in his hometown, Anchiano, near Vinci in Italy. His father was well known around the town as a landlord. He was considered a wealthy man. His mother, Katerina, was a peasant woman who later married an artisan.

Due to Leonardo da Vinci‘s father’s popularity and money he received quite a bit of extra school and treatment. Leonardo da Vinci did not practice higher mathematics skills until he was about 30 years old then he vigorously studied it. When Leonardo da Vinci was about 15 years old he had landed himself as a job to work in the studio with a very well-known artist named Andrea Del Verrocchio. He worked as an apprentice for many years next to the artist and his friends.

While working in the studio he received excessive training on painting and sculpting as well as technical mechanical arts. He also worked with an artist next-door at his studio named Antonio Pollaiuolo. In 1472 after years of work Leonardo da Vinci was accepted into the painters club of Florence while doing that he remained working in Verrocchio’s workshop. While at the painters club he was working with many great artists that were very skilled with technical sketchers and pen drawings. This could be why Leonardo da Vinci was so extraordinary at the way he moved the pen on the paper.

In 1482 Leonardo moved to Malon to excel his career in painting. Which was very surprising because at that time he had just landed his first commissions from the city of Florence. The commission was the unfinished panel painting Adoration of Magie and an altar painting for the Saint Bernard chapel. He gave up on both of the projects which made people believe he had deeper reasons for leaving Florence. Leonardo da Vinci had an experience oriented mind.

The academic atmosphere of Milan attracted him and that could be the main reason why he left in the first place. Leonardo spent 17 years of his life in Milan; he stayed there working on projects until 1499. He was named the painter and engineer of Duke. with this new job title he was kept extremely busy doing jobs as a painter sculptor and designer of court festivals. This left him feeling highly esteemed. He was also highly asked his opinion on different Fields of architecture formations and military matters. Leonardo da Vinci’s mind worked in a way where he was highly motivated and he said down the schools for himself.

His ego would be hurt if he hadn’t met up to his brain’s expectations. As far as painting goes Leonardo da Vinci finished six artworks out of the 17 years he spent in Milan. he spent three years working on the altar painting virgin of the rocks. he then worked on a wall painting called the last supper which now is one of his most famous artworks he had ever made. This took him three years as well.

Leonardo da Vinci worked on a sculptural project that now seems to be the real reason why he was invited to Milan. It was a monumental statue in bronze made in honor of Francesco Scorza. Francesco Sorsa is the founder of a dynasty. This sculpture took Leonardo da Vinci 12 whole years to make. “ simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”- Leonardo da Vinci.

Then, Leonardo da Vinci created his own version of Virgin of the Rocks. Version of the rocks was a 6 foot tall piece that is also called Madonna of the rocks. as the years went by in Milan Leonardo eventually left Milan in the 1500s to return home. When he returned home his reputation preceded him as he was known as a legend back in Anchiano. he had a great time having fun and laughing with his old friends which he missed very much. During the final time of his life Leonardo da Vinci created an even greater number of paintings then he did in Milan. he created a called virgin and child with Saint Annie which is another one of his most famous paintings yet which was not to be completed for another 10 years.

Then Leonardo da Vinci started creating he’s by far most well-known work called Mona Lisa. After creating this painting he had received a commission from Francesco del Giocondo to paint his wife. It is still unknown when Mona Lisa was finished but many people think that da Vinci began the piece in 1503.

Leonardo da Vinci also said yes to a commission for murals in the hall of 500 at Palazzo Vecchio. He was instructed to paint a battle scene at Anghiari. This painting consisted of a tangle of horses and warriors running at each other but it was supposed to be left unfinished as it was. Leonardo da Vinci then created his second version painting a virgin of the rocks it was supposed to be installed at the chapel of Malon church. It is said that there wasn’t much that changed between the two different versions of Virgin of the rock but there was a difference in color choices, lighting and details.

Leonardo da Vinci then returned to Milan and 1506 to make a commission for a statue. He took a seven year residency in the city and the artist made a body of drawings on different topics that went from human anatomy plus sketches inventions weapon Mary and studies of birds. These different types of drawings gave us an insight into Leonardo’s mind in how things are put together and how they work. When Leonardo da Vinci left the lawn in 1513 he spent a lot of time in Rome. well in Rome Leonardo finally finished his last painting called St. John’s the Baptist at his new home in clock friends. This artwork shows his technique at its finest.

Sadly May 2, 1519 at the age of 67 Leonardo da Vinci passed. They say the cause of his death was a stroke that had been recurring.

It was recorded that Leonardo had told the king of France that he had become very close friends and it is also said that the king was seen holding Leonardo‘s head in his arms as he passed. although it’s a beloved story that the French hold onto in their hearts it is now confirmed that it was fake. Leonardo da Vinci was buried at the chapel of Saint Hubert,Amboise, France.

It is unbelievable that one man could make such incredible, powerful, and legendary paintings. Leonardo da Vinci has made such an impact on the world as we know it today and is truly underestimated. And yes he is obviously a famous and well-known man across the country but his actions that he did during his lifetime were truly Admirable. Leonardo da Vinci traveled to Milan a total of two times during his lifetime. The first period lasted 17 years. and the second lasting five years.

I definitely do believe that Leonardo da Vinci is at least one of the most influential people that walked on the face of the earth. He has made world known paintings. He has made plenty of new discoveries through his painting skills on anatomy, engineering, and math. some facts about Leonardo da Vinci is that he had no real last name although lots of people think his last name is da Vinci in reality set alarm did not have a last name. Another fact is he didn’t have a formal education.

You might think because of all his grains he might’ve received some extra learning when he was a child but that’s simply not the case we only learn the basics as a kid.

Another interesting fact is if you really think about it and Look at his career for a painter he didn’t really pay that much so today there are only about 17 surviving paintings. Bill Gates actually owns Leonardo da Vinci‘s old journal. This is where he kept his knowledge, feelings and future plans and now It belongs to Bill Gates Who bought the journal for $30.8 million. When Leonardo da Vinci was 60 he left them alone because of our political war then lived in France and that was at the same time when he got close to the king of France.

As we all know Leonardo da Vinci’s greatest work was the Mona Lisa in the last supper but unfortunately it was never fully realized that it was his greatest. This is because his greatest work is actually ruined by a war. Leonardo da Vinci was also rumored to have helped make the creation of airplanes and helicopters. Many movies and documentaries on Leonardo show him inventing different kinds of flying devices. but these denials have been proved wrong that he had never built an airplane or helicopter before.

Leonardo da Vinci’s artwork can be found in many places such as Santa Maria deli Gracie church in Milan, the Czartoryski Museum, Krakow, The Louvre Museum in Paris, suffixing Gallery, in florence. As you can tell Leonardo da Vinci has been all over the world during his lifetime some of the main places he’s been is Milan, Rome, Bologna the advance he also spent time in France and that is where he died in 1519.

Leonardo da Vinci is confirmed that he was gay. In 1476 for Leonardo‘s 24th birthday he along with three other men were anonymously accused of doing it with a 17-year-old male prostitute. and although many people believe that Leonardo just painted or preferred painting in general he actually cared as much about bridges and weapons as he did for paintings. Leonardo da Vinci was not Leonardo’s real name. His real name was Leonardo Di Ser Ds Vinci.

Out of all the commissions he received all over the world, his first commissions were actually never completed. His first commission was in 1478 when he was asked to paint an altarpiece for the chapel of Saint Bernard in Florence Palazzo Vecchio. Then in 1481 he was asked to be commissioned to paint the ‘adoration of Magi’ for the monastery San Donato in Florence.

Apart from being a painter, engineer and craftsman he was also an accomplished musician. not only that but it has been recorded by many of Leonardo da Vinci‘s close friends that he was a great singer. An invention that only came into being in 2013 was actually invented by Leonardo da Vinci; it is an organ viola harpsichord instrument. and like I said earlier Leonardo da Vinci is the greatest sculpture ever made by him was actually destroyed during warfare.

Leonardo da Vinci was one of the biggest procrastinators that walked on the face of the earth. He constantly procrastinated which obviously shows why he hadn’t completed his first few commissions.

Because he was so focused on many different topics and subjects such as math, science, art, crafting and anatomy it often made it harder for him to get his jobs done. another fact about Leonardo da Vinci was he was an illegitimate child born during a time called “golden age for bastards” this means but from the moment he was born people automatically assume that he wasn’t gonna do anything for the world and was just a waste of space we obviously prove them wrong by being a timeless legend.

As I said earlier for the crime he committed, having sex with a male prostitute it was 17 at the time landed him two years in jail and it was marked under a sodomy charge. Also as I said earlier I mentioned how he had gone to about 30 different surgeries in the hospital but it is now confirmed that Leonardo actually dissected corpses at the Malon hospital. After hearing about his charges and his weird fascination for body anatomy I am getting the feeling that Leonardo da Vinci is actually kind of a weirdo. that’s just my opinion on him obviously him being a little bit weird is it going to debunk the fact that he’s change the world with his brains and smartness. I watched many documentaries on psychopaths and I’m not saying he’s a psychopath because that’s very disrespectful but I do have to admit he does carry some psychopathic traits.

Another weird thing about Leonardo DiCaprio was he actually preferred riding in reverse. I don’t know about you but I don’t think I could ever do that that honestly just shows the brains he was born with and worked hard to get. For me at least that would be just so confusing.

Hundreds of pages in Leonardo da Vinci’s notebook are written in reverse. The writing was mirror reversed which means the only way to read it is if you were looking at the paper through a mirror.

Another really cool fact about Leonardo da Vinci which actually uses my comment that I think he’s a little bit of a psychopath is that he used to buy caged animals or for sale just to set them free. He was also able to use both his right and left hand equally well. Another name for Leonardo da Vinci‘s most famous painting is la Gioconda. Leonardo da Vinci never got married and it wasn’t made for sure whether he was straight bisexual or gay. Leonardo da Vinci however loved a man named Salai. Salai was one of Leonardo da Vinci‘s students and it is said he continued to surround himself with the young man.

Leonardo da Vinci is credited with creating an armored flight vehicle, a Calculator, a concentrated solar power, A rudimentary theory of plate tectonics, the double hole, and helped invent a helicopter. He is also credited by making 53 paintings. My top personal favorite paintings of his were the Mona Lisa, lady with an ermine, Bacchus, head of Christ, flying machine, and study of hands.

In conclusion I personally believe that Leonardo da Vinci is the completely and utterly most important person that walked the face of this planet. He has made so many different changes in so many different types of fields. For example he made math discoveries science discoveries engineering discoveries artistic discoveries and so so much more.

Abstract

Throughout history, the field of engineering has held a prominent place in society. It encompasses the application of scientific knowledge in solving complex issues in the real world. The discipline is characterized by groundbreaking inventions and innovations that have touched every core of human life. The field of engineering has laid the foundation for both the present and future generations of society. Engineers have a unique ability to construct everything layer by layer, touching every aspect of human life. Their brilliant designs and plans have transformed the world that people live in. They have created a global network with breathtaking complexity coupled with ever-growing technology. The supply of clean water, availability of food, and construction of buildings that offer shelter as well as power, goods, transportation, and communication will not be available without the able thinkers, engineers, whom with their ability create what never was. This paper explores the goals of engineers and the contributions of Leonardo da Vinci to the engineering disciple.

Introduction

The engineering discipline has come a long way since the beginning of time. Over the years, it has witnessed the breakthrough right from biology, healthcare, and communication to energy and environment, entrepreneurship, to name a few. Traditionary, it was predominantly for military purposes. Conversely, there was a demand for infrastructure, food, shelter, and medicine as the population grew. Engineers are the sole source of technological innovations and expertise. They play a pivotal role in solving social problems through channeling their ability of problem-solving through the application of science and mathematics in inventing new ways to a better life for members of society. Their goals and objectives revolve around the creation, processing and designing and maintenance of operations in a wide range of disciplines.

Process modeling: The advancement in technology takes different forms, that is, hardware and software. Various inputs are required, such as information, materials, and energy before piecing together into the process that executes the expected outcome (Kavakli & Loucopoulos, n.d.). The mechanism required to turn the input into output is complicated in that it involves simplification of different processes into interfaces that are easily duplicable and understandable. Engineers are artists; therefore, as in the case of software, they design algorithms through other software for specific purposes that excuse the desired outcome. They engage in process modeling to speed up and make the process easier (Kavakli & Loucopoulos, n.d.).

Design goal: Engineers use a series of steps to come up with a solution to the problem. On most occasions, it involves designing products to come up with a solution like a machine or a code in a computer that meets a specific criterion. This process involves understanding the need of who what and why the problem needs to be solved. The application of creative thinking through the use of both scientific and mathematical principles is required (Quimby, 2008). They start by identifying and defining the problem after which they formulate ideas on approach to the issue after which they create a perfect design that is most likely to curb the problem.

Creation: curiosity and imagination have brought about different inventions and innovations. Electricity, the automobile, medicine among other instrumental designs were a result of a vision. As engineers, creativity, and rationality in problem-solving are crucial to success. They are required to think outside the box through the visualization of alternatives towards problem-solving (Selinger, 2004).

The Italian painter, architecture, sculptor and engineer Leonardo da Vinci was born in the year 1452. He was a student of science whose natural genius crossed many disciplines epitomized Renaissance humanistic ideals. Up to date, he is remembered by his two famous paintings, the Mons Lisa and the Last supper. He firmly believed that art has a direct correlation to science and nature. He was mostly self-educated whereby he filled his notebooks with a series of inventions. This revealed his spirit of scientific inquiry that was later discovered (Heydenreich, 2019). They were filled with theories of pursuit, ranging from astronomy to anatomy. His era, however, did not have full knowledge of the books; thus was not appreciated among his time since he expressed his concepts in his notebooks. He was a dreamer and showed his witty on paper such as bicycles, airplanes, and his geniuses.

Leonardo da Vinci was the quintessential engineer one of his kind. He was the only one who was able to combine science and artistic imagination and creativity effectively. He was the architect and a scientist, yet if asked, he preferred to be called an engineer. Compelled with relentless curiosity and voracious hunger for knowledge, he perceived the world differently, noting the unlimited possibilities that come with it. From his natural witty blossomed designs of different kinds ranging from airplanes, bicycles as well as different theories and concepts of engineering, mathematics, and science. Most of his contributions to the engineering discipline include mathematics, flying plane, warfare, design, and hydraulics (’10 Major Accomplishments of Leonardo Da Vinci | Learnodo Newton’, 2019).

Prolific inventor: Da Vinci apprehended ideas in advance. He designed the concentrated solar power, calculator, the dull double hall ahead of time. Moreover, most of his scientific inquiries remain unpublished while others were passed on as practical knowledge, even without being given credit for his work. Also, he designed a workable precursor for the modern diving suit. He designed it around 1500, whereby his ideas were based on the protection of the city against invaders. He would send men in diving suits to make holes in the enemy ship (Heydenreich, 2019).

As a visionary, Da Vinci designed the parachute, glider as well as a helicopter and landing gear. In his life, he was fascinated by how birds can fly free in the air, and his curiosity made his dream of building a machine that could fly his entire life. He made one of the earliest models of modern parachute centuries even before it was invented. His theory was successfully tested in the year 200 and was a success. He conceptualized an airplane making sketches of the earliest helicopter 4000 years before this became a reality. Moreover, he designed landing gear and glider.

In the field of anatomy, Da Vinci unprecedented detailed anatomy of both animals and human beings. His first study was under his master, Verrocchio. Verrocchio believed in art and allowed Da Vinci to study and draw it. He was later allowed to use a human corpse after being a successful painter. He recorded down all that he had learned, whereby he made over 200 drawings. His sketches on individual parts indicated that he had done a detailed study on human anatomy. He did so with other animals such as sheep, goats, and cows (Andrei, 2008).

In light of human anatomy, Da Vinci made a tremendous breakthrough whereby he first discovered the nature of the backbone and made sketches of the same. He also drew human skull as well as other parts successfully and the brain naming the sagittal, frontal and transversal. This was in the era in which books were not yet accessible. Also, he studied intensively most of the internal organs, including the appendix, lungs, and reproductive organs, to name a few (Andrei, 2008). He drew a scientific representation of the fetus in the womb and correctly bring the heart showing its valves in place and the direction of blood flow.

Also, Da Vinci is the father of paintings. He is the most celebrated painter that has ever lived. He showed a remarkable interest in science and engineering. However, his work has only been recognized in the last century and a half. For centuries, his accomplishment was only known in the work of his art. His masterpieces will always remain in the heart of many. His contributions to the disciplines of anatomy, biology, as well as botany and geology, will always be remembered(Andrei, 2008). He expressed his discoveries in paints whereby he keenly observed how humans respond to emotions, expressions, and gestures.

One cannot talk of Da Vinci without recognizing his skills in design, creativity, and imagination. He created the famous painting of all time. He painted Mona Lisa in the year 1503-1507 even though he continued to work on it till the end of his time. The art is recorded in the Guinness book of records being the most expensive masterpiece of all time (Heydenreich, 2019). The other painting includes the last supper which was deployed in a Christian setting and a Vitruvian man. Also, he designed the perfect city. The modern drainage is based on his sketches from centuries ago. During his tenure, there was a plague that hit Millan, where he was living at the moment, killing thousands of people (’10 Major Accomplishments of Leonardo Da Vinci | Learnodo Newton’, 2019). Saddened by the plague, he observed that poor sanitation was the leading cause that led to the higher spread of the epidemic. Therefore, he designed a city with a proper drainage system with tunnels that drain away sewage.

In light of war, he designed a war machine ahead of time. His design required eight men inside it with gun mouths poking through its side. Its system was to be operated by propelling gears. The model was tested and worked after being developed by the military (Heydenreich, 2019). There are lists of large diversified exciting projects that the great Da Vinci contributed to the world. Even after centuries of his death, he remains the ideal engineer.

Leonardo da Vinci wanted to design and create a new machine for the new world. His ideas, up to date, are the backbone of modern engineering. Even though most of his manuscripts were not published and some of his ideas could not have been built at the time, his set of beliefs and principles greatly impacted the future.

Every artist has their process of constructing works of art. Some artists choose to take a meaningful path by telling a story while others prefer a more scientific approach. Whether it is using specific mediums to help highlight the importance of their message or using exact measurements and equations to establish their piece, an artist has a process they follow to result in a completed work of art. While examining Leonardo Da Vinci’s artwork you can find the scientific innovation within his inventions, paintings, sculptors, and sketches. You can view the scientific approach he had while looking at his sketches; using precise lines and detailed images to build on his creations and works of art, just as he did with his Vitruvian Man.

During the first few years of his career, Leonardo Da Vinci attempted to make a few projects, following his apprenticeship with sculpting, painting, architecture, and much more. In 1478, Leonardo Da Vinci started his first paid project for San Donato; The Adoration of the Magi. He also attempted to honor Francesco Sforza with a bronze equestrian statue but both of these projects were never completed due to the War of Pazzi. However, none of these unforeseen incompletions hindered Da Vinci from establishing himself as a self-proclaimed artist. Regardless of the work he was unable to complete, Da Vinci still, later on, came to compete and display some of the most famous creations of our history; 1503 the Mona Lisa, and 1495 – 1498 the Last Supper. Due to his many interests in science law and nature that were a constant distraction, Da Vinci found a way of establishing his thinking process by documenting each of his thoughts and ideas for some of his inventions in his sketches such as his Flying Bicycle. According to his 500 Years of Genius exhibit, Leonardo Da Vinci made certain to secure his thoughts by writing each idea in a code that was not easy to understand; writing backward. Since his adolescence, Da Vinci apprenticed with Andrea del Verrocchio of Florence until he was able to master his own artistic talents. He spent many years learning and sharpening skills such as sculpting, carpentry, metalworking, painting, and drawing. Despite the fact that Leonardo Da Vinci did not receive much a formal education past math, writing, and reading, it was clear within his early ages that his artistic talents would help establish the name Leonardo Da Vinci as remarkable artistic.

Leonardo Da Vinci contained some of the greatest artistic talents of the Italian renaissance. Using his skills in science and art, Da Vinci wanted to capture the perfection of the human body. Creating sketches of his ideas but also of what he saw within his experiments and studies; visually displaying his thirst for knowledge. Unlike other artists during this time and a few years after, Da Vinci didn’t just want to draw his theories of the world or the human body; he wanted to gain a full comprehension of why and how. While Leonardo was the first artist to dissect the human body and sketch what he saw, he also wanted to be the first to find and understand the perfect proportions of architecture and men.. Being inspired by Marcus Vitruvius and his architectural work and his thoughts of perfect proportions and symmetry in architecture beauty, Vitruvius believed for this to be done, a man must be put on his back in a circle; with the center focused on the men’s navel. In addition, with arms and legs stretched out, his toes and fingers must touch the circumference of the circle; while placing the same figure within a square. Hence, the Vitruvian Man.

In the process of constructing the Vitruvian Man through his inspiration to Vitruvius’ theory, it is unclear whether Da Vinci sketched his ideas first or allowed his scientific background to take the lead. Nonetheless, following a theory of perfect geometry and mathematics, Leonardo Da Vinci was able to construct a beautiful image using both science, math, and art; proving that the impossible is indeed possible. Documenting his ideas through the art of sketching was a normal part of his thinking process. As an artist, sculptor, painter, architect, and inventor, preliminary sketching was his process; it was part of the reason why he was named the Renaissance man. Every thought in his mind to every finding he discovered could be found in many numerous sketches, which are currently located in the British Library; each page holding an artful image of the work Leonardo Da Vinci has once constructed and the thoughts he was unable to bring to life. Regardless, Leonardo Da Vinci would not be the artist, mathematician or inventor he was, without his sketches. Each sketch not only helped him progress further in his creations, but they helped the world see inside his mind.

A thinking process like Leonardo Da Vinci’s and many other artists deceased or alive is important. Thinking in itself helps an artist to develop a work of art but the process of sketching out a thought helps process the idea to a reality. Taking an idea and seeing what it can become is only supporting oneself on their artistic journey and Leonardo Da Vinci is a prime example. Each of his sketches displayed his thinking process. He understood the errors that could be made, and when they occurred, his sketches provided progressive solutions; displaying dimensions to fix and colors to change, sketches provide a wide range of support to an upcoming artist in his journey to be the world’s, Renaissance Man.

1. “The British Library.” The British Library, The British Library, 2 Feb. 2017, https://www.bl.uk/.
2. “The Beauty of Diagrams, Vitruvian Man.” BBC Four, BBC, 21 Mar. 2011, https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00vl3h1.
3. The Beauty of Diagrams: Vitruvian Man. Directed by Steven Clarke, Presented by Marcus du Sautoy, 2011. BBC, www.bbc.co.uk
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