The Renaissance period began in Italy in the 1300’s. Renaissance art is much more life-like than art form the Middle Ages. Renaissance artists worked on perspective, the way things look from far away compared to close up, and this gave painting depth. Bodies look very solid, but the backgrounds have depth and perspective. Another characteristic of Renaissance period was the relationship between light and shadows and having human figures being the focal point of the painting.
Leonardo da Vinci was born in Vinci, Italy on April 15th, 1452. His father was Piero, son of Antonia da Vinci who was a wealthy notary. His mother, Caterina, was a servant for the Da Vinci’s and was not married to Piero so she was sent away and had to leave her son. Because his father and grandfather were frequently away on business Leonardo’s uncle, Francesco took care of him most of the time. It was he who taught Leonardo to appreciate the natural world and encouraged him to draw.
In 1467 Piero moved to Florence and took fifteen-year-old Leonardo with him. It was here that he was educated in music, grammar, and geometry. He was very bright and although he was a gifted musician and mathematician, art became his main interest.
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In 1469 Leonardo became an apprentice to Verrocchio, one of the greatest artists in Florence at the time. It was here that he learned most of his artistic technique including line drawing, shading, and perspective. It was here that he created his technique called sfumato to softening colors and edges with dark glazes. This gives the painting more depth than just applying color mixed on a palette. Facial features in Leonardo’s paintings are not strongly defined, but conveyed by soft, blended variations in tone and color. The further from the focal point of the painting, the darker and more monochromatic the backgrounds become.
From 1480-1499 Leonardo was in the service of Lodovico Sforza, the Duke of Milan. During this time he painted The Madonna of the Rocks (1483-85) and the mural The Last Supper (1495-98).
After Milan was seized by French troops in 1499, Leonardo returned to Florence and it was then that he painted his most famous work of all time: The Mona Liza (1503-06).
He spent his final years moving between Florence, Rome and France working on many different engineering and painting projects. Then he died on May 2nd 1519 of natural causes
After Milan was seized by French troops in 1499, Leonardo returned to Florence and it was then that he painted his most famous work of all time: The Mona Liza (1503-06).
He spent his final years moving between Florence, Rome and France working on many different engineering and painting projects. Then he died on May 2nd 1519 of natural causes
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