Leonardo da Vinci, born in 1452 and died in 1519, was a renowned Italian painter and one of the greatest geniuses of his time. His remarkable masterpiece, the iconic “Mona Lisa,” established him as one of the leading artists of the Renaissance.
Although many of his works have been lost or remained unfinished, only 12 paintings of recognized authenticity are known, revealing the importance the artist gave to contrasts of light and shadow and, especially, to movement.
Although he excelled mainly in painting, Leonardo da Vinci was a genius in various fields, such as engineering, architecture, urban planning, mechanics, cartography, ballistics, hydraulics, and anatomy, among others.
Born in the small village of Vinci, near Florence, Italy, on April 15, 1452, Leonardo lived with his mother until he was four and then went to live with his paternal grandfather. Already in childhood, he showed an aptitude for drawing and painting. At 16, he was taken to Florence, where he worked as an apprentice in the workshop of the renowned Florentine painter and sculptor Andrea del Verrocchio.
His first important work was collaborating on Verrocchio’s painting “The Baptism of Christ,” in which he painted the “angels and the landscape on the left side of the painting.” Leonardo’s talent was so evident that, at the age of 25, he joined the artists working for Lorenzo de’ Medici, the famous patron who ruled Florence. In 1478, he received the commission to paint an altarpiece for the Chapel of St. Bernard in the Palazzo della Signoria.
In 1481, Leonardo was commissioned to paint a panel for the church of the friars of San Donato in Scopeto, near Florence, but the work “Adoration of the Magi” remained unfinished. That same year, at the age of 30, he moved to Milan and offered his services to Ludovico Sforza, the Duke of Milan, presenting himself as an engineer, architect, and painter.
During his stay in Milan, in 1483, he painted the painting “The Virgin of the Rocks,” with two versions existing, one in the Louvre Museum and another in the National Gallery in London. In 1485, Leonardo began painting “The Lady with an Ermine,” portraying Cecilia Gallerani, the 14-year-old mistress of the Duke of Milan. In 1495, he began preparations to paint “The Last Supper,” a large fresco in the refectory of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. The work took three years, with Leonardo redrawing and refining the figures of the supper.
Leonardo remained in Milan until 1499, designing the city’s cathedral, but only produced a sketch, ending up designing an extensive system of canals and water supply, as well as a complete urban plan for the city. That same year, when the French invaded Milan, Leonardo returned to Florence.
Between 1500 and 1501, Leonardo traveled constantly. In January and February, he was at the court of Mantua, where he received the commission for the portrait of the Marchioness Isabella d’Este, but the work was not completed. In Venice, he studied the defensive system of the city threatened by the Turks and designed huge catapults.
In 1502, in Florence, he was appointed Military Engineer and accompanied Cesare Borgia in his war campaigns. That same year, Leonardo began the famous painting of the “Gioconda” (Mona Lisa), commissioned by Francesco del Giocondo, a wealthy Florentine, portraying his wife. In 1507, Leonardo was appointed painter and engineer at the court of Louis XII of France, taking with him the unfinished work of the Mona Lisa. It was in that same year that he completed the painting, which would become one of the most celebrated in Western art and is now the main attraction of the Louvre Museum in Paris.
In 1510, Leonardo da Vinci completed the painting “Saint Anne, the Virgin and the Child,” which he had started in 1503, commissioned for the high altar of the Church of Santissima Annunziata in Florence. In 1513, he went to Rome, where he was under the protection of the Pope’s brother, Leo X, and worked for Giuliano de’ Medici. However, Rome preferred younger artists, such as Raphael and Michelangelo. During this time, Leonardo painted “Saint John the Baptist,” probably his last work.
Leonardo da Vinci deepened his studies in mathematics and optics, dedicating himself to projects in architecture, engineering, and anatomy. His anatomical studies were considered disrespectful to the dead, as he performed dissections of corpses, an illegal practice considered a sin by the Church. Leonardo confessed on his deathbed that he had dissected thirty corpses to study the structure of the human body, noting his observations in a peculiar way, written in reverse to be read in front of a mirror, which became known as his “Treatise on Anatomy.” All these studies were recorded in numerous drawings, including his famous work “Vitruvian Man,” which represents the perfect proportions of the human body and is exhibited at the Gallerie dell’Accademia in Venice.
With the death of Giuliano de’ Medici, Leonardo accepted an invitation from French friends and definitively left Italy in 1516, taking with him his manuscripts, hundreds of drawings, and three commissioned but undelivered paintings.
Leonardo da Vinci died at the Château de Cloux, near Amboise, France, on May 2, 1519, during a visit by King Francis I. At the time of his death, Leonardo da Vinci was ill and had problems with the articulation of his left hand. He spent his last days at the Château de Cloux, where he was welcomed as a guest by Francis I.
In April 1519, Leonardo da Vinci was bedridden, surrounded by the three paintings that had become his faithful companions: the iconic Mona Lisa, the beloved work Saint Anne, and the portrait of Saint John the Baptist. These masterpieces witnessed the talents and genius of this great Renaissance master.
On May 2, 1519, Leonardo da Vinci died at the Château de Cloux, at the age of 67. He was buried in the convent of the Church of Saint Florentin in Amboise, France.
The death of Leonardo da Vinci was an irreparable loss for the world of art and knowledge. His comprehensive and multifaceted contributions in the fields of painting, engineering, anatomy, mathematics, and many others continue to inspire and fascinate to this day.
Leonardo da Vinci left a lasting legacy and his work influenced countless generations of artists and scholars. His relentless pursuit of understanding nature and his ability to capture the essence of human form and beauty are evident in his remaining masterpieces, which stand as witnesses to his unparalleled genius and creativity.
Chronology
1452: Leonardo da Vinci is born in Vinci, Italy. 1470: Begins apprenticeship in painting at Andrea del Verrocchio’s workshop in Florence. 1482: Leonardo moves to Milan and offers his services to Ludovico Sforza. 1495-1498: Works on the painting of the “Last Supper” at the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. 1503-1506: Begins painting the famous “Mona Lisa.” 1513: Leonardo goes to Rome, where he conducts studies in mathematics, optics, and anatomy. 1516: Leonardo accepts the invitation of Francis I of France and goes to Amboise. 1519: Leonardo da Vinci dies at the Château de Cloux, France.
1523: Leonardo da Vinci’s notebooks are inherited by Francesco Melzi, his closest disciple. 1568: The first biography of Leonardo da Vinci, written by Giorgio Vasari, is published. 1630: Leonardo da Vinci’s notebooks are rediscovered in Italian libraries. 1797: Napoleon Bonaparte removes the painting of the “Mona Lisa” from the Louvre and takes it to the Palace of Fontainebleau. 1804: The “Mona Lisa” is returned to the Louvre after Napoleon’s fall. 1870: The “Mona Lisa” is stolen from the Louvre but is recovered in 1913. 1919: Leonardo da Vinci’s notebooks are published in a complete edition. 1952: Leonardo da Vinci’s “Vitruvian Man” is exhibited at the Gallerie dell’Accademia in Venice. 2019: Celebrations worldwide mark the 500th anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci’s death. The legacy of Leonardo da Vinci continues to inspire and enchant people around the world, his work being studied and appreciated to this day.
