The artist of the week is Leonardo Da Vinci, an artist-scientist of the Renaissance. His famous works include The Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, and The Vitruvian Man.
Da Vinci was an artist as well as a scientist who used his art to demonstrate his research, particularly in the study of human anatomy. He received his art education from a well-known artist Andrea del Verrochio, at the age of 14. In 1472, At the age of 20, he was enrolled as master artist Florence’s Guild of Saint Luke, establishing his workshop. He achieves success in Milan, as an inventor where he made sketches of war machines. In his final years, Da Vinci returned to Milan, occupied by France, where he worked for the French rulers. He only painted for a short period of time by then. He focused mainly on his scientific studies until his death in 1519.
His most famous work is The Mona Lisa. It was painted by Da Vinci from 1503 to 1506, and possibly in 1517. It is said that The Mona Lisa is a portrait of Lisa Gherardini, the wife of Francesco del Giocondo, The composition of this painting is like no other of that time. Everything was to scale and proportionate. This “New artistic formula” influenced in Florence and Lombard Art in the early 16th century. The most significant detail is Mona Lisa’s smile, which is the focal point of this portrait. The Mona Lisa is a painting that’s full of mystery and intrigue in regards to the story of the subject.
