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[[File: Leonardo 3.png|200px|thumb|left|Drawing of Leonardo in old age]]
==Influence on art==
During the early Renaissance, painting had advanced greatly, because of great artists such as Botticelli and Verrocchio. However, Leonardo was to raise painting to new heights and his work is not also only intrinsically important but very influential. His work was revolutionary because it was so realistic and expressive. Leonardo used his anatomical studies to better understand the human body and especially its actions. This allowed him to create images of people that are highly realistic and very dynamic. The emotions expressed by Leonardo are much more naturalistic than previous artists <ref>Hall, Marcia B. Color and meaning: practice and theory in Renaissance painting (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992), p 117</ref>. Leonardo inspired many painters to adopt a more naturalistic approach. His ideas on painting were presented in his Treatise on Painting, which was widely read. Leonardo was a master of painting techniques, including that of chiaroscuro, which is the treatment of the light and shade. Many incorrectly assume that Leonardo invented this technique, but he certainly perfected it. His technique was followed by many subsequent painters. Based on his scientific studies, Leonardo was a master of linear perspective and he exceeded all those who went before him. He developed new ways of representing perspective and this gave his painting more depth and made them appear more realistic. Perhaps his greatest contribution to the painting was the development of the sfumato technique, a new way to blend glazes. This made the figures in a painting living and breathing subjects. The techniques and styles developed by Leonardo were revolutionary and they, in particular, influenced the other great Florentine, Michelangelo. The frescoes of Michelangelo became more dynamic and expressive, as a result of the work of Leonardo. This was despite the fact that the two great artists did not like each other and were bitter rivals. The genius from Vinci later inspired other painters of the High Renaissance such as Raphael (1483-1520). Da Vinci’s treatment of the Virgin Mary was very influential in the paintings of Raphael. Among the others whose work was shaped by the great Florentine was Filippino Lippi (1457–1504) and del Sarto (1486–1531). Leonardo was also a very important influence on sculpture. His original sculptures are now lost. However, at the time they proved enormously influential on the development of Renaissance sculpture. The Florentine was also interested in architecture and helped to design the cupola for the Cathedral in Milan. He wrote an unpublished treatise on architecture and produced many architectural drawings <ref>Kemp, Martin. Leonardo da Vinci: the marvelous works of nature and man (Oxford, Oxford, University Press, 2007), p 113</ref>. These inspired many architects including the great Bramante.
[[File: Leonardo 2.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Leonardo’s ‘The Last Supper’]]
==Leonardo and science==
The great Florentine was fascinated by science, engineering, and mechanics. He wrote about these subjects copiously in his notebooks. His theory of knowledge was based on the study of nature. Leonardo was also intrigued by the human body and he is believed to have dissected up to 30 human bodies and made many anatomical drawings. Moreover, he was a great observer and he made many empirical observations that were insightful, in areas as diverse as hydraulic engineering and town planning. This emphasis on empiricism was radical at the time because the authority of the Church and the Ancient Classical authors was unchallenged and the received wisdom <ref>Randall, John Herman. "The place of Leonardo Da Vinci in the emergence of modern science." Journal of the History of Ideas (1953): 191-202 </ref>. The Florentine’s ideas at this time are more akin to modern ideas on science and learning. However, his influence was limited by the power of the Church. For example, Leonardo could not publish his findings on his anatomical studies because the dissection of bodies was considered sinful by the Catholic hierarchy and he could have even prosecuted by the civil authorities. This is why he was forced to keep many of his discoveries and ideas secret. The Florentine wrote his ideas in his notebooks using mirror writing so that they could not be easily deciphered. As a result, much of his scientific achievements and observations were not disclosed until a century or more after his death. If the Florentine had published his work on science, such as his study of the heart, the ‘have advanced the march of science by a whole century’’ <ref> Reti, Ladislao. "Leonardo da Vinci and the graphic arts: the early invention of relief-etching." The Burlington Magazine 113, no. 817 (1971): 189</ref>. However, during his lifetime Leonardo did encourage some to privilege observation and experiment over the teachings of the Church and the Classics, which was to be very influential in the later phase of the Renaissance. Leonardo could be said to have helped to change the intellectual environment of the Renaissance to one that was much more modern in outlook.