Leonardo da VInci

(1452-1519)

The Renaissance, an age of discoveries,presented the mankind with painters concerned with investigations. New meaning was given to the human figure, which became the main subject of all Renaissance paintings.

The early Renaissance gave the world such bright representatives as Giotto,Van Eyck and Botticelli.

When speaking about the most outstanding representatives of the High Renaissance, we bear in mind Raphael, Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci.

The history of western civilization records no man as gifted as Leonardo da Vinci.He was a great painter,sculptor,musician,architect,engineer,scientist and philosopher.He was described as a real “ Renaissance man”, who was curios and inventive. Everyone agrees that he was the most glittering personality of the High Renaissance in Italy.

Leonardo was born in 1452 in Tuscany, near Florence.He was a son of a wealthy notary and a peasant woman.When a boy, he evinced an interest in painting and in 1466 his father sent him to an exellent teacher- Verrocchio.In Verroncchio’s workshop Leonardo was introduced to various activities,such as painting and even the creation of sculptural projets in marble and bronze.In 1472 the teacher considered him to be his assistant.In Verrocchio’s “ The Baptism of Christ”, a beautiful angel was painted by Leonardo da Vinci.According to the story of Giorgio Vasari,who learned in detail the biography of Leonardo da Vinci,we get to know that when Verrocchio saw Leonardo’s work, he was so amazed that he decided never to touch a brush again. Leonardo became an independent painter at 26. His first masterpiece is “ The adoration of the Magi”. He started it in 1481, but he didn’t complete it.In this work Leonardo started with the moment of feeling, form came next.

Between 1482 and 1499 Leonardo spent in Milan.During these years he executed a lot of paintings,sculptures and drawings.Though he had projects of a lot of works, only a few of them were completed. These include “ The Virgin of the Rocks” or “ “ The Madonna of the Rocks ”, “ The Last Supper”, “ The Madonna and Child with St. Ann”.

“ The Madonna of the Rocks” is one of the earliest works of Leonardo da Vinci, where he displayed his superb technical skill, arranging the figures in geometric composition. He represented Mary in the midst of rock forms, where the sun seems never to appear and the plants are deprived of colour.

In all his works Leonardo used the most characteristic device of almost all High Renaissance artists-fitting the figures into a specific geometric pattern.

Leonardo’s genius as an artist can be clearly seen in his most famous works “The Mona Lisa” and “ The Last Supper”.

“ The Last supper” was painted on the walls of the refectory of Santa Maria Monastery in Milan in 1495. Christ announces his disciples that soon one of them will betray him.The Christ’s followers are divided into four groups of three each. By means of a skilful use of light and shadow Leonardo portrays the mixed emotions of surprise,horror, innocence and guilt on disciples’ faces.

Unfortunately, he tried out new ideas with the paint and the picture began peeling off. The thing is, that ”The Last Supper” was painted not in true fresco but in experimental oil technique.

As for “Mona Lisa”,it is considered to be Leonardo’s greatest work.The personality of Mona Lisa makes a vivid impression on us.Most researchers are prone to think that Lisa de Gherardini del Giokondo, a wife of the merchant,Francesco del Giocondo is portrayed in this picture.At the foreground we can see a figure, who sits in a relaxed position with her hands crossed.There is a faint gentle smile on her face. At the background one can observe a beautiful landscape.”The Mona Lisa” reflects Leonardo’s interest in moods of the human soul. There is something mysterious about Mona Lisa, that we can not grasp at first sight. He created a problem to which gives no answer.He makes a viewer reconsider it.” Mona Lisa” is a supreme example of Leonardo’s ability to create a masterpiece, showing a complex inner world of his figures.

All of the preserved Leonardo’s works are fascinating.

Learn presumably unfamiliar words:

discovery-винахід, відкриття

mankind-людство

to be concerned with- пов’язаний з;

investigation-дослідження

glittering- яскравий, блискучий

curious- допитливий

inventive-винахідливий

notary-нотаріус

peasant-селянський,сільський

workshop-майстерня

marble-мармур

amazed-дивовижний, вражаючий

brush-пензель

skill-майстерність

to arrange-розташовувати

to be deprived- бути позбавленим

device-прийом

refectory-трапезна(у монастирі)

disciples-1)учні,послідовники;2)апостоли

to betray-зраджувати

mixed-змішаний

innocence-невинність

guilt-провина

to peel off- лущитися; облізати

prone-схильний

foreground- передній план (картини)

background-задній план (картини)

mysterious- загадковий; таємничий

grasp-вловлювати; сприймати

sight-погляд

reconsider-обдумувати;розмірковувати

fascinating-прекрасний,захоплюючий

Дата добавления: 2015-07-02