Leonardo da Vinci was born illegitimately in Vinci, Italy in 1452 and grew up displaying remarkable artistic and academic talents. He moved to Florence in 1466 to join the workshop of Verrocchio, where he developed his own style beyond his master's. In 1482, da Vinci went to the court of Ludovico Sforza in Milan, where he stayed for 16 years continuing to paint and branching out into interests like engineering and anatomy, producing works like The Last Supper and branching out into interests like engineering and anatomy. One of his most famous works is the Mona Lisa, painted during this period, which captures the sitter's mysterious smile. Da Vinci combined art, science

1. Leonardo da Vinci (1452 – 1519) is
one of the world’s greatest thinkers,
artists and philosophers.

2. Short Biography of Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo was born an illegitimate son of a
Florentine noble and peasant woman. he grew
up in Vinci, Italy. In his formative years, he
developed a love of nature and from an early
age began to display his remarkable academic
and artistic talents. In 1466, he moved to
Florence where he entered the workshop of
Verrocchio. Initially, his formative style reflected
his teacher but he soon developed an artistic
sense which went far beyond his master’s rigid
style.

3. …..
In 1482, Leonardo went
to the court of Ludovico
Sforza in Milan, where
he stayed for 16 years.
Here he continued
painting and also
branched out into other
interest such as
engineering and
anatomy.

4. Last Supper
• The Last Supper has been
described as one of the
greatest religious paintings.
With Christ at the centre of
the picture, it embodies great
feeling and emotion as Christ
is about to announce his
imminent betrayal by Judas.
The painting is held at
the Convent of Santa Maria
Delle Grazie, Milan, but
unfortunately over time the
quality of the original
painting has deteriorated,
despite frequent restoration
attempts.

5. Leonardo Da Vinci and Mona Lisa
During this period, he painted the fresco of
the Battle of Anghiari. This artwork was
to exert tremendous influence over future
artists. However, it was never completed
and was later destroyed. It was also
during this period that Leonardo
completed The Mona Lisa. The Mona Lisa
is one of the world’s most famous and
intriguing pictures. The Mona Lisa is a
portrait of a wife of a Florentine noble.
For several days she came to Leonardo
and sat for her portrait to be painted;
however, she refused to smile. Leonardo
even tried hiring musicians but to no
avail. One day, just for a fleeting second,
she gave a faint smile, and Leonardo was
able to capture it. Her smile encapsulates
a mysteriousness which is both
fascinating and intriguing. Sri Chinmoy
said of the Mona Lisa.

6. The Vitruvian Man
• This is a drawing of the proportions of
man. Da Vinci used earlier work and
notes by the Roman architect Vitruvius.
The picture combines art, man and
science – illustrating the beauty of
geometrical proportions and the human
form. It is symbolic of Da Vinci’s work,
and the Renaissance he inspired, to
combine these art forms into one
diagram. In the simplicity of a line
drawing, there are many different factors
brought into play; it has become an
iconic image.
• Da Vinci fame grew during his lifetime,
though he was not a wealthy man and he
had to rely on the patronage of his
patrons. This included powerful men,
such as Cesare Borgia, who in the early
1500s demanded Da Vinci design
instruments of war. Da Vinci designed a
crossbow, prototype tank and ‘machine
gun.’

7. Leonardo died at Clos Lucé on 2 May
1519 at the age of 67, possibly of a
stroke.
End…..