Yes Vinci his paintings. Great Paintings by Leonardo da Vinci

Italy gave the world many famous names of artists, sculptors, musicians, but perhaps the most famous person was and still is Leonardo da Vinci. You can talk about the great master for an infinitely long time. We will touch on only one facet of his talent - painting - and talk about the great paintings of Leonardo da Vinci, which can be seen in museums and galleries in his homeland, Italy.

Since Leonardo himself considered himself, first of all, a scientist and engineer, his artistic heritage not so big. He left behind about 20 famous paintings and about the same number of drawings. To date, in the homeland of Leonardo, in Italy, 15 paintings and sketches have been preserved, which can be seen in Milan and Florence, where Leonardo da Vinci lived and worked, as well as in Rome, Venice, Turin and Parma.

Paintings by Leonardo da Vinci in Milan

The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci

Painting by Leonardo da Vinci "Last Supper" along with the "Mona Lisa" - one of the most famous works great master. This huge fresco adorns the wall of the refectory of the monastery of Santa Maria del Grazie in Milan. We have already written about her several times.

"Last Supper"

Traditional biblical story the last supper of Jesus Christ with his disciples is striking in the authenticity of the images. It is known that the Savior and Judas were most difficult for the author. There is a legend that Leonardo took the image of the same person as the basis for these two characters. different periods his life.

Striking in the picture and deep perspective. The painting "The Last Supper" by Leonardo da Vinci was the first work in the history of painting, where the perspective is so organically and clearly expressed, combining space and drawing into a single whole.

Unfortunately, one gets the impression that Leonardo himself did not really want this masterpiece to be seen by his descendants. The technique of execution of the painting led to the fact that even before its completion, the colors had already begun to collapse. Until now, scientists and researchers are looking for a way to save the priceless canvas, but so far to no avail.

Due to the fact that da Vinci's painting "The Last Supper" is not in a satisfactory condition, visitors' access to it is strictly limited. 25 people can be in the refectory at the same time for no more than 15 minutes. Therefore, if you plan to see the master's masterpiece, take care to buy tickets in advance. How to do it Blogoitaliano.

Paintings by da Vinci in the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana

The Pinacoteca Ambrosiana is the second museum in Milan where you can see the paintings of Leonardo da Vinci.

"Portrait of a Musician"

The first one is "Portrait of a Musician". Leonardo da Vinci started writing it in the early 90s. XV century, but never completed. The picture acquired its final form and was slightly altered much later by the master's followers.

For many years it was believed that the painting depicts Lodovico Sforza, the Duke of Milan, the fiance of Beatrice d'Este, but at the beginning of the 20th century. when the upper paint layer was partially removed and it was possible to make out the signatures on a sheet of paper young man. These were the words and notes of the Angelic Song. The discovery led to the conclusion that the portrait depicts a musician, most likely the director of the choir of the Milan Cathedral, Frankino Gafuri. However, to date, the authenticity of this version has not been proven and reflections on the personality continue.

"Portrait of Beatrice d" Este "

The second painting by Leonardo da Vinci in the Pinakothek Ambrosiana is "Portrait of Beatrice d'Este". The picture, as well as "Portrait of a Musician" was written at the same time and was not finished by da Vinci himself. Finishing touches belong to his student Giovanni Amborgio de Predis.

Beatrice d'Este is one of the most beautiful princesses of the Renaissance in Italy. She was personally acquainted with Leonardo da Vinci, and the master was even appointed the organizer of the wedding of Beatrice with the Duke of Milan, Lodovico Sforza.

"Portrait of a Musician" and "Portrait of Beatrice d'Este" for a long time were considered paired and placed opposite each other.

Atlantic Codex by Leonardo da Vinci

Next to the Pinakothek there is the Ambrosinana library, where another da Vinci treasure has been preserved -. 12 notebooks, 1119 sheets of priceless manuscripts with drawings, graphs, drawings, sketches famous paintings and frescoes, including the "Battle of Angyari" and "Leda and the Swan" that have not survived to this day.

It is not so easy to visit the Pinakothek and the Ambrosian Library. The excitement around the Codex Atlanticus has not subsided to this day, and you can meet an impressive queue at the museum's ticket office. A great option is to prepare for your trip in advance and book tickets to visit the Pinakothek online at SelectItaly.

Da Vinci paintings in Florence

Florence, along with Milan, is inextricably linked with the life of Leonardo da Vinci. It was here that he spent his childhood and youth, here he comprehended the wisdom of science and made his first attempts at writing. It is in Florence that you can see the early paintings of Leonardo da Vinci, including those that he painted while still a student of Andrea del Verrocchio. All of them are kept in the Uffizi Gallery.

Verrocchio taught his students by living example, letting them paint parts of his paintings. So even the young Leonardo was instructed to depict one of the angels who holds the robe in the picture of the teacher "Baptism of Christ". Leonardo completed the task so well that Andrea del Verrocchio then abandoned painting forever.

In the picture of his teacher "The Baptism of Christ" Leonardo da Vinci depicted an angel holding robes

Attention to detail, blurring of lines and his own vision of the plot - this is what distinguished the paintings of Leonardo da Vinci from his youth. Already from the first works it became clear that Leonardo created new trends in traditional painting. His works did not have clear lines, as before, the objects depicted in the picture, thanks to the play of light and shadow, seemed to dissolve in the surrounding landscape, creating more realistic compositions.

"Annunciation" is one of early paintings Leonardo

Studying with Verrocchio, Leonardo wrote another of his famous works - "Annunciation". In the biblical story, characteristic of the Renaissance, the young master made his own adjustments. He moved the whole gospel action from Mary's house to the terrace, paying special attention to drawing the landscape in the background.

"The Adoration of the Magi" features an atypical presentation of the plot

Another controversial painting by da Vinci "Adoration of the Magi". She, like many masterpieces of the master, remained unfinished, due to the fact that a year after the start of work, Leonardo left for Milan. The palace, horsemen in the background, a large crowd of people around Mary are completely uncharacteristic of the biblical story. Masterpiece analogues in Italian painting no more. There is an opinion that among those assembled, Leonardo portrayed himself at the age of 29 (the young man on the right).

From early works The Uffizi Gallery also houses two famous drawings by Leonardo - "Landscape of Arno" and a sketch for a painting "Adoration of Mary".

A copy of the painting by Leonardo da Vinci "Leda and the Swan" in the Uffizi Gallery

There is another one in the Uffizi Gallery interesting picture "Leda and the Swan". Unfortunately, original picture Leonardo da Vinci has not survived to this day. The last time the creation of the master was seen in the XVIII century in the Palace of Fontainebleau. However, sketches remained, according to which his followers created several copies. One is currently kept in the Uffizi Gallery, the second -.

The Uffizi Gallery is a popular museum in Florence. About how to get here and where.

Legacy of Leonardo da Vinci in Rome

In the capital of Italy, only one painting of the great Leonardo da Vinci has been preserved - "Saint Jerome". It can be seen in the Vatican Pinakothek.

"Saint Jerome in the Wilderness"

Saint Jerome is another of Leonardo's early works. He wrote it back in Florence, studying with Andrea Verrocchio, commissioned by the papal church, but, like the Adoration of the Magi, he did not complete it on the occasion of his departure to Milan. Subsequently, the painting was badly damaged, cut and sawn into two pieces, one of which was used as a countertop in a grocery store. The scattered parts were collected by the Archbishop of Lyon, Cardinal Joseph Fesch, and after his death, Pope Pius IX bought St. Jerome for the collection of the Vatican Pinakothek.

For those interested in Leonardo's engineering inventions, we also recommend visiting the Leonardo da Vinci Museum in Rome. You can visit it both independently and.

More paintings by Leonardo da Vinci in Italy

Unfortunately, no more da Vinci paintings can be found in Italy, but a few drawings and sketches can be found.

"Vitruvian Man" by Leonardo da Vinci

The most famous of them is "Vitruvian Man" with the master's explanations of canonical proportions human body, kept in the Accademia Gallery in Venice, two female portraits, made in pencil, can be found in the National Gallery of Parma and in the collection of the Royal Library of Turin.

Self-portrait of Leonardo da Vinci

And finally, self-portrait of Leonardo da Vinci, which caused much controversy, is also located in the Royal Library of Turin. Not all experts believe that the person depicted in the portrait is Leonardo, however, fans of his work often turn a blind eye to research, believing that Great master and famous artist looked exactly like this: a wise old man, with a sad look ...

Want to see the masterpieces of Leonardo da Vinci? Then you should definitely visit the homeland of the great master, in Italy. Well, to make your vacation budget-friendly and truly comfortable, we recommend you with useful secrets about traveling in Italy. The course was created by real experts in the country and will allow you to see what 95% of Italian tourists miss.

Epochs High Renaissance. And then there's the recent success of Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code and its film adaptation. No wonder Leonardo's work is always and always shrouded in mystery - you can expect anything from such a genius! So 10 the best works Leonardo da Vinci:

1

This half-length portrait of an Italian woman against the backdrop of a beautiful mountain landscape well known throughout the world, and not only for artistic qualities: in 1911 it was stolen by a Louvre guard and found only 2 years later. This incident added popularity to the picture, and now Gioconda occupies an honorable separate place in the Louvre.

2

The amazing fresco was created in 1795-1498. in the refectory of the monastery "Santa Maria" (Milan). It depicts the scene of the last supper of Jesus Christ, surrounded by the apostles. Art historians believe that the artist reproduced the moment when the Savior tells the disciples that one of them will betray him. This is a real milestone of Renaissance art! In it, da Vinci applied the correct reproduction of the depth of perspective (which was new) - thanks to her, the image acquired depth and liveliness.

3

This is a drawing created as an illustration for a book about the works of Vitruvius (a Roman scientist and encyclopedist). This figure clearly shows the image of a man in two positions, applied one on top of the other. What is special about this drawing? It is called the canonical proportion. "Vitruvian Man" received the status of a work of art and scientific work.

4

The most reliable source of our knowledge of what he looked like great artist is his Turin self-portrait. It was made in sanguine on paper, but over time it was quite badly damaged, and on this moment not exhibited. There is a lot of speculation around the drawing: in particular, some studies have considered that it is a sketch for the Mona Lisa painting!

5

One of the recurring themes of da Vinci's paintings was that of the Madonna and Child, a traditional religious subject. "Madonna Litta" has become one of the best paintings of this subject. It's all about the perfection of lines and shapes - for example, pay attention to how harmoniously the figure of a nursing mother is combined with the clear lines of the window openings depicted in the background. AT this moment kept in the Hermitage.

6

One of the earliest paintings by Leonardo da Vinci. There is no perspective in it yet (before Leonardo it was simply not used), but carefully traced folds on the clothes and the expressive hands of the Virgin Mary are already visible. By the way, the wings of the archangel Gabriel were initially more proportional, but later some unknown artist completed them, and the wings turned out to be somewhat bulky.

7

The earliest, touching and most direct of all the Madonnas of Leonardo da Vinci. All the pieces he created later (including the aforementioned Litta) are close to her in style and composition. The image of a young mother conveys softness and tranquility. Some researchers explain a certain disproportion in the body of a child by the absence of a baby-sitter for the artist, and yet it is strange to suspect a great master of drawing “at random”! Most likely, he wanted to emphasize the unearthly origin of this child.

8

This is just a sketch made in pencil and chalk, but it still amazes art connoisseurs with the thoroughness of the depiction of details (for example, curls of hair) and the accurate transmission of emotions that appear in the eyes of a young woman, the curve of her lips ...

9

The picture was painted towards the end of the 15th century. The girl in the picture is presumably Cecilia Galleroni, the favorite of Duke Ludovico Sforza, because at the time of writing the picture, da Vinci was in the service of this nobleman. But this picture is not at all like the standard portrait of a beautiful grand dame. The figure is depicted in three quarters, and the gaze is directed to the side (da Vinci's innovation). By the way, the girl herself is not at all such an “airy nymph”: despite her attractiveness, the hard fold at the lips betrays an imperious character. As well as the hand that holds the animal - supposedly carefully, but at the same time tenaciously (and da Vinci's hands always turned out to be very expressive). Well, in order to become the favorite of such a noble man, it really required an iron character ...

10

A figure quite often depicted in painting, but how was the Baptist usually depicted? A middle-aged man, with a beard and a stern look ... But not a cute smiling young man, as Leonardo portrayed him! The painting belongs to the late period of the artist's work. It is surprising that in the background there is no familiar picturesque landscape: the bright body of John stands out against a gloomy monotonous background.
Each of these works, despite the fact that they are very different, is a whole era in art. Is it any wonder why Leonardo da Vinci is considered the greatest artist?

Enraptured by mankind for five hundred years.

It is known that the artist worked by order of the ruling elite or the church and for a very long time. There were times when the customer could not wait any longer and gave the work to another.

The artist created no more than three dozen paintings, some of them have been lost. Those that have come down to us are priceless cultural heritage and belong to the golden fund of Renaissance art. Leonardo became the pearl of that era, for the first time demonstrating the unique sfumato technique used by his followers: Raphael, Michelangelo and other great names.

His last work, John the Baptist, was written by him at the age of 65, three years before his death in a castle graciously provided to the Italian by the French king. With it, we will begin our acquaintance with the masterpieces of da Vinci.

Most best paintings Leonardo da Vinci: description and photo.

John the Baptist (1514-1516)

"John the Baptist" - a painting by Leonardo da Vinci.

The artist began painting in Rome and finished in France. Since then, she has not left this country, passed from king to king, and is now kept in the Louvre.

The painting, measuring 69 by 57 cm, displeased the clergy and was scolded for its feminine likeness, the playful smile of the saint, and the too dark background surrounding the bright face. It is believed that the image was written off from a student of Salai, with whom the artist had a long-term relationship, possibly of an intimate nature.

They interpret the work in different ways, there is no consensus, but it is known for sure that the artist often used this gesture in his works, and later it was copied by others, including Raphael.

The picture is considered the second most mysterious after the "La Gioconda".

Mona Lisa (1503-1519)

"Mona Lisa", aka "La Gioconda" - a painting by Leonardo da Vinci.

most controversial and famous picture Leonardo da Vinci. It is also in the Louvre, from where it was stolen in 1911. They unsuccessfully searched for her for several years, until the thief pierced himself, giving an advertisement for the sale in the press. All this time he kept it under his mattress.

In addition, there were four attempts on the painting: they poured acid on it, threw a stone and even a mug at it, and also tried to splash it from a paint can.

The work was restored several times, and there is an opinion of experts that the eyebrows disappeared from her face precisely because of this. Many tried to discuss her smile, writing tons of paper. However, spears were also broken over who is nevertheless depicted on it: a real woman, the image of the author's mother, or an encrypted self-portrait.

One thing is certain: in this work, the sfumato technique is most pronounced, and thanks to the blurring of the lines, the portrait comes to life. This is especially noticeable if you look at the museum exhibit directly in the Louvre: Mona Lisa's smile changes depending on the angle.

It is known for sure that Leonardo da Vinci never parted with this portrait.

By the way, the portrait is insured for $ 670 million, which allowed him to get into the Guinness Book of Records as the most expensive insurance work of art. The painting is hidden behind bulletproof glass in a hall created for it by a secure security system.

Madonna of the Rocks (1483-1486)

The Madonna of the Rocks is a painting by Leonardo da Vinci.

The Louvre also houses this work by the artist, work on which he began at the age of 30. There is a second version of the work with the same name, which is stored in the London Museum. And if the French are confident in the authorship of Leonardo, the British had to prove it. The paintings are identical in composition, the execution is slightly different. In addition, the Louvre version is several centimeters higher.

The Holy Family was ordered to the artist by a representative of one of the Milanese churches, but it never got to the address. Leonardo received a deposit, but raised the final price. The parties did not agree, the painting remained with the artist and went with him to France.

This painting was the first in the history of painting when people are placed inside the landscape, and not in front of it. They also note the humanization of the images of Mary, Jesus, John the Baptist and the Angel, before that the artists painted the frozen faces of the saints. Connoisseurs attribute this to the fact that Leonardo himself, although he wrote for the church, was skeptical about religion.

Lady with an Ermine (1489-1490)

This is one of four portraits of women, which is kept in the Museum of Poland, and the only painting by Da Vinci.

The artist painted a portrait of Cecilia Gallerani, the favorite of the Duke of Milan, at whose court Leonardo spent seventeen years.

In her hands, the ermine is not an outlandish animal, but a symbol depicted on the coat of arms of the duke. Rave reviews of that time have been preserved, both about the skill of the artist and about Cecilia.

Examination of the portrait showed that the background was repainted several times. The girl's face is also changed. Whether this is an adjustment by the author himself - history is silent. Perhaps the changes were made after the death of Leonardo during the restoration of the painting.

The Last Supper (1495-1498)

The Last Supper is a work by Leonardo da Vinci.

This fresco is located in Milan (), in the monastery of St. Mary, where Leonardo da Vinci worked on it for three years, but never completed it. The Duke of Milan paid Leonardo almost $ 800 thousand for this order, if we translate two thousand ducats into modern money.

Art critics believe that calling this work a fresco is not entirely correct: it was painted in tempera on a specially prepared layer. For all the time, the work has been restored several times by different masters. And Nala, it collapsed already two decades after writing. The last time it was put in order in 1954.

There are many rumors and secrets around the idea of ​​the picture. Dan Brown's book was built on some of them and the film "The Da Vinci Code" of the same name was shot.

"Annunciation" (1475)

The Annunciation is a painting by Leonardo da Vinci.

Another work commissioned by the church - "The Annunciation" is stored in Florence in the Uffizi Gallery. Leonardo wrote it as a student.

When viewed in detail, it is striking the thoroughness with which every centimeter of the picture is written out. Here, for the first time, Maria has a tight-fitting dress that does not hide her figure. And the Angel who brought her the good news has a white lily - a symbol of innocence. The development of perspective is considered an innovation - it is not just a dark or light background, but a piece of a port city, with trees, a river, towers and masts of ships.

"Madonna Litta" (1495)

The Madonna Litta (1490-1491) is a masterpiece by Leonardo da Vinci.

Here, too, the biblical story is full of mysteries. On the one hand, the serenity and tenderness of the nursing Mother of God, on the other hand, torn stitches on clothes, as if she did not plan to feed the child. It is not clear why the light does not fall from the windows, but from somewhere to the left. There are versions that Leonardo wrote only the faces of the characters, the rest was completed by his students. Well, the main detail that the author will later bring to perfection in his "La Gioconda" is a smile. If it seems to you that Madonna is smiling, then this is not so. Experts say that the optical illusion is due to the shadows in the corners of her lips.

Saint Anne with the Madonna and the Christ Child (1510)

"Saint Anne with the Madonna and the Christ Child" is an unfinished work by Leonardo da Vinci.

The picture remained unfinished, although Leonardo returned to it until last days own life. He made many sketches, where mother Anna has her daughter Mary sitting on her lap, holding the little Christ. There were several variations of Anna in Three, as this work is also called.

The painting has been frequently restored. last time- with a scandal. In 2012, after the “rejuvenation”, the colors became unnaturally bright, which is why two influential curators of the Louvre who disagreed with such a barbaric technique left the international commission for restoration.

And they shot at her. It happened in London's National Gallery. The shooter admitted that in this way he expressed his protest against the policy of Great Britain and personally Margaret Thatcher. The buckshot broke the protective glass, and the drawing itself received several scratches. The vandal received a real prison term.

The largest number of paintings is in France in the Louvre and in Italy in the Uffizi Gallery. Two paintings are in Russia, in the Hermitage: these are Madonna Litta and Madonna Benois. It is believed that 13 paintings by the great artist and thinker have survived, but among them there are those whose authorship is debatable.

He is credited with the invention (in the 15th century!) of a parachute, a tank, a searchlight, a bicycle (and many other interesting and necessary things and devices). He was well versed in anatomy, and also dreamed of a time when a person, having overcome the force of gravity, would be able to soar like a bird. But the overwhelming majority of the population knows him as the author of a mysterious, magically attractive portrait.

Great Da Vinci masterpieces

The riddle of a smile

It is believed that the wife of a Florentine merchant Lisa Gherardini served as a model for the master. We know her under two "code" names. Mona Lisa. She is Gioconda.

The ingenious technique of "sfumato" (the same flair, a kind of haze enveloping the background of the picture) and never revealed secret the woman's smiles made da Vinci's work the most celebrated and most valuable painting of all time. After several attempts to destroy the masterpiece, it was placed under bulletproof glass.

But the Gioconda, carefully kept in the Louvre, is already the pinnacle that the Italian has reached in his declining years. Before her, there were years of searching, trials, mistakes, successes - the path that a brilliant creative person inevitably goes through.

At the dawn of glory

A new wave of interest in the person arose among our contemporaries thanks to Dan Brown's bestseller. And you future artist and the scientist once did not think about fame at all. He was a little burdened by the fate of the bastard - the illegitimate offspring of the notary Piero di Bartolomeo (although Renaissance society turned a blind eye to illegitimate children). Leonardo turned out to be the fruit of the love of Piero and the villager Katerina. He received his surname from the name of the town in which he was born in 1452. The father took his son to him when he was only 3 years old. This is the loss of a mother in early childhood and oppressed the boy. Subsequently, it is not for nothing that Madonnas will be one of the main themes of the painter.

At the age of 14, da Vinci became an apprentice to the famous Florentine Verrocchio. In addition to drawing and modeling, the student gave a lot of effort to the study of technical and humanities. The guy was accompanied by Perugino, Botticelli, Ghirlandaio and many others, who today are considered the geniuses of the Renaissance.

One of the first notable works of Leonardo is a fragment of the painting "The Baptism of Christ", painted by a teacher. The brush of the young man belongs to the angel on the far left. They say that after this Verrocchio stopped creating: he was struck by how much the young apprentice surpassed the mentor.

The heyday of creativity

The fruitful Florentine and Milanese periods of the life of the creator can be traced through his most famous works.

The canvases of the young da Vinci, dedicated to the gospel stories of the Annunciation and the Adoration of the Magi, which remained unfinished for some reason, are included in the collection of the famous Uffizi Gallery, as the already mentioned masterpiece of Verrocchio.

Two images of the Mother of God - "Madonna Benois" (she is called so by the name of the pre-revolutionary owner of the canvas) and "Madonna Litta" (very famous symbol motherhood) is the pride of the St. Petersburg Hermitage.

But the Madonna in the Rocks, which is kept in the Louvre, has its almost double (also by Leonardo), exhibited in one of the halls of the London National Gallery.

Many people know what the painting, which is part of the collection of the Czartoryski Museum in Krakow, “Lady with an Ermine” looks like. According to experts, this is a portrait of the beloved Duke of Milan Sforza Cecilia. The maestro had only 4 such secular female portraits, including the Gioconda.

Touch eternity

At the end of his life, the artist accepted the invitation of the monarch Francis the First to settle in France. Before moving, he completed a large-scale work - the painting "John the Baptist".

Leonardo da Vinci was not yet 65, and a serious illness deprived him of the opportunity to create (the right hand completely refused). The last year of his life, the master was bedridden, and at the age of 67 he was gone. There is a version that he died in the presence of King Francis I himself. The artist and scientist was buried in the castle of Amboise.

The most famous fresco of da Vinci (yes, yes, it was, among other things, that passions boiled around her in Brown's novel) - " The Last Supper". It was severely damaged by time and the bombings of the Second World War, so it was repeatedly restored. It adorns the wall of the refectory of the Milanese monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie. Those who want to admire it book tickets almost a few months in advance. The masterpiece is allowed strictly for 15 minutes.

Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci is a man of Renaissance art, sculptor, inventor, painter, philosopher, writer, scientist, polymath (universal man).

The future genius was born as a result love affair noble Piero da Vinci and the girl Katerina (Katarina). By social norms At that time, the marriage union of these people was impossible due to the low birth of Leonardo's mother. After the birth of her first child, she was given in marriage to a potter, with whom Katerina lived the rest of her life. It is known that from her husband she gave birth to four daughters and a son.

Portrait of Leonardo da Vinci

The first-born Piero da Vinci lived with his mother for three years. Immediately after his birth, Leonardo's father married a rich representative of a noble family, but his legal wife was never able to give birth to an heir. Three years after the marriage, Piero took his son to him and took up his upbringing. Stepmother Leonardo died after 10 years, trying to give birth to an heir. Pierrot remarried, but was quickly widowed again. In total, Leonardo had four stepmothers, as well as 12 stepbrothers and paternal sisters.

Creativity and inventions of da Vinci

The parent gave Leonardo as an apprentice to the Tuscan master Andrea Verrocchio. During his studies with a mentor, Piero's son learned not only the art of painting and sculpture. Young Leonardo studied the humanities and technical sciences, the skill of leather dressing, the basics of working with metal and chemical reagents. All this knowledge was useful to da Vinci in life.

Leonardo received confirmation of the qualifications of the master at the age of twenty, after which he continued to work under the supervision of Verrocchio. The young artist was involved in small work on the paintings of his teacher, for example, he prescribed background landscapes and clothes. secondary characters. Leonardo had his own workshop only in 1476.

Drawing "Vitruvian Man" by Leonardo da Vinci

In 1482, da Vinci was sent by his patron Lorenzo Medici to Milan. During this period, the artist worked on two paintings that were never completed. In Milan, Duke Lodovico Sforza enrolled Leonardo in the court staff as an engineer. A high-ranking person was interested in defensive devices and devices for entertaining the court. Da Vinci had the opportunity to develop the talent of an architect and the ability of a mechanic. His inventions turned out to be an order of magnitude better than those offered by contemporaries.

The engineer stayed in Milan under the Duke of Sforza for about seventeen years. During this time, Leonardo painted the paintings “Madonna in the Grotto” and “Lady with an Ermine”, created his most famous drawing “Vitruvian Man”, made a clay model of the equestrian monument of Francesco Sforza, painted the wall of the refectory of the Dominican monastery with the composition “The Last Supper”, made a number of anatomical sketches and drawings of devices.

Leonardo's engineering talent was useful to him after returning to Florence in 1499. He got a job with Duke Cesare Borgia, who counted on da Vinci's ability to create military mechanisms. The engineer worked in Florence for about seven years, after which he returned to Milan again. By that time, he had already completed work on his most famous painting, which is now stored in the Louvre Museum.

The master's second Milan period lasted six years, after which he left for Rome. In 1516, Leonardo went to France, where he spent his last years. On the journey, the master took with him Francesco Melzi, a student and main heir artistic style da Vinci.

Portrait of Francesco Melzi

Despite the fact that Leonardo spent only four years in Rome, it is in this city that the museum named after him is located. In the three halls of the institution, you can get acquainted with the devices built according to the drawings of Leonardo, look at copies of paintings, photos of diaries and manuscripts.

Most the Italian devoted his life to engineering and architectural projects. His inventions were both military and peaceful. Leonardo is known as a developer of tank prototypes, an aircraft, a self-propelled cart, a searchlight, a catapult, a bicycle, a parachute, a mobile bridge, a machine gun. Some drawings of the inventor still remain a mystery to researchers.

Drawings and sketches of some of the inventions of Leonardo da Vinci

In 2009, the Discovery TV channel aired a series of films called Da Vinci Apparatus. Each of the ten episodes documentary series was devoted to the construction and testing of mechanisms according to the original drawings of Leonardo. The film's technicians tried to recreate the inventions of the Italian genius using materials from his era.

Personal life

The personal life of the master was kept by him in the strictest confidence. For entries in his diaries, Leonardo used a cipher, but even after decoding, the researchers received little reliable information. There is a version that the reason for secrecy was homosexual da Vinci.

The basis of the theory that the artist loved men was the guesswork of researchers based on circumstantial facts. At a young age, the artist appeared in a case of sodomy, but it is not known for certain in what capacity. After this incident, the master became very secretive and stingy with comments about his personal life.

Possible lovers of Leonardo include some of his students, the most famous of which is Salai. The young man was endowed with an effeminate appearance and became a model for several paintings by da Vinci. The painting "John the Baptist" is one of the surviving works of Leonardo, for which Salai posed.

There is a version that "Mona Lisa" was also written from this sitter, dressed in a woman's dress. It should be noted that there is some physical similarity between the people depicted in the paintings "Mona Lisa" and "John the Baptist". It remains a fact that da Vinci bequeathed his artistic masterpiece to Salai.

Historians also rank Francesco Melzi as a possible beloved of Leonardo.

There is another version of the secret of the Italian's personal life. There is an opinion that Leonardo had a romantic relationship with Cecilia Gallerani, who, presumably, is depicted in the portrait "Lady with an Ermine". This woman was the favorite of the Duke of Milan, the owner of the literary salon, the patroness of the arts. She introduced the young artist to the circle of Milanese bohemia.

Fragment of the painting "Lady with an Ermine"

Among da Vinci's notes, a draft letter was found addressed to Cecilia, which began with the words: "My beloved goddess ...". Researchers suggest that the portrait of the "Lady with an Ermine" was painted with clear signs of unspent feelings for the woman depicted on it.

Some researchers believe that great italian did not know carnal love at all. Men and women were not physically attracted to him. In the context of this theory, it is assumed that Leonardo led the life of a monk who did not give birth to descendants, but left a great legacy.

Death and grave

Modern researchers have concluded that the probable cause of the artist's death is a stroke. Da Vinci died at the age of 67 in 1519. Thanks to the memoirs of contemporaries, it is known that by that time the artist was already suffering from partial paralysis. Leonardo couldn't move right hand, as researchers believe, due to a stroke in 1517.

Despite the paralysis, the master continued active creative life, resorting to the help of a student of Francesco Melzi. Da Vinci's health was deteriorating, and by the end of 1519 it was already difficult for him to walk without assistance. This evidence is consistent with the theoretical diagnosis. According to scientists, a repeated attack of a violation cerebral circulation completed in 1519 life path famous Italian.

Monument to Leonardo da Vinci in Milan, Italy

At the time of his death, the master was in the Clos Luce castle near the city of Amboise, where he lived for the last three years of his life. In accordance with Leonardo's will, his body was buried in the gallery of the church of Saint-Florentin.

Unfortunately, the master's grave was devastated during the Huguenot wars. The church, in which the Italian rested, was plundered, after which it fell into severe disrepair and was demolished by the new owner of the Amboise castle, Roger Ducos, in 1807.

After the destruction of the Saint-Florentin chapel, the remains from many graves from different years were mixed and buried in the garden. Beginning in the mid-nineteenth century, researchers made several attempts to identify the bones of Leonardo da Vinci. Innovators in this matter were guided by the lifetime description of the master and chose the most suitable fragments from the remains found. They have been studied for some time. The work was led by archaeologist Arsen Usse. He also found fragments of a tombstone, presumably from the grave of da Vinci, and a skeleton, in which some fragments were missing. These bones were reburied in the reconstructed tomb of the artist in the chapel of Saint Hubert on the grounds of the Château de Amboise.

In 2010, a team of researchers led by Silvano Vincheti was about to exhume the remains of a Renaissance master. It was planned to identify the skeleton using genetic material taken from the graves of Leonardo's paternal relatives. Italian researchers failed to obtain permission from the owners of the castle to carry out the necessary work.

In the place where the Church of Saint-Florentin used to be, at the beginning of the last century, a granite monument was erected, marking the four hundredth anniversary of the death of the famous Italian. The reconstructed tomb of the engineer and the stone monument with his bust are among the most popular sights of Amboise.

Secrets of da Vinci paintings

Leonardo's work has occupied the minds of art historians, religious researchers, historians and the public for more than four hundred years. Works Italian artist became an inspiration for people of science and creativity. There are many theories that reveal the secrets of da Vinci's paintings. The most famous of them says that when writing his masterpieces, Leonardo used a special graphic code.

With the help of a device of several mirrors, the researchers managed to find out that the secret of the views of the characters from the paintings "La Gioconda" and "John the Baptist" lies in the fact that they are looking at a masked creature resembling an alien alien. The secret cipher in Leonardo's notes was also deciphered using an ordinary mirror.

Mystifications around the work of the Italian genius led to the emergence of a number of works of art, the author of which was the writer . His novels have become bestsellers. In 2006, the film The Da Vinci Code was released, based on work of the same name Brown. The film was met with a wave of criticism from religious organizations, but set box office records in its first month of release.

Lost and unfinished works

Not all of the master's works have survived to our time. Works that have not survived include: a shield with a painting in the form of the head of Medusa, a sculpture of a horse for the Duke of Milan, a portrait of the Madonna with a spindle, the painting "Leda and the Swan" and the fresco "Battle of Anghiari".

About some of the master's paintings modern researchers known thanks to surviving copies and memoirs of da Vinci's contemporaries. For example, the fate of the original Leda and the Swan is still unknown. Historians believe that the painting may have been destroyed in the mid-seventeenth century on the orders of the Marquise de Maintenon, wife of Louis XIV. Sketches made by Leonardo's hand, and several copies of the canvas made by different artists.

The painting depicted a young naked woman in the arms of a swan, at whose feet babies hatched from huge eggs play. When creating this masterpiece, the artist was inspired by a famous mythical story. It is interesting that the canvas based on the story of the copulation of Leda with Zeus, who took the form of a swan, was written not only by da Vinci.

Leonardo's lifetime rival also painted a picture dedicated to this ancient myth. The painting by Buonarotti suffered the same fate as the work of da Vinci. Paintings by Leonardo and Michelangelo simultaneously disappeared from the collection of the French royal house.

Among the unfinished works of the brilliant Italian, the painting "The Adoration of the Magi" stands out. The canvas was commissioned by the Augustinian monks in 1841, but remained unfinished due to the departure of the master to Milan. The customers found another artist, and Leonardo saw no reason to continue working on the painting.

Fragment of the painting “The Adoration of the Magi”

Researchers believe that the composition of the canvas has no analogues in Italian painting. The painting depicts Mary with the newborn Jesus and the Magi, and behind the backs of the pilgrims are horse riders and the ruins of a pagan temple. There is an assumption that Leonardo depicted in the picture among the men who came to the son of God, and himself at the age of 29 years.

• Researcher of religious mysteries Lynn Picknett published the book Leonardo da Vinci and the Brotherhood of Zion in 2009, naming the famous Italian as one of the masters of a secret religious order.
• It is believed that da Vinci was a vegetarian. He wore clothes made of linen, neglecting outfits made of leather and natural silk.
• A team of researchers plans to isolate Leonardo's DNA from the surviving personal belongings of the master. Historians also claim they are close to finding da Vinci's maternal relatives.
• The Renaissance was the time when noble women in Italy were addressed with the words "my mistress", in Italian - "Madonna" (ma donna). AT colloquial speech the expression was shortened to "monna" (monna). This means that the name of the painting "Mona Lisa" can literally be translated as "Madame Lisa".

• Raphael Santi called da Vinci his teacher. He visited the studio of Leonardo in Florence, tried to adopt some features of his artistic style. Raphael Santi also called Michelangelo Buonarroti his teacher. The three artists mentioned are considered the main geniuses of the Renaissance.
• Australian enthusiasts have created the largest traveling exhibition of the inventions of the great architect. The exposition was developed with the participation of the Leonardo da Vinci Museum in Italy. The exhibition has already visited six continents. During its operation, five million visitors were able to see and touch the works of the most famous engineer of the Renaissance.