Leonardo da Vinci - biography, interesting facts. Discoveries of Leonardo da Vinci in the field of science and technology

Self-portrait of Leonardo da Vinci

Discoveries of Leonardo da Vinci in the field of science and technology- aggregate scientific discoveries and technical inventions made by the Italian artist, scientist and inventor Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519)

Leonardo da Vinci offered drawings of a number of mechanisms and inventions. He studied hydraulics, statics and dynamics of bodies, geometry, optics, anatomy, botany, paleontology, military affairs.

Leonardo's influence on the subsequent development of science is a subject of controversy, since it is indicated that his manuscripts were unknown until the publication of J. B. Ventura's work in 1797. Opponents of this view believe that the ideas of Leonardo da Vinci were spread by word of mouth or through his manuscripts. A number of Leonardo's ideas are contained in the writings of Nicolo Tartaglia (1499-1552), Jerome Cardan (1501-1576) and Giovan Battista Benedetti (1530-1590).

inventions

From tens to hundreds of Leonardo's inventions are contained in the form of drawings in his notebooks, may be accompanied by remarks. Drawings are sometimes repeated, modified and improved.

Among the most famous inventions of Leonardo da Vinci, Mario Gliozzi in the book "History of Physics" notes: devices for converting and transmitting motion (in particular, steel chain drives used in bicycles); simple and interlaced belt drives, various clutches (conical, spiral, stepped); roller bearings to reduce friction, double connection (now known as cardan and used in cars); a variety of machine tools: for example, automatic notching machine, gold bullion molding machine, mechanical loom and spinning machine, weaving machines (shearing, knotting, carding); suspension of axles on movable wheels arranged around to reduce friction during rotation - a precursor to ball and roller bearings; a device for testing the resistance of metal threads to stretching; combat vehicles for warfare; new musical instruments; higher definition coin minting machine. During his lifetime, Leonardo received recognition for the wheel lock he invented for a pistol (wound with a key).

Hydraulics and hydrostatics

Leonardo da Vinci was engaged in practical hydraulics, participating in a number of hydraulic works of his time. He took part in the reclamation of Lomellina, the construction of hydraulic structures in Navara, designed the diversion of the channel of the Arno River at the Pisa Bridge, studied the problem of drainage of the Pontic works, and was engaged in hydraulic installations on the Adda and the Martesan Canal.

When carrying out hydraulic engineering work, Leonardo da Vinci made a number of inventions. He designed similar to modern excavators, created mechanical means for digging channels, improved locks to make channels navigable, namely, he introduced a system of shields that controlled the size of the openings for filling and emptying the lock.

In the field of theoretical hydrostatics, Leonardo knew the principle of communicating vessels for liquids of different densities, and also knew the basic principle of hydrostatics, now known as Pascal's law. According to the historian of science Duhem, Pascal learned this law from Leonardo da Vinci through Giovan Batisto Benedetti and Marino Mersenne, with whom Pascal corresponded.

Leonardo became the author of the theory of wave motion on the sea and expressed the idea that wave motion underlies the series physical phenomena. According to the "History of Physics" by M. Gliozzi, Leonardo expressed the idea that light, sound, color, smell, magnetism spread in waves.

Flight

Leonardo da Vinci was interested in flying for over two decades, from 1490 to 1513. He began by investigating the flight of birds. In 1490, he designed the first model of an aircraft, to which he returned later. This model had fender-like wings bat, and it had to be set in motion by the muscular strength of a person. At present, it is believed that the problem of building an aircraft powered by muscle power is unsolvable, since it is not enough for flight.

Later, Leonardo thought about soaring flight using wind energy.

Leonardo also came up with the idea of ​​a helicopter, the driving element of which should be a fast moving spiral:

A screw apparatus, which, if rotated at high speed, is screwed into the air and rises.

In the Codex Atlanticus, Leonardo apparently gives the most early draft parachute.

Statics and dynamics

Dealing with perspective, in relation to painting, Leonardo moved on to the problems of geometry and mechanics.

Experimental scientific method and its application

As an artist, Leonardo da Vinci was interested in the theory of optics. He gave a description of the camera obscura and used it in the theory of vision. He proposed glasses for observing the moon, established that the eyes see voluminous bodies in different ways, was engaged in parabolic mirrors. He was the first to suggest that the ashen light of the moon is the light that is first reflected from the earth, and then from the moon. He proposed the first scheme of a telescope with two lenses.

In his anatomical studies, Leonardo da Vinci, summarizing the results of autopsies, laid the foundations of modern scientific illustration, making a number of detailed drawings of various organs, muscles and systems of the human body. Leonardo described the human body as an example of "natural mechanics". He discovered and described a number of bones and nerves, studied the problems of embryology and comparative anatomy.

Leonardo da Vinci, whose years of life and death the whole world knows, is perhaps the most mysterious figure of the Renaissance. Many people care about where Leonardo da Vinci was born and who he was. He is known as an artist, anatomist and engineer. In addition to numerous discoveries, this unique person left behind a huge number of different mysteries that the whole world is trying to solve to this day.

Biography

When was Leonardo da Vinci born? He was born on April 15, 1452. It is interesting to know where Leonardo da Vinci was born, and specifically in which city. There is nothing easier. His surname comes from the name of the place of birth. Vinci is an Italian city in the then Florentine Republic.

Leonardo was the illegitimate child of an official and an ordinary peasant girl. The boy grew up and was brought up in the house of his father, thanks to whom he received a good education.

As soon as the future genius was 15 years old, he became an apprentice to Andrea del Verocchio, who was a talented sculptor, painter and representative of the Florentine school.

One day the teacher Leonardo took up one interesting work. He arranged to paint an altarpiece in the church of Santi Salvi, which depicted the baptism of Christ by John. The young da Vinci participated in this work. He wrote only one angel, which turned out to be an order of magnitude more beautiful than the whole image. This circumstance was the reason that I decided never to pick up brushes again. His young but incredibly talented student was able to surpass his teacher.

After another 5 years, Leonardo da Vinci becomes a member of the Guild of Artists. There, with particular passion, he began to study the basics of drawing and many other compulsory disciplines. A little later, in 1476, he continued to work with former teacher and mentor Andrea del Verrocchio, but already as a co-author of his creations.

long-awaited glory

By 1480, the name of Leonardo da Vinci becomes famous. I wonder when Leonardo da Vinci was born, could his contemporaries assume that he would become so famous? During this period, the artist receives the largest and most expensive orders, but after two years decides to leave native city and moved to Milan. There he continues to work, paints several successful paintings and the famous fresco "The Last Supper".

It was during this period of life that Leonardo da Vinci began to lead own diary. From there we learn that he is no longer just an artist, but also an architect-designer, hydraulics, anatomist, inventor of all kinds of mechanisms and decorations. In addition to all this, he also finds time to compose riddles, fables or puzzles. Moreover, it awakens an interest in music. And this is only a small part of what Leonardo da Vinci became famous for.

Some time later, the genius realizes that mathematics is much more exciting than painting. He is so keen on exact science that he forgets to think about painting. Even later, da Vinci begins to show interest in anatomy. He departs for Rome and stays there for 3 years, living under the "wing" of the Medici family. But very soon the joy is replaced by sadness and longing. Leonrado da Vinci is upset because of the lack of material for anatomical experiments. Then he tries to engage in various experiments, but this does not lead to anything.

life changes

In 1516, the life of the Italian genius changes dramatically. He is noticed by the king of France, truly admired by his work, and invites him to the court. Later, the sculptor will write that although Leonardo's main work was a very prestigious position as a court adviser, he did not forget about his work.

It was during this life period that da Vinci began to develop the idea of ​​an aircraft. At first, he manages to come up with a simple pattern based on wings. In the future, it will serve as the basis for a completely insane project at that time - an airplane with full control. But although da Vinci was talented, he could not invent a motor. The dream of an airplane turned out to be unrealizable.

Now you know exactly where Leonardo da Vinci was born, what he was fond of and what life path he had to go through. The Florentine died on May 2, 1519.

Painting by famous artist

The Italian genius was very versatile, but most people think of him solely as a painter. And this is no accident. Painting by Leonardo da Vinci - true art and his paintings are real masterpieces. Above the mysteries of the most famous works, coming out from under the brush of the Florentine, thousands of scientists from all over the globe are fighting.

It is quite difficult to choose a few paintings from the whole variety. Therefore, the article will present the top 6 most famous and earliest works of the author.

1. First job famous artist- "A small sketch of the river valley."

This is a really neat drawing. It depicts a castle and a small wooded slope. The sketch was made with quick strokes using a pencil. The whole landscape is depicted in such a way that it seems as if we are looking at the picture from some high point.

2. "Turin self-portrait" - created by the artist at about 60 years old.

This work is interesting for us primarily because it gives an idea of ​​how the great Leonardo da Vinci. Although there is an opinion that a completely different person is depicted here. Many art historians consider the "self-portrait" a sketch for the famous "La Gioconda". This work is considered one of the best works Leonardo.

3. "Mona Lisa" or "La Gioconda" - the most famous and perhaps the most mysterious painting by the Italian artist, written around 1514 - 1515.

She in itself is the most interesting fact about Leonardo da Vinci. There are so many theories and assumptions associated with the picture that it is impossible to count them all. Many experts claim that the canvas depicts an ordinary one against the backdrop of a very unusual landscape. Some believe that this is a portrait of the Duchess of Costanza d "Avalos. According to others, the wife of Francesco del Gioconda is in the picture. But there is more modern version. She says that great artist captured the widow Giovanni Antonio Brandano named Pacifica.

4. "Vitruvian Man" - a drawing created as an illustration for a book approximately in 1490-1492.

It very well depicts a naked man in two slightly different positions, which are applied to each other. This work received the status of not only a work of art, but also a scientific work.

5. The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci - a picture that shows the moment when Jesus Christ announced to his disciples that he would be betrayed by one of them. Created in 1495-1498.

This work is as enigmatic and mysterious as the Gioconda. Perhaps the most truly amazing thing about this picture is the history of its writing. According to many historians, Leonardo da Vinci could not write Judas and Christ for a long time. Once he was lucky to find in the church choir one beautiful young man, spiritualized and bright so much that the author's doubts disappeared - here he is, the prototype of Jesus. But the image of Judas still remained unfinished. For three long years, Leonardo walked around the green back streets, looking for the most degraded and vile person. One day he found one. It was a drunkard in the gutter. Da Vinci brought him to the studio and painted Judas from him. How unimaginable was the author's surprise when it turned out that he wrote Jesus and the disciple who betrayed him from the same person, simply met at different periods of the latter's life.

The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci is also famous for the fact that on the right hand of Christ the master depicted Mary Magdalene. Due to the fact that he placed her in this way, many began to claim that she was the lawful wife of Jesus. There was even a hypothesis that the contours of the bodies of Christ and Mary Magdalene denote the letter M, which means "Matrimonio", that is, marriage.

6. "Madonna Litta" - a painting dedicated to the Mother of God and the Christ Child.

On the hands is a very traditional religious story. But it was the painting by Leonardo da Vinci that became one of the best in this subject. In fact, this masterpiece is not very large, only 42 x 33 cm. But it still truly amazes the imagination with its beauty and purity. This picture is also remarkable for its mysterious details. Why is the baby holding the chick in her hand? Why is his mother's dress ripped open where the baby is pressed against her breast? And why is the picture so dark?

The painting of Leonardo da Vinci is not just beautiful canvases, it is a whole separate art form that strikes the imagination with its indescribable splendor and bewitching secrets.

What did the great creator leave to the world?

What made Leonardo da Vinci famous besides paintings? Undoubtedly, he was talented in many areas that, it would seem, cannot be combined with each other at all. However, despite all his genius, he had one entertaining character trait that did not really fit with his business - he liked to abandon the work he had begun and leave it like that forever. But nevertheless, Leonardo da Vinci nevertheless brought to the end several truly brilliant discoveries. They turned the then ideas about life.

The discoveries of Leonardo da Vinci are amazing. What can we say about a man who created a whole science? Are you familiar with paleontology? But it is Leonardo da Vinci who is its ancestor. It was he who first made an entry in his diary about a certain rare fossil that he managed to discover. Scholars are still wondering what it was all about. Known only exemplary description: a kind of stone that looks like a fossilized honeycomb and has a hexagonal shape. Leonardo also described the first ideas about paleontology as a science in general.

Thanks to da Vinci, people have learned to jump from planes without crashing. After all, he was the one who invented the parachute. Of course, initially it was only a prototype of a modern parachute and it looked completely different, but the importance of the invention does not become less from this. In his diary, the master wrote about a piece of linen fabric, 11 meters long and wide. He was sure that this would help a person land without any injuries. And as time has shown, he was absolutely right.

Of course, the helicopter was invented much later than Leonardo da Vinci died, but the idea of ​​​​the aircraft belongs to him. It does not look at all like what we now call a helicopter, but rather resembles an inverted round table with one leg, to which the pedals are screwed. It is due to them that the invention was supposed to fly.

Unbelievable, but it is a fact

What else did Leonardo da Vinci create? Incredibly, he also had a hand in robotics. Just think, back in the 15th century, he personally designed the first model of the so-called robot. His invention had many complex mechanisms and springs. But most importantly, this robot was humanoid and even knew how to move its arms. In addition, the Italian genius came up with several mechanical lions. They could move by themselves using mechanisms like sentries.

Leonardo da Vinci made so many discoveries on earth that he became interested in something new in space. He could gaze at the stars for hours. And although it cannot be said that he invented the telescope, in one of his books you can find instructions for creating something very similar to him.

We even owe our cars to da Vinci. He came up with a wooden model of a car with three wheels. The whole structure was set in motion by a special mechanism. Many scientists believe that this idea was born back in 1478.

Among other things, Leonardo was fond of military affairs. He came up with a multi-barreled and rapid-fire weapon - a machine gun, or rather, its prototype.

Of course, Leonardo da Vinci could not help but come up with something for the painters. It was he who developed the artistic technique, in which all distant things seem blurry. He also invented chiaroscuro.

It is worth noting that all the discoveries of Leonardo da Vinci turned out to be very useful, and some of his developments are still used today. They are only slightly improved.

Nevertheless, we cannot but admit that Leonardo da Vinci, whose contribution to science was enormous, was a real genius.

Water is Leonardo da Vinci's favorite element.

If you love diving or have dived to a considerable depth at least once in your life, then thank Leonardo da Vinci. He invented scuba gear. Da Vinci designed a kind of floating cork buoy that held a reed tube for air above the water. He also invented the leather air bag.

Leonardo da Vinci, biology

The genius was interested in everything: the principles of breathing, yawning, coughing, vomiting, and especially the beating of the heart. Leonardo da Vinci studied biology, closely linking it with physiology. It was he who first described the heart as a muscle and almost came to the conclusion that it is it that pumps blood in the human body. Da Vicney even made an attempt to create a prosthetic aortic valve through which the blood flow passed.

Anatomy as art

Everyone knows that da Vinci was fond of anatomy. In 2005, researchers discovered his secret laboratory, where he supposedly dissected hundreds of corpses. And this apparently had an effect. It was da Vinci who accurately described the shape of the human spine. Among other things, there is an opinion that he discovered diseases such as atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis. Another Italian managed to excel in dentistry. Leonardo was the first person to depict the correct structure of the teeth in the oral cavity, describing in detail their number.

Do you wear glasses or lenses? And for that we have to say thanks to Leonardo. In 1509, he wrote in his diary a certain model of how and with what help one can change optical power human eye.

Leonardo da Vinci, whose contribution to science is simply invaluable, created, studied or discovered so many things that it is impossible to count. His brilliant hands and head definitely belong to the greatest discoveries.

He was a very enigmatic figure. And, of course, to this day there are various Interesting Facts about Leonardo da Vinci.

It is known for certain that he was a cipher clerk. Leonardo wrote with his left hand and in very small letters. Yes, and did it from right to left. But by the way, Da Vinci wrote equally well with both hands.

The Florentine always spoke in riddles and even made prophecies, most of which came true.

Interestingly, not where Leonardo da Vinci was born, a monument was erected to him, but in a completely different place - in Milan.

It is believed that the Italian was a vegetarian. But this did not prevent him from being the manager of court feasts for thirteen years. He even came up with several culinary "helpers" to make the work of cooks easier.

Among other things, the Florentine played the lyre insanely beautifully. But even this is not all interesting facts about Leonardo da Vinci.

Leonardo di Ser Piero da Vinci (1452 -1519) - italian artist(painter, sculptor, architect) and scientist (anatomist, naturalist), inventor, writer, one of the largest representatives of art High Renaissance, prime example"universal man".

BIOGRAPHY OF LEONARDO DA VINCI

Born in 1452 near the city of Vinci (from where the prefix of his surname came from). His artistic hobbies are not limited to painting, architecture and sculpture. Despite the enormous merits in the field of exact sciences (mathematics, physics) and natural science, Leonardo did not find sufficient support and understanding. Only after many years of his work were truly appreciated.

Fascinated by the idea of ​​​​creating an aircraft, Leonardo da Vinci first developed the simplest apparatus (Dedalus and Icarus) based on wings. His new idea was an airplane with full control. However, it was not possible to realize it due to the lack of a motor. Also, the famous idea of ​​​​the scientist is a device with vertical takeoff and landing.

Studying the laws of fluids and hydraulics in general, Leonardo made a significant contribution to the theory of locks, sewer ports, testing ideas in practice.

The famous paintings of Leonardo da Vinci are "La Gioconda", "Last Supper", "Madonna with an Ermine", and many others. Leonardo was demanding and precise in all his affairs. Even being fond of painting, he insisted on a complete study of the object before starting the drawing.

Jaconda The Last Supper Madonna with an ermine

The manuscripts of Leonardo da Vinci are priceless. They were fully published only in the 19th and 20th centuries, although during his lifetime the author dreamed of publishing part Z. In his notes, Leonardo noted not just reflections, but supplemented them with drawings, drawings, and descriptions.

Being talented in many areas, Leonardo da Vinci made a significant contribution to the history of architecture, art, and physics. The great scientist died in France in 1519.

THE CREATIVITY OF LEONARDO DA VINCI

To the number early works Leonardo also includes the “Madonna with a Flower” kept in the Hermitage (the so-called Benois Madonna, circa 1478), which is decisively different from the numerous Madonnas of the 15th century. Rejecting the genre and meticulous detailing inherent in the works of the early Renaissance masters, Leonardo deepens the characteristics and generalizes the forms.

In 1480, Leonardo already had his own workshop and received orders. However, his passion for science often distracted him from art. The large altar composition "Adoration of the Magi" (Florence, Uffizi) and "Saint Jerome" (Rome, Vatican Pinakothek) remained unfinished.

The Milanese period includes paintings of a mature style - "Madonna in the Grotto" and "The Last Supper". "Madonna in the Grotto" (1483-1494, Paris, Louvre) - the first monumental altar composition of the High Renaissance. Her characters Mary, John, Christ and the angel acquired features of grandeur, poetic spirituality and fullness of life expressiveness.

The most significant of the monumental paintings by Leonardo, The Last Supper, executed in 1495-1497 for the monastery of Santa Maria della Grazie in Milan, transfers into the world of real passions and dramatic feelings. Departing from the traditional interpretation of the gospel episode, Leonardo gives an innovative solution to the theme, a composition that deeply reveals human feelings and experiences.

After the capture of Milan by the French troops, Leonardo left the city. The years of wandering began. By order of the Florentine Republic, he made cardboard for the fresco "Battle of Anghiari", which was supposed to decorate one of the walls of the Council Hall in the Palazzo Vecchio (city government building). When creating this cardboard, Leonardo entered into competition with the young Michelangelo, who executed the commission for the fresco "Battle of Kashin" for another wall in the same room.

In the full drama and dynamics of Leonardo's composition, an episode of the battle for the banner, a moment is given higher voltage fighting forces, revealed cruel truth wars. The creation of the portrait of Mona Lisa (La Gioconda, circa 1504, Paris, Louvre), one of the most famous works of world painting, belongs to the same time.

The depth and significance of the created image is extraordinary, in which the features of the individual are combined with great generalization.

Leonardo was born into the family of a wealthy notary and landowner Piero da Vinci, his mother was a simple peasant woman Katerina. He got good home education, however, he lacked the systematic study of Greek and Latin.

He masterfully played the lyre. When Leonardo's case was considered in the court of Milan, he appeared there precisely as a musician, and not as an artist or inventor.

According to one theory, Mona Lisa smiles from the realization of her secret to all pregnancy.

According to another version, Gioconda was entertained by musicians and clowns while she posed for the artist.

There is another theory, according to which, "Mona Lisa" is a self-portrait of Leonardo.

Leonardo, apparently, did not leave a single self-portrait that could be unambiguously attributed to him. Scientists have doubted that Leonardo's famous self-portrait of sanguine (traditionally dated 1512-1515), depicting him in old age, is such. It is believed that perhaps this is just a study of the head of the apostle for the Last Supper. Doubts that this is a self-portrait of the artist have been expressed since the 19th century, the last of which was recently expressed by one of the largest experts on Leonardo, Professor Pietro Marani.

Scientists from the University of Amsterdam and specialists from the United States, having studied the mysterious smile of the Gioconda with the help of a new computer program, unraveled its composition: according to their data, it contains 83% happiness, 9% neglect, 6% fear and 2% anger.

Bill Gates bought the Codex Leicester, a collection of works by Leonardo da Vinci, for $30 million in 1994. It has been on display at the Seattle Museum of Art since 2003.

Leonardo loved the water: he developed instructions for scuba diving, invented and described the diving apparatus, the breathing apparatus for scuba diving. All the inventions of Leonardo formed the basis of modern underwater equipment.

Leonardo was the first to explain why the sky is blue. In the book "On Painting" he wrote: "The blue of the sky is due to the thickness of the illuminated particles of air, which is located between the Earth and the blackness above."

Observations of the moon in the phase of the growing crescent led Leonardo to one of the important scientific discoveries - the researcher found that sunlight reflects off the Earth and returns to the moon as secondary illumination.

Leonardo was ambidexter - in the same degree He was good with both right and left hands. He suffered from dyslexia (impaired ability to read) - this disease, called "word blindness", is associated with reduced brain activity in a certain area of ​​​​the left hemisphere. As you know, Leonardo wrote in a mirror way.

The Louvre recently spent $5.5 million to outweigh famous masterpiece artist "La Gioconda" from the general to a specially equipped room for her. Two-thirds of the State Hall, occupying a total area of ​​840 square meters. The huge room was rebuilt as a gallery, on the far wall of which now hangs the famous creation of Leonardo. The reconstruction, which was carried out according to the project of the Peruvian architect Lorenzo Piqueras, lasted about four years. The decision to relocate the Mona Lisa to a separate room was made by the administration of the Louvre due to the fact that same place, surrounded by other paintings Italian painters, this masterpiece was lost, and the public had to queue to see the famous painting.

In August 2003, Leonardo da Vinci's $50 million painting Madonna with a Spindle was stolen from Drumlanrig Castle in Scotland. The masterpiece disappeared from the home of one of Scotland's richest landowners, the Duke of Buccleuch. The FBI last November released a list of the 10 most notorious crimes in the field of art, including this robbery.

Leonardo left designs for a submarine, a propeller, a tank, a loom, a ball bearing, and flying machines.

In December 2000, British skydiver Adrian Nicholas South Africa descended from a height of 3 thousand meters from hot air balloon on a parachute designed by Leonardo da Vinci. The Discover website writes about this fact.

Leonardo was the first painter to dismember corpses in order to understand the location and structure of muscles.

A big fan of word games, Leonardo left a long list of synonyms for the male penis in the Codex Arundel.

Being engaged in the construction of canals, Leonardo da Vinci made an observation that later entered geology under his name as a theoretical principle for recognizing the time of formation of the earth's layers. He came to the conclusion that the Earth is much older than the Bible believed.

It is believed that da Vinci was a vegetarian (Andrea Corsali in a letter to Giuliano di Lorenzo Medici compares Leonardo to a Hindu who did not eat meat). The phrase often attributed to da Vinci “If a person strives for freedom, why does he keep birds and animals in cages? .. man is truly the king of animals, because he cruelly exterminates them. We live by killing others. We are walking graveyards! Also in early age I gave up meat" taken from English translation Dmitry Merezhkovsky's novel The Resurrected Gods. Leonardo da Vinci".

Leonardo in his famous diaries wrote from right to left in a mirror image. Many people think that in this way he wanted to make his research secret. Perhaps that is the way it is. According to another version, the mirror handwriting was his individual feature (there is even evidence that it was easier for him to write in this way than in a normal way); there is even the concept of "Leonardo's handwriting."

Among Leonardo's hobbies were even cooking and serving art. In Milan for 13 years he was the manager of court feasts. He invented several culinary devices that make the work of cooks easier. The original dish "from Leonardo" - thinly sliced ​​stew, with vegetables laid on top - was very popular at court feasts.

Italian scientists announced a sensational discovery. They claim that an early self-portrait of Leonardo da Vinci has been discovered. The discovery belongs to the journalist Piero Angela.

In Terry Pratchett's books, there is a character named Leonard, inspired by Leonardo da Vinci. Pratchett's Leonard writes from right to left, invents various machines, engages in alchemy, paints pictures (the most famous is the portrait of Mona Ogg)

Leonardo is a minor character in Assassin's Creed 2. Here he is shown as a young man, but talented artist and also an inventor.

A considerable number of Leonardo's manuscripts were first published by the curator of the Ambrosian Library, Carlo Amoretti.

Bibliography

Compositions

• Tales and parables of Leonardo da Vinci
• Natural science writings and works on aesthetics. (1508).
• Leonardo da Vinci. "Fire and Cauldron (story)"

About him

• Leonardo da Vinci. Selected natural science works. M. 1955.
• Monuments of world aesthetic thought, vol. I, M. 1962. Les manuscrits de Leonard de Vinci, de la Bibliothèque de l'Institut, 1881-1891.
• Leonardo da Vinci: Traite de la peinture, 1910.
• Il Codice di Leonardo da Vinci, nella Biblioteca del principe Trivulzio, Milano, 1891.
• Il Codice Atlantico di Leonardo da Vinci, nella Biblioteca Ambrosiana, Milano, 1894-1904.
• Volynsky A. L., Leonardo da Vinci, St. Petersburg, 1900; 2nd ed., St. Petersburg, 1909.
• General history of arts. T.3, M. "Art", 1962.
• Gastev A. Leonardo da Vinci (ZhZL)
• Gukovsky M.A. Mechanics of Leonardo da Vinci. - M.: Publishing House of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, 1947. - 815 p.
• Zubov V.P. Leonardo da Vinci. M.: Ed. Academy of Sciences of the USSR, 1962.
• Pater V. Renaissance, M., 1912.
• Seil G. Leonardo da Vinci as artist and scientist. Experience in psychological biography, St. Petersburg, 1898.
• Sumtsov N. F. Leonardo da Vinci, 2nd ed., Kharkov, 1900.
• Florentine Readings: Leonardo da Vinci (collection of articles by E. Solmi, B. Croce, I. del Lungo, J. Paladina and others), M., 1914.
• Geymüller H. Les manuscrits de Leonardo de Vinci, extr. de la Gazette des Beaux-Arts, 1894.
• Grothe H., Leonardo da Vinci als Ingenieur und Philosoph, 1880.
• Herzfeld M., Das Traktat von der Malerei. Jena, 1909.
• Leonardo da Vinci, der Denker, Forscher und Poet, Auswahl, Uebersetzung und Einleitung, Jena, 1906.
• Müntz, E., Leonardo da Vinci, 1899.
• Peladan, Leonardo da Vinci. Textes choisis, 1907.
• Richter J. P., The literary works of L. da Vinci, London, 1883.
• Ravaisson-Mollien Ch., Les écrits de Leonardo de Vinci, 1881.

Leonardo da Vinci in art

• The Life of Leonardo da Vinci - 1971 television miniseries.
• Da Vinci's Demons is a 2013 American television series.

When writing this article, materials from such sites were used:wikipedia.org ,

If you find inaccuracies, or want to supplement this article, send us information to the email address [email protected] site, we, and our readers, will be very grateful to you.

Da Vinci made the greatest contribution to the field of mechanics. Peru belongs to Leonardo Da Vinci research on the fall of a body on an inclined plane, on the centers of gravity of the pyramids, on the impact of bodies, on the movement of sand on sounding plates; about the laws of friction. Leonardo also wrote works on hydraulics.

Some historians whose research dates back to the Renaissance have expressed the opinion that although Leonardo da Vinci was talented in many areas, he nevertheless did not make a significant contribution to such an exact science as theoretical mechanics. However, a careful analysis of his recently discovered manuscripts, and in particular the drawings in them, convinces the opposite. Leonardo da Vinci's work on the study of action various kinds weapons, in particular the crossbow, appear to have been one of the reasons for his interest in mechanics. The subjects of his interest in this area, speaking modern language, there were laws of addition of velocities and addition of forces, the concept neutral plane and the position of the center of gravity when the body moves.

The contribution of Leonardo da Vinci to theoretical mechanics can be appreciated to a greater extent by a more careful study of his drawings, and not the texts of the manuscripts and the mathematical calculations contained in them.

Let's start with an example that reflects Leonardo da Vinci's persistent attempts to solve the problems associated with improving the design of weapons (never completely solved), which aroused his interest in the laws of the addition of velocities and the addition of forces. Despite the rapid development of gunpowder weapons during the life of Leonardo da Vinci, the bow, crossbow and spear still continued to be common weapons. Leonardo da Vinci paid special attention to such ancient weapons as the crossbow. It often happens that the design of a particular system reaches perfection only after descendants become interested in it, and the process of improving this system can lead to fundamental scientific results.

Fruitful experimental work to improve crossbows was carried out earlier, before Leonardo da Vinci. For example, shortened arrows began to be used in the crossbow, which had about 2 times better aerodynamic characteristics than conventional archery arrows. In addition, the study of the basic principles underlying crossbow shooting was initiated.

In an effort to go beyond traditional constructive solutions, Leonardo da Vinci considered such a crossbow design that would allow shooting only with an arrowhead, leaving its shaft motionless. Apparently, he understood that by reducing the mass of the projectile, it is possible to increase its initial speed.

In some of his crossbow designs, he proposed the use of several arcs, acting either simultaneously or sequentially. In the latter case, the largest and most massive arc would actuate a smaller and lighter arc, and that, in turn, would be even smaller, and so on. An arrow shot would be fired on the last arc. Obviously, Leonardo da Vinci considered this process from the point of view of the addition of velocities. For example, he notes that the range of fire from a crossbow will be maximum if you shoot at a gallop from a galloping horse and lean forward at the moment of the shot. In reality, this would not lead to a significant increase in the speed of the arrow. However, the ideas of Leonardo da Vinci were directly related to the heated debate about whether an infinite increase in speed was possible. Later, scientists began to lean towards the conclusion that this process has no limit. This point of view existed until Einstein put forward his postulate, from which it followed that no body can move at a speed exceeding the speed of light. However, at speeds much lower than the speed of light, the law of addition of speeds (based on Galileo's principle of relativity) remains valid.

The law of addition of forces, or the parallelogram of forces, was discovered after Leonardo da Vinci. This law is considered in that branch of mechanics that allows you to answer the question of what happens when two or more forces interact at different angles.

In the manufacture of a crossbow, it is important to achieve symmetry in the forces that occur in each wing. Otherwise, the arrow may move when fired to the side of its groove, and thereby the accuracy of shooting will be impaired. Usually crossbowmen, preparing their weapons for shooting, checked whether the bending of the wings of its arc was the same. Today, all bows and crossbows are tested in this way. The weapon is hung on the wall so that its bowstring is horizontal, and the arc with its convex part is turned upwards. Various weights are suspended from the middle of the bowstring. Each weight causes a certain bending of the arc, which allows you to check the symmetry of the action of the wings. The easiest way to do this is to observe whether the center of the bowstring falls vertically or moves away from it when the load is increased.

This method may have led Leonardo da Vinci to use diagrams (found in the "Madrid Manuscripts"), in which the displacement of the ends of the arc (taking into account the position of the center of the bowstring) is presented depending on the size of the suspended load. He realized that the force needed to make the arc begin to bend is small at first and increases with increasing mixing of the ends of the arc. (The basis of this phenomenon is the law formulated much later by Robert Hooke: the absolute value of mixing as a result of body deformation is proportional to the applied force).

Leonardo da Vinci called the relationship between the displacement of the ends of the crossbow arc and the value of the load suspended from the bowstring "pyramidal", since, just as opposite faces in a pyramid diverge as they move away from the intersection point, this dependence becomes more and more noticeable as the ends of the arc are displaced. Noting the change in the position of the bowstring depending on the size of the load, he, however, noticed non-linearities. One of them was that, although the displacement of the ends of the arc linearly depended on the magnitude of the load, there was no linear relationship between the mixing of the bowstring and the magnitude of the load. Based on this observation, Leonardo da Vinci apparently tried to find an explanation for the fact that in some crossbows the bowstring, released after applying a certain amount of force to it, moves at first faster than when approaching its original position.

Such non-linearity may have been observed when using crossbows with poorly made arcs. It is likely that Leonardo da Vinci's conclusions are based on faulty reasoning and not on calculations, although he did sometimes resort to calculations. However, this task aroused in him a deep interest in the analysis of the design of the crossbow. Is it true that an arrow, which has rapidly gained speed at the beginning of the shot, begins to move faster than the bowstring and will break away from it before the bowstring returns to its original position?

Not having a clear understanding of such concepts as inertia, force and acceleration, Leonardo da Vinci, of course, could not find a definitive answer to this question. On the pages of his manuscript there are arguments of the opposite nature: in some of them he is inclined to answer this question in the affirmative, in others - in the negative. Leonardo da Vinci's interest in this problem led him to further attempts to improve the design of the crossbow. This suggests that he intuitively guessed the existence of a law, later called the "law of addition of forces."

Leonardo da Vinci did not limit himself to the problem of the speed of the arrow and the action of tension forces in the crossbow. For example, he was also interested in whether the range of an arrow would double if the weight of the bow of a crossbow was doubled. If you measure the total weight of all arrows, located one after the other back to back and forming a continuous line, the length of which is equal to the maximum flight range, will this weight be equal to the force with which the bowstring acts on the arrow? Sometimes Leonardo da Vinci did look deeply, for example, in search of an answer to the question, does the vibration of the bowstring immediately after the shot indicate the loss of energy in the arc?

As a result, in the "Madrid Manuscript", regarding the relationship between the force on the arc and the displacement of the bowstring, Leonardo da Vinci states: "The force that forces the bowstring of a crossbow to move increases as the angle at the center of the bowstring decreases." The fact that this statement is not found anywhere else in his notes may mean that such a conclusion was made by him definitively. Undoubtedly, he used it in repeated attempts to improve the design of a crossbow with the so-called block arcs.

Block arcs, in which the string is passed through the blocks, are known to modern archers. These arcs allow you to achieve a high speed of the arrow. The laws underlying their operation are now well known. Leonardo da Vinci did not have such a complete understanding of the action of block arches, but he invented crossbows in which the bowstring was passed through blocks. In his crossbows, the blocks usually had a rigid mount: they did not move with the ends of the arc, as in modern crossbows and bows. Therefore, the arc in the design of Leonardo da Vinci's crossbow did not have the same effect as in modern block arcs. One way or another, Leonardo da Vinci, obviously, intended to make an arc, the design of which would solve the problem of "bowstring - angle", i.e. an increase in the force acting on the arrow would be achieved by reducing the angle in the center of the bowstring. In addition, he tried to reduce the energy loss when firing a crossbow.

In the basic design of the Leonardo da Vinci crossbow, a very flexible arc was fixed on the bed. In some figures, it can be seen that at the maximum tension of the bowstring, the arc was bent almost into a circle. From the ends of the arc, the string on each side was passed through a pair of blocks, reinforced in front of the frame next to the guide groove for the arrow, and then went to the trigger.

Leonardo da Vinci, apparently, did not give an explanation of his design anywhere, however, its scheme is repeatedly found in his drawings, along with the image of a crossbow (also with a strongly curved arc), in which a stretched bowstring, going from the ends of the arc to the trigger, has V -shaped form.

It seems most likely that Leonardo da Vinci sought to minimize the angle in the center of the bowstring so that the arrow would get more acceleration when fired. It is possible that he also used blocks so that the angle between the bowstring and the wings of the crossbow remained close to 90 ° as long as possible. An intuitive understanding of the law of the addition of forces helped him radically change the time-tested design of the crossbow based on the quantitative relationship between the energy "stored" in the arc of the crossbow and the speed of the arrow. Undoubtedly, he had an idea of ​​the mechanical efficiency of his design and tried to further improve it.

The block arc of Leonardo da Vinci was apparently impractical, since the sharp tension of the bowstring led to its significant bending. Only compound arcs made in a special way could withstand such a significant deformation.

Compound arcs were used during the life of Leonardo da Vinci and, perhaps, they aroused his interest in the problem, the attempts to solve which led him to the idea of ​​what is called the neutral plane. The study of this problem was also associated with a deeper study of the behavior of materials under the action of mechanical stress.

In a typical composite bow used in the era of Leonardo da Vinci, the outer and inner sides of the crossbow wings were made of different materials. The inner side, which was under compression, was usually made of horn, and the outer, which worked in tension, was made of tendons. Each of these materials is stronger than wood. Between the outer and inner sides of the arc, a layer of wood was used, strong enough to give rigidity to the wings. The wings of such an arc could be bent more than 180°. Leonardo da Vinci had some idea of ​​how such an arc was made, and the problem of choosing materials that could withstand high tension and compression may have led him to a deep understanding of how stresses arise in a particular structure.

In two small drawings (discovered in the "Madrid Manuscript"), he depicted a flat spring in two states - deformed and undeformed. In the center of the deformed spring, he drew two parallel lines, symmetrical about the central point. When the spring is bent, these lines diverge from the convex side and converge - from the concave side.

These drawings are accompanied by a caption in which Leonardo da Vinci notes that when the spring is bent, the convex part becomes thicker, and the concave part becomes thinner. "Such a modification is pyramidal and therefore will never change at the center of the spring." In other words, the distance between the original parallel lines will increase at the top as it decreases at the bottom. The central part of the spring serves as a kind of balance between the two sides and is a zone where the stress is zero, i.e. neutral plane. Leonardo da Vinci also understood that both tension and compression increase in proportion to the distance to the neutral zone.

From the drawings of Leonardo da Vinci it is clear that the idea of ​​​​a neutral plane arose in him while studying the action of a crossbow. An example is his drawing of a giant stone-shooting catapult. The bending of the arc of this weapon was carried out using a screw gate; the stone flew out of a pocket located in the center of a double bowstring. Both the collar and the pocket for the stone are drawn (on an enlarged scale) the same as in the drawings of the crossbow. However, Leonardo da Vinci apparently understood that increasing the size of the arc would lead to complex problems. Judging by the drawings of Leonardo da Vinci, which depict the neutral zone, he knew that (for given angle bending) stresses in the arc increase in proportion to its thickness. To prevent the stress from reaching a critical value, he changed the design of the giant arc. Its front (front) part, which was under tension, according to his ideas, should be made of a single log, and its rear part (rear), working in compression, from separate blocks fixed behind the front. The shape of these blocks was such that they could come into contact with each other only at the maximum bending of the arc. This construction, as well as others, shows that Leonardo da Vinci believed that the forces of tension and compression should be considered separately from each other. In the manuscript of the "Treatise on the Flight of Birds" and his other writings, Leonardo da Vinci notes that the stability of a bird's flight is achieved only when its center of gravity is ahead of the center of resistance (the point at which pressure is equal in front and behind). This functional principle, used by Leonardo da Vinci in the theory of bird flight, still has importance in the theory of aircraft and rocket flight.

You will find a message about the Italian scientist and artist, inventor and scientist, musician and writer, as well as a representative of the art of the Renaissance, in this article.

Message about Leonardo da Vinci briefly

The great genius was born in the village of Anchiato near the town of Vinci on April 15, 1452. His parents were unmarried, and he spent the first years of his life with his mother. After that, the father, a well-to-do notary, took his son into his family. The young man in 1466 enters the workshop of the Florentine artist Verrocchio as an apprentice. Among his hobbies are drawing, modeling, sculpture, work with leather, metal and plaster. In 1473, in the Guild of St. Luke, he received the qualification of a master.

Start creative way was marked by the fact that he free time dedicated only to painting. In the period 1472 - 1477, such famous paintings Leonardo da Vinci as "The Annunciation", "The Baptism of Christ", "Madonna with a Flower", "Madonna with a Vase". And in 1481 he created the first major work - "Madonna with a Flower".

The further activity of Leonardo da Vinci is connected with Milan, where he moves in 1482. Here he enters the service of Ludovico Sforza, the Duke of Milan. The scientist had his own workshop, where he worked with his students. In addition to creating paintings, he developed a flying machine based on the flight of birds. First, the inventor created the simplest apparatus on the basis of wings, and then he developed an airplane mechanism with the described complete control. But they failed to bring their idea to life. In addition to design, he studied anatomy and architecture, gave the world a new, independent discipline - botany.

At the end of the 15th century, the artist created the painting “Lady with an Ermine”, the drawing “Vitruvian Man” and the world-famous fresco “The Last Supper”.

In April 1500, he returned to Florence, where he entered the service of Cesare Borgia as an engineer and architect. After 6 years, da Vinci is back in Milan. In 1507, the genius met Count Francesco Melzi, who would become his student, heir and life partner.

The next three years (1513 - 1516) Leonardo da Vinci lives in Rome. Here he created the painting "John the Baptist". 2 years before his death, he began to have health problems: right hand numb, it was difficult to move independently. And last years the scientist had to spend in bed. The great artist died on May 2, 1519.

• The artist perfectly owned both the left and right hand.
• Leonardo da Vinci was the first to give the correct answer to the question "Why does the sky of blue color? He was sure that the sky was blue because there was a layer of illuminated air particles between the planet and the blackness above it. And he was right.
• Since childhood, the inventor suffered from "verbal blindness", that is, a violation of the ability to read. Therefore, he wrote in a mirror way.
• The artist did not sign his paintings. But he left identification marks, which have not yet been studied.
• He was excellent at playing the lyre.

We hope that the report on the topic: "Leonardo da Vinci" helped you prepare for the classes. And you can state your message about Leonardo da Vinci in the form of comments below.