Leonardo da Vinci Italian Renaissance Artist (1452-1519)

Leonardo da Vinci was born on April 15, 1452 in Vinci, Italy. “da Vinci” means OF VINCI – so he was Leonardo from Vinci. He didn’t have a last name. Leonardo grew up in his father's home, and was exposed to Vinci's painting traditions. When he was 15 years old he became an apprentice at the renowned workshop of Andrea del Verrochio in Florence. Even as an apprentice Leonardo demonstrated incredible artistic talent. As an apprentice, he would finish paintings or possibly create the background. You can see in this painting the angel that Da Vinci painted. Almost all critics agree that Leonardo painted one of the angels in this painting. Its face and hair have a light, graceful quality unlike the other figures in the painting. Which angel do you think is Da Vinci’s? Answer: Angel on the left. Detail of Baptism of Christ by Andrea del Verrocchio and Leonardo da Vinci

Da Vinci – beyond the artist Sketches of Horses, 1942 Da Vinci was many things: Painter Sculptor Architect Musician Mathematician Engineer Inventor Anatomist (study of the body) Geologist (study of the earth) Botanist (study of plants) The muscles of the shoulder, arm and neck Vitruvian Man (edited for school) Da Vinci Notebook Some of his inventions, sketches, drawings and notebooks.

Da Vinci – beyond the artist Da Vinci used the curiosity and attention to detail he showed in his art in other areas as well. He was also a remarkable scientist, mathematician, engineer and many other things. He drew many plans for machines that we now use, like helicopters and tanks. He read the writings of the ancient Greeks and Romans, but unlike many of his peers, he saw the limitations of seeking the truth solely in those writings. Instead, he actually observed nature and asked simple scientific questions like, "How do birds fly?" He would then draw and record their solutions in his sketches. He was one of the greatest painters of the Italian Renaissance, yet he left only a handful of completed paintings. However, Da Vinci was a great perfectionist – one reason why he completed so few paintings was that he never felt he had satisfactorily finished anything.

Raise your hand if you’ve seen this masterpiece before. Da Vinci was about 51 years old when he began this painting. (1503-1504) Does anyone know this woman’s name? Mona Lisa is an English title that has been derived from the Italian word “Mona” which is short form of the phrase “ma doona“ or Madonna, which means “My Lady”. The Mona Lisa is probably the most famous, most widely recognized, most studied, and most visited painting in the world. Most scholars consider it the greatest masterpiece of all time. The Mona Lisa was painted with oil paint on a poplar wood panel, using a technique that left no visible brush marks. Who is she?  Most think it is Lisa Gherardini, the wife of wealthy Italian silk merchant, Francesco del Giocondo. She would have been about 25 years old when she modeled for this painting. The Mona Lisa is a ‘half-length portrait’…. meaning from the waist up. It’s a small painting, measuring at 30 in × 21 in Mona Lisa, 1504 oil on poplar wood

Where is the Mona Lisa? Though painted in the 1500s, it was not until the 1860s that it caught the attention of the art critics, who began to regard it as an icon of Renaissance period. However, the Painting become famous outside the art world when it was stolen from the Louvre Museum on August 21st, 1911. It created a media sensation and the theft was reported in the media all over the world. You can now see the Mona Lisa at the Musee du Louvre in Paris, France, where it has a room of its own and has been on permanent display since 1797. Over 6 million people visit the Mona Lisa at the Louvre each year. They spend an average of only 15 seconds looking at her.

Leonardo da Vinci Lesson Videos: Leonardo da Vinci for Children: Biography for Kids – FreeSchool – 5:01 Art with Mati and Dada – Leonardo Da Vinci | Kids Animated Short Stories – 7:46 - short about Da Vinci and his flying machines

Sources: https://www.mos.org/leonardo/node/1 http://makingartfun.com/htm/f-maf-art-library/leonardo-da-vinci-biography.htm https://www.leonardodavinci.net/the-mona-lisa.jsp http://flavorwire.com/31628/atlas-shrugged-louvre-archive-launches-in-english https://www.vrcircle.com/mona-lisa-room-oculus-rift-vr-experience/ https://kidzfeed.com/mona-lisa-facts-for-kids/