Leonardo da Vinci Biography

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

He is considered to be a key person in the birth of the European Renaissance period, which saw a flowering of new ideas, scientific discoveries and creation of beautiful art.

1 Leonardo da Vinci Biography Leonardo da Vinci ( ) is one of the world s greatest thinkers, artists and philosophers. In several different fields, from science to astronomy, he proved to be both innovative and several centuries ahead of his contemporaries. He is considered to be a key person in the birth of the European Renaissance period, which saw a flowering of new ideas, scientific discoveries and creation of beautiful art. Leonardo was born in and grew up in Vinci, Italy. In his formative years he developed a love of nature and from an early age displayed his remarkable academic and artistic talents and capacities. In 1466 he moved to Florence where he entered the workshop of Verrocchio. His early style reflected his teacher, but he soon developed an artistic sense which went far beyond his teachers rigid style. His first work of great significance was the Adoration of the Magi commissioned by monks of San Donato a Scopeto. Although unfinished, the work was a masterpiece and introduced several new ideas. In particular he introduced the themes of movement and drama. He also pioneered the use of Chiaroscuro. This is the technique of defining forms through the contrast of light and shadow. This would be later used to great effect in the Mona Lisa. In 1482 Leonardo went to the court of Ludovico Sforza for 16 years in Milan. Here he continued painting and also branched out into other interest such as engineering and anatomy. During this period he painted the famous Madonna on the Rocks and also the Last Supper This has been described as one of the greatest spiritual paintings. Leonardo Da Vinci and Mona Lisa In 1499 his patron L. Sfoza was defeated by the French invasion, thus Leonardo returned to Florence. During this period he painted the fresco of the battle of Anghiari. This artwork was to exert tremendous influence over future artists. However it was unfortunately never completed and was later destroyed. It was also in this period that Leonardo completed The Mona Lisa. The Mona Lisa is one of the worlds most famous and intriguing pictures. The Mona Lisa 1 of 11

is a portrait of a wife of a Florentine noble. For several days she came to Leonardo and sat for her portrait to be painted.

Her smile encapsulates a tremendous mysteriousness which is both fascinating and intriguing. Sri Chinmoy said of the Mona Lisa.

Even now a soul-touch is there, and that soul-touch has conquered the heart of the world. In this picture Leonardo masters the techniques of sfumato and chiaroscuro.

2 is a portrait of a wife of a Florentine noble. For several days she came to Leonardo and sat for her portrait to be painted. However she refused to smile, Leonardo even tried hiring musicians but to no avail. One day just for a fleeting second she gave a faint smile and Leonardo was able to capture it. Her smile encapsulates a tremendous mysteriousness which is both fascinating and intriguing. Sri Chinmoy said of the Mona Lisa. That smile has immortalized her, immortalized the artist and immortalized the art. Artist and art have been immortalized by just a faint smile, a smile that has an enigmatic touch. Even now a soul-touch is there, and that soul-touch has conquered the heart of the world. In this picture Leonardo masters the techniques of sfumato and chiaroscuro. Sfumato involves the most gradual switch from colour to the other giving a very delicate and expressive images. Chiaroscuro as mentioned before highlights the contrasts light and shadow. In the Mona Lisa this is most evident in the contrast between face and dark background. In this period Leonardo extended his 2 of 11

studies into engineering, science and other subjects. There seemed to be no end to his interest. He made copious notes in his complex mirror handwriting.

3 studies into engineering, science and other subjects. There seemed to be no end to his interest. He made copious notes in his complex mirror handwriting. A lot of which wasn t deciphered in his lifetime. He also drew complex models of machines, in particular he was fascinated by flight. He used to buy birds just so that he could release them so he could enjoy watching them fly away. He also attempted to build a flying object himself. Machines that he drew on paper, such as helicopters, would become a reality many centuries later. If his medicinal studies had been published, it would have revolutionized the science, as he was one of the first to understand the circulation of blood within the body. There seemed to be no limit in the scope of his interest and work. Between Leonardo spent time in Milan working on behalf of the very generous French King Lois XII. In 1513 he travelled to Rome where he enjoyed the patronage of the new Medici pope, Leo X. Here he worked with contemporaries such as the great Masters Michelangelo and Raphael. In 1515 he left to settle at the castle of Cloux, near Amboise by the kind invitation of Francis I of France. Here he spent his last years free to pursue his own studies. He died in 1519 leaving behind one of the greatest body of artistic and scientific works. Citation : Pettinger, Tejvan. Biography of Leonardo da Vinci, Oxford, UK Last updated 12th Jan of 11

Galileo Galilei Biography Galileo Galilei Astronomer and Scientist 1564-1642. Galileo developed a superior telescope and made many significant discoveries in astronomy.

Galileo was born in Florence, Italy in 1564 to a poor but noble family. His parents recognized their child s natural intelligence and talents and therefore made sacrifices to have him educated.

4 Galileo Galilei Biography Galileo Galilei Astronomer and Scientist Galileo developed a superior telescope and made many significant discoveries in astronomy. He was sentenced to life imprisonment by the inquisition for his support for the Copernican theory that the sun was at the centre of the solar system. Galileo was born in Florence, Italy in 1564 to a poor but noble family. His parents recognized their child s natural intelligence and talents and therefore made sacrifices to have him educated. At his father s insistence, Galileo studied the profitable career of medicine. But, at the University of Pisa, Galileo became fascinated in a wide range of subjects. He was also critical of many of Aristotle s teaching which had dominated education for the past 2,000 years. Galileo was appointed to be a mathematics professor at the university of Pisa, but, his strident criticisms of Aristotle, left him isolated amongst his contemporaries. After three years of persecution, he resigned and went to the university of Padua. Here he taught maths. His entertaining lectures attracted a large following and he was able to spend the next 18 years pursuing his interests in astronomy and mechanics. During this time, Galileo made important discoveries about gravity, inertia. Galileo also worked tirelessly on the science of gnomonics (telling time by shadows) and the laws of motion. It was in astronomy that Galileo that became famous and for his views, he also courted the opposition of the Holy Roman Catholic Church. Galileo came to the same conclusions of Copernicus that the sun was the centre of the universe and not the earth. By inventing the world s first telescope, Galileo was able to make many explorations of the universe. He found that: Saturn had a beautiful ring of clouds. The moon was not flat but had mountains and craters. Jupiter had many moons which revolved around Jupiter rather than directly the sun. Thus, Galileo not only had the mathematical proofs of Copernicus, but, also new proof from 4 of 11

5 the science of astronomy. However, Galileo knew that publishing these studies would bring the disapproval of the church authorities. I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use. The Church had already started to forbid the teachings of his teachings, especially anything that supported Copernicus. However, in 1623, a new pope, Pope Urban VIII seemed to be more liberally minded and he allowed Galileo to publish his great works on astronomy and supporting the works of Copernicus. However, after publication, elements within the Church sought to attack Galileo s position. Thus, Galileo was arrested and imprisoned for several months. He was convicted of heresy and was forced to recant his beliefs. He spent the remaining years of his life under house arrest at Arceti. Galileo had three children. He was especially close to one of his daughters, Polissena; she took the name of Sister Maria Celeste and entered a convent near Arceti. Galileo Said: Nature is written in that great book which ever is before our eyes I mean the universe but we cannot understand it if we do not first learn the language and grasp the symbols in which it is written. The book is written in mathematical language, and the symbols are triangles, circles and other geometrical figures, without whose help it is impossible to comprehend a single word of it; without which one wanders in vain through a dark labyrinth. Despite being censured by the church, Galileo continued to make discoveries until death overtook him in Under house arrest, he was able to write Two New Sciences, this summarised his earlier work on the new sciences now called kinematics and strength of materials He was blind by the time he passed away. 10 Galileo Facts 1. He was born in Pisa, and studied at the University of Pisa 2. His book Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World System, defended the heliocentric view of the universe with the earth not the sun at the centre. 3. Using his own telescope, he discovered four moons of Jupiter Io, Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa. 4. His telescopes increased magnification from around just 2x to around 30x magnification. 5. He also worked on the pendulum clock 6. Inventions of Galileo included his own models of compass and thermometer. He wasn t the first person to invent these, but he improved on their models. 7. Galileo said on the force of nature. Nature is relentless and unchangeable, and it is indifferent as to whether its hidden reasons and actions are understandable to man or not. 8. Galileo was a pious Roman Catholic (he seriously considered priesthood as young man), though in science he didn t accept the doctrinal view. The Bible shows the way to go to heaven, not the way the heavens go. 5 of 11

6 9. His daughter Maria Celeste was very devoted to Galileo, and she undertook to say his penitent psalms once a week on his behalf. 10. Galileo s Principle of Inertia - A body moving on a level surface will continue in the same direction at constant speed unless disturbed. was incorporated into Newton s laws of motion Citation : Pettinger, Tejvan. Biography of Galileo Galilei, Oxford, 23rd July, of 11

Michelangelo (1475 1564) Biography Italian Renaissance sculptor, painter, poet and architect. One of the most influential Western artists of all time.

His father was a serving magistrate of the Florentine Republic and came from an important family.

7 Michelangelo ( ) Biography Italian Renaissance sculptor, painter, poet and architect. One of the most influential Western artists of all time. I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free. -Michelangelo Michelangelo Buonarroti was born on 6 March 1475, in a Florentine village called Caprese. His father was a serving magistrate of the Florentine Republic and came from an important family. However, Michelangelo did not wish to imitate his father s career, and was attracted by the artistic world. At the time, this was considered an inferior occupation for a family of his standing. But, aged 13, Michelangelo was apprenticed to Domenico Ghirlandaio, the leading fresco wall painter in Florence. Here Michelangelo learned some of the basic painting techniques, and also taught himself new skills such as sculpting. Madonna of the stairs Madonna of the stairs Michelangelo s earliest works His talents were soon noticed by one of the most powerful families in Florence Lorezo de Medici. Here, at de Medici s court, Michelangelo was able to learn from the classic Masters and he became determined to improve upon the great classics of Greek and Latin art. Michelangelo was born in the heart of the Renaissance movement, at exactly the right place Florence. But, despite being at the heart of the Renaissance, Florence was undergoing tremendous political turmoil. His first patrons, the de Medici s, lost power and Michelangelo was forced to look elsewhere for commissions. In 1496, he travelled to Rome where he began a long relationship of doing commissions for the Popes who were making St Peter s Basilica a pinnacle of Western art. It was in 1496, that he began work on his beloved Pieta, commissioned by a French cardinal-diplomat, Jean Bilheres. The Pieta is a tender and compassionate sculpture of the Virgin Mary, nursing her crucified son Jesus Christ. The sculpture captured so much power and tender emotion his reputation rose rapidly. Michelangelo s Pieta 7 of 11

His next most famous sculpture was his huge undertaking of a life size David. This was hewn from a huge block of marble dragged down from a nearby Florentine mine.

David was put pride of place in front of the seat of Florentine government. Michelangelo was a contemporary of the other sublime artist of his generation the genius of Leonardo da Vinci.

At one time, the Florentine government wanted the two genius of art to work side by side each painting a side of a council chamber. But, it was not a success and neither finished.

8 His next most famous sculpture was his huge undertaking of a life size David. This was hewn from a huge block of marble dragged down from a nearby Florentine mine. Michelangelo created a masterpiece a perfection of the human form and most agreed, Michelangelo had surpassed the classic predecessors. David was put pride of place in front of the seat of Florentine government. Michelangelo was a contemporary of the other sublime artist of his generation the genius of Leonardo da Vinci. However, with Michelangelo s short temper and pride, the two had a difficult relationship. At one time, the Florentine government wanted the two genius of art to work side by side each painting a side of a council chamber. But, it was not a success and neither finished. In 1505, Pope Julius II summoned Michelangelo to Rome and commissioned him in a number of projects. The first was to create a magnificent tomb. However, this ran into problems as the Pope later diverted funds to the ambitious scheme to rebuild St Peter s. Michelangelo was quick to anger it did not matter even if it was the Pope. But, the Pope deflected Michelangelo s anger and through a combination of persuasion, threat and flattery, later offered Michelangelo a new commission to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. This was a huge undertaking. Initially the Pope suggested scenes from the New Testament, but, Michelangelo chose the Old Testament with its great variety of characters and dramatic scenes. The 8 of 11

9 project took four years to complete and involved Michelangelo working in awkward positions painting through great neck pain. If you knew how much work went into it, you would not call it genius. Michelangelo But, on completion, everyone was awestruck by the magnificence of the work. Michelangelo gained the reputation of the divine Michelangelo A reputation he was only too quick to encourage. Michelangelo suffered from no false modesty and always felt himself to be God s Artist. The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark. Michelangelo In later years, Michelangelo returned to Florence and became embroiled in politics as he helped defend the city against the attacks of the De Medici s. When the city fell to the De Medici s, Michelangelo feared for his life. But, his fame as the greatest artist of his generation made him too valuable to kill and he was simply given more art to work on. In his final years, he became increasingly religious. His depth of religious feeling can be seen through his poetry and direction of his art. The true work of art is but a shadow of the divine perfection. Michelangelo Michelangelo was a unique artist who created works of such sublime beauty his reputation will always be treasured. 9 of 11

Raphael Biography Raphael (Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino) (1483 April 6, 1520), was a great Italian painter.

He was noted for his clarity of form and ability to convey grandeur, beauty and perfection. Raphael was born in the Italian city of Urbino in the Marches area of Italy.

This enabled Raphael to move easily amongst the higher circles of court society and this helped his career in gaining commissions.

10 Raphael Biography Raphael (Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino) (1483 April 6, 1520), was a great Italian painter. Together with Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael makes up the great trinity of the High Renaissance period. He was noted for his clarity of form and ability to convey grandeur, beauty and perfection. Raphael was born in the Italian city of Urbino in the Marches area of Italy. His father was a court painter and Raphael followed in his father s footsteps gaining a wide education in the arts, literature, and social skills. This enabled Raphael to move easily amongst the higher circles of court society and this helped his career in gaining commissions. Compared to Michelangelo, Raphael was more at ease in social circles; he didn t have the same kind of abrupt speech that got Michelangelo into trouble. His style was also considered more refined. He didn t have the same inventive genius of Michelangelo or Leonardo da Vinci, but he had a supreme grace of painting. He concentrated on a more classical interpretation of perfection, but was still somewhat influenced by the contemporary Florence tradition. By 1501, Raphael was held in high esteem and he gained important commissions, such as the Mond de Crucifixion in From about 1504, Raphael lived mainly in Florence, which was a burgeoning centre of the renaissance. He became acquainted with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo (whom he fell out with on numerous occasions) In 1508, he was invited to Rome by Pope Julius II. The pope asked Raphael to paint some rooms in the Vatican. This was at the same time as Michelangelo was painting the Sistine Chapel, and although the Sistine chapel overshadowed the work of Raphael, his paintings are still considered some of the finest of European art. This work included some of masterpieces such as The School of Athens, The Parnassus and the Disputa. The High Renaissance tribute to the ancient Greek culture. School of Athens As well as being a great painter, Raphael was also a noted teacher, who could inspire his fellow pupils to greater standards. He had one of 10 of 11

11 the largest art schools in Rome, with over 50 pupils. His enthusiasm and talent helped his school become a famous place of art. As well as a painter, Raphael was also a noted architect, drawer, and with Raimondi a printmaker of his engravings. He died in April , aged only 37. Yet, he left behind a considerable legacy and was celebrated even during his lifetime, thousands of people attended his funeral. 11 of 11

Artists: Michelangelo

Artists: Michelangelo By Biography.com Editors and A+E Networks, adapted by Newsela staff on 08.08.16 Word Count 851 Level 1060L A portrait of Michelangelo by Jacopino del Conte. Wikimedia Commons Synopsis: