A polymath, and the most versatile of the Renaissance creatives such as Raphael and Michaelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinci's curiosity covered a range of disciplines ranging from painting to mechanical engineering.
Born in 1452, his ideas and thoughts were so ahead of his time, they weren't invented until 400 years later!
He composed these ideas and inventions into journals now called 'Codexes'. One of those codexes were sold in auction and won by Bill Gates.
Now widely available, they are able to illustrate why he is called 'The Renaissance Man'.
Not much is said about his early life. What is known is that he spent time in Anchiano before living with his father and members of his family in Vinci.
Da Vinci's creative skills started from a young age. His father was able to realise his potential apprenticed the then 14-year-old Da Vinci to noted sculptor and painter, Andrea del Verrocchio.
Now in Florence, it was here where Da Vinci started to flourish and became an independent master in 1476, at the age of 24.
Da Vinci had spent around 10 years here developing his craft and creative skills for painting, sculpting, leather, metalworking and carpentry.
Da Vinci secured his first commission from the Augustinian monks of San Donato called 'The Adoration of The Magi'.
Trivia - The painting was left unfinished. A common theme in Da Vinci's career.
He left Florence for Milan in 1482 after receiving an invitation from the Sforza family.
Florence was a centre of The High Renaissance.
The Sforza family invited Da Vinci to work for them as a painter, engineer, sculptor, architect and designer.
It was here where Da Vinci received one of his most infamous commissions, a 16-foot equestrian statue made out of bronze.
Honouring their founder, Francesco Sforza, Da Vinci worked on it for 12 years but never completed the work.
Known as the 'Grand Cavallo', a clay model was created in 1492. However, the 70 tons of bronze set aside for it was used to make cannonballs to aid war efforts against France.
When the French won the war in 1499, and the Sforza duke was overthrown, Da Vinci fled and the French used the clay model as target practice!
Whilst away, Da Vinci would contribute an array of famous works.
During his time away form Milan, Da Vinci spent time in Venice, Florence and Rome and created a series of paintings, mainly portraits. There's one which is still celebrated 500 years later but that's not all Da Vinci is famous for.
When Da Vinci fled Milan, he didn't return for 7 years. He spent time in Venice and Florence and painted portraits. One, in particular, became one of history's most talked about paintings, the Mona Lisa.
The identity of the subject had been in question for centuries but it's believed to be Lisa Gherardini. Now found in the Louvre Museum, France, she attracts over 6 million visitors each year!
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Image Via - LeonardodaVinci.net
Da Vinci's last Fresco! It was commissioned by Ludovico Sforza in 1495. It was painted on a refectory wall inside the Santa Maria Delle Grazie, Milan.
Taking three years to complete, you can see the how Da Vinci depicted the moment Jesus informed the Twelve Apostles that one of them would betray him. The emotion of each apostle is one of the hallmarks of the painting.
Trivia - It's also known as 'The Cenacle' and measures 15 by 29 feet.
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Image Via - Pinterest
This drawing illustrates Da Vinci's curious mind. He depicts a man in two superimposed positions.
Da Vinci used this sketch to explain volumes, circumferences and the way human anatomy proportions itself to it.
Inspired by Roman architect Vitruvius, Da Vinci sought to study proportions under Vitruvius's principles of balance, proportion and symmetry using the volume of a square and the circumference of a circle.
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Image Via - The Telegraph
This artwork shows the Madonna with Gabriel and an infant Christ and John the Baptist amongst a mystic landscape.
Illustrating Da Vinci's perspective and depth, you become immersed in two worlds.
For example, the water and rocks in the background and this human element front and centre.
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Image Via - Yahoo
A controversial painting, The Salvator Mundi sold in 2017 for around $450m and became the most expensive painting in the world.
The painting depicts Christ with a raised right hand and holding a crystal orb with his left hand.
Despite missing provenance totalling over 250 years, accusations it wasn't painted by him and extensive restorations, it was authenticated as a Da Vinci. The first since 1909. It must its unveiling but later found on a boat!
Summing up the influence of Da Vinci is nigh on impossible. However, the Louvre has assembled an enviable collection of Da Vinci works to mark the 500th Anniversary since his death.
Da Vinci spent his last years in France after leaving Italy in 1516 and Francis I gave him the title of “Premier Painter and Engineer and Architect to the King”.
He died in 1519 and was buried in the Chapel of Saint-Hubert, Amboise. However, The French Revolution almost destroyed the church and its ruins were demolished in the 1800s which makes it almost impossible to find Da Vinci's final resting place.
Trivia - His will stated that sixty beggars follow his casket.
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