Biography

By Ashley Holsomback

Portrait of Leonardo da Vinci by Francesco Melzi 

Leonardo da Vinci was born April 15, 1452 in a town named Vinci to a local notary, Ser Piero, and peasant girl, Caterina. When Leonardo was 5 years-old he went to live with his father. His father married 16 year-old Albiera Amadori. She remained childless for 12 years and lavished Leonardo in affection. Albiera concieved but died during child birth at the age of 28. Leonardo lived in Vinci until he was 14 years-old when his father moved to Florence in 1465.

After moving to Florence his father talked to Andrea del Verriocchio about an apprenticeship for his son. Leonardo got his first big break at the age of 23 when he painted an angel in Verriocchio's The Baptism of Christ. Verriocchio was so impressed with Leonardo's work he allegedly gave up painting. Leonardo stayed at Verriocchio's workshop for two more years.

Detail from The Baptism of Christ

In 1478 he received his first independent commission to paint the altar piece for the Chapel of St. Bernard in the Palazzo Vecchio. Then in 1481 he was commissioned to paint the Adoration of the Magi. Both were not completed because in 1482 he went in service of the Duke of Milan, Ludovico Sforza. During this time he kept busy studying and designing things for the Duke including canalization of rivers, the making of engines of war, architecture of churches and civic buildings, music and theatrical costumes. He stayed in Milan till the Duke lost power in 1499.

During his stay in Milan he was commissioned to paint the Virgin of the Rocks and The Last Supper. The Last Supper was done in the refectory of the Convent of St. Maria della Grazie for Sforza. He also designed the model for the dome on the Milan Cathedral and a clay model for an Equestrian Statue of Francesco Sforza, Ludovico’s predecessor. In 1492 he completed a large clay model for the statue and it was the biggest equestrian statue to date. Seventy tons of bronze was set aside for the casting. However, it took him so long to do pieces because of other projects Michelangelo insulted him saying Leonardo was unable of casting it. In 1494 the bronze was given to make cannons to defend the city from the invasion of the French. In 1499 the French troops used the model as target practice during the Second Italian War.

The Last Supper

When Ludovico was overthrown, Leonardo fled to Venice where he was employed as military engineer. When he returned to Florence in 1500, he created the cartoon of The Virgin and Child with St Anne and St John the Baptist. In 1502 he was appointed military architect and engineer by Cesare Bornia. He traveled with him for a year. He created a map of Bornia’s stronghold and drew a plan of the town Imola.

He returned to Florence in 1503 and joined the Guild of St. Luke. He spent two years working on the plans and painting of The Battle of Anghiari in the Plazzo Vecchio. It depicts four men riding raging war for a battle standard. In the beginning of 2012, it was announced evidence was found that the painting is still there but research was stopped in September of the same year due to conflicting parties.

Peter Paul Ruben's copy of the Battle of Anghiari

In 1504 he was part of the committee formed to relocate The David by Michelangelo. It was also during this time Leonardo worked on the most famous painting of all time, the Mona Lisa. There are many speculations about the Mona Lisa; it's Leonardo in drag or not modeled after anyone. The most accepted theory is that she is modeled after Lisa del Giocondo, the wife of Frencesco del Giocondo, a wealthy silk merchant. It is believed to be a commissioned work by the del Giocondo's as a way to commemorate the birth of their second son. However, Leonardo never gave the piece to the owner. Leonardo finished the piece between 1505 and 1507 but continued painting it to achieve perfection. 

Mona Lisa

In 1506 he moved back to Milan but had to move to Florence in 1507 because in 1504 his father died and his brothers couldn't sort out the estate. By 1508, he was back in Milan. From 1513 to 1516 he spent most of his time in the Vatican under Pope Leo X. He then went into the service of King Francis I of France. He died May 2, 1519 at the age of 67.





-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bibliography

Leonardo Da Vinci - The Complete Works.Leonardo Da Vinci - The Complete Works Web. 04 Dec. 2013.

Paoletti, John T., and Gary M. Radke. Art in Renaissance Italy. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1997. Print.

Fahy, Everett. The Legacy of Leonardo: Italian Renaissance Paintings from Leningrad. New York, NY: M. Knoedler, 1979. Print.

Nicholl, Charles. Leonardo da Vinci The Flight of the Mind. London, England: Penguin Books 2004. Print.

Bortolon, Liana. The Life and Times of Leonardo. Philadelphia: The Curtis Publishing Company, 1967.

Print.

Chase, Alice Elizabeth. Famous Artists of the Past. New York: Platt & Munk , 1964. Print.

Zimmerman, Kim Ann. Leonardo da Vinci: Facts and Biography. LiveScience. 30 August 2013. Web. 

Frank, Priscilla. "Mysterious Da Vinci Painting, 'Battle Of Anghiari' Will No Longer Be Hunted." The Huffington Post. N.p., 25 Sep 2012. Web. 8 Dec 2013. 

nga. National Gallery of Art, 2013. Web. 26 Nov. 2014.

leonardoda-vinci. Creative Commons, 2002-2013. Web. 26 Nov. 2014.

Livingstone, Margaret. The Biology of Seeing.  New York, N.Y. Harry N. Abrams, 2002. Print.

Suh, H. Anna. Leonardo’s Notebooks. New York, N.Y. Black Dog & Leventhal, 2005. Print.