The Renaissance and

Leonardo da Vinci

The word Renaissance means rebirth. This rebirth included interest in Greek and Roman art and literature. People were also interested in discovering new areas in science, the arts, and exploring new

parts of the world.

Greek Art

Renaissance Art

What are the differences between art ofthe Middle Ages and the Renaissance?

Middle Ages Renaissance

Subject Matter Bible Subjects Greek & Roman mythology (in addition to Bible stories

What are the differences between art ofthe Middle Ages and the Renaissance?

Middle Ages Renaissance

Media Stained glass, stone sculpture, egg tempera paint

Bronze sculpture, oil paint

What are the differences between art ofthe Middle Ages and the Renaissance?

Middle Ages Renaissance

Style, technique Flat, intricate designs.

Symbolic representations of people.

Dimensional through linear and atmospheric perspective, shading.

Knowledge of anatomy and proportion.

DavidAndrea VerrochioLeonardo is believed to have beenthe model.

Silverpoint drawing by Verrochio’s assistant Leonardo da Vinci.

Training of an artist in the Renaissance.

1. Apprentice, helps with simple tasks in the studio (cleaning, paint preparation)

2. Assistant, assumes more responsibilities in the studio. Paints backgrounds, etc.

3. Master, in charge of the studio.

Baptism of ChristAndrea Verrocchio

1474

Leonardo, an assistant to Verrochio, is believed to have painted this angel and much of the detail in the background above it. This area is painted using the new media of oil paint, which began to replace the traditional egg tempera paint, used in the Middle Ages.

The Last Supper

1498

• Subject Matter: Christ and apostles on night before the crucifiction (“one of you will betray me…”)

• Use of geometry and numbers (apostles grouped into 3’s, Christ is a triangle, and vanishing point)

• Media: painted using a combination of fresco (water based) and oil paint (the paint began to flake off the wall shortly after it was finished)

It was traditional to paint the subject of the Last Supper in the dining room. Many monasteries have this subject and many well known Renaissance

artists have painted them.

Leonardo’s painting has suffered many setbacks in its history.Original painting media problems, other artists tried the fix the flaking paint, a

doorway was cut in the bottom of the wall, the building was bombed during World

War II. A recent restoration shows the little paint left from the original .

Mona Lisa has inspired artists for years

Fernando Botero

Marcel Duchamp

Leonardo’s sketchbooks:-about 7000 pages-mirror writing

Used to prepare/design works of art

Anatomy: by drawing from cadavers, Leonardo understood what happens beneath the surface of the body.

Anatomy studies

Preparation for final works of art

Aviation inventions: Leonardo was fascinated by flight and made many designs in his

sketchbooks for flight machines. The top picture shows a model of one of these machines made

from his designs.

Weaponry/Warfare Inventions: Leonardo was often employed to design

new weapons and defense systems for military leaders.

Weaponry-Warfare inventions

Cartography (mapmaking) Leonardo drew this map of the city of Imola by walking around the streets.

Paper was valuable and was often used many times by people of the Renaissance.

The Facial Proportions of a Man in Profile, Study of Soldiers and Horses (recto) Pen and brown ink, over traces of stylus, black chalk or charcoal; selectively pin-pricked holes for the construction of the grid of the figure in profile, red chalk, (28 x 22.4 cm) Collection: Gallerie dell'Accademia, Venice