Leo Martínez
Leonardo da Vinci is widely regarded as one of the greatest painters in history. Born in 1452 near the Tuscan town of Vinci, Italy, Leonardo was apprenticed at the age of 15 to Andrea del Verrocchio, a renowned Florentine painter and sculptor. It was in Verrocchio's workshop that Leonardo received his first artistic training, working alongside other young painters who would later become famous, such as Ghirlandaio, Perugino, and Botticelli. In 1472, Leonardo was accepted into the painters' guild of Florence, and he remained in the city, working independently, until 1481. Over the course of his life, Leonardo created a relatively small number of paintings, the most famous of which are the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 15 April 1452 |
| Place of birth | Anchiano, near Vinci, Tuscany, Italy |
| Parents | Ser Piero da Vinci and Caterina di Meo Lippi |
| Education | Basic and informal: vernacular writing, reading, arithmetic |
| Early artistic training | Sculptor and painter Andrea Verrocchio |
| First painting | The Baptism of Christ |
| Year joined the painters' guild of Florence | 1472 |
| Year apprenticed to Andrea del Verrocchio | 1467 (aged 15) |
| Known for | Painting, drawing, sculpting, architecture, engineering, science, mathematics, invention, anatomy, botany, music, and writing |
| Famous works | The Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, Salvator Mundi, Vitruvian Man, Lady with an Ermine, The Virgin of the Rocks |
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What You'll Learn
Leonardo da Vinci's early life and education
Leonardo da Vinci was born on 15 April 1452 in Anchiano, near the Tuscan hill town of Vinci, Italy, just outside Florence. He was the illegitimate child of Florentine notary Ser Piero and Caterina, a young peasant woman. Leonardo grew up on his father's family estate, where he was treated as a "legitimate" son and received a basic and informal elementary education of the day: reading, writing, and arithmetic.
Leonardo's father took custody of him shortly after his birth. Growing up in his father's home, Leonardo had access to scholarly texts owned by family and friends. He was also exposed to Vinci's longstanding painting tradition. When he was around 15, his father apprenticed him to the renowned workshop of Andrea del Verrocchio in Florence. Verrocchio's workshop undertook a wide range of commissions, including sculpture, decorative metalwork, and paintings. Leonardo received multifaceted training that included painting and sculpture, as well as the technical-mechanical arts.
By 1472, Leonardo had joined the brotherhood of Florentine artists, the Compagnia di San Luca, and he worked in Florence for the next ten years. He was accepted into the painters' guild of Florence that same year, but he remained in his teacher's workshop for another five years. In 1482, he entered the service of the Duke of Milan, abandoning his first commission in Florence, "The Adoration of the Magi". He spent 17 years in Milan, during which he reached new heights of scientific and artistic achievement. The Duke kept him busy with painting, sculpting, and designing court festivals. Leonardo also served as a technical adviser in architecture, fortifications, and military matters, and he worked as a hydraulic and mechanical engineer.
In 1483, Leonardo wrote to the ruling family, the Sforzas, asking for employment, primarily based on his expertise in military engineering. He also mentioned his skills in painting and sculpture. During his time in Milan, he produced his first anatomical studies and began recording his studies in meticulously illustrated notebooks. His work covered four main themes: painting, architecture, the elements of mechanics, and human anatomy.
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Apprenticeship under Andrea del Verrocchio
Leonardo da Vinci received his early artistic training under the sculptor and painter Andrea del Verrocchio. At the age of 15, in 1467, Leonardo's father, Ser Piero, apprenticed him to Verrocchio's workshop in Florence, which was one of the two most respected workshops in the city. Ser Piero, a Florentine notary, likely recognised his son's artistic talents and wanted to provide him with the best education possible, especially since Leonardo was an illegitimate child and many career paths would have been closed to him.
Verrocchio himself had studied under the renowned artist Donatello and served as the official sculptor to the ruling Medici family. He was known not only for his artistic skills but also for his teaching abilities. In his workshop, Leonardo received multifaceted training that included painting, sculpture, and the technical-mechanical arts. He learned to prepare pigments and canvases, and he studied Verrocchio's works and other models, honing his own skills.
Leonardo's first known contribution to his master's work was in Verrocchio's "Baptism of Christ". Critics generally agree that Leonardo painted the leftmost angel, whose face and hair have a light and graceful quality that stands out from the other figures in the painting. Some also suggest that he painted the angel's sleeve, as it matches sketches from Leonardo's notebooks, and the wings, which are unusually realistic. Leonardo was also likely responsible for the background of the painting, and some believe he designed the overall composition.
Verrocchio was so impressed with Leonardo's work that, according to Vasari, his first biographer, he swore never to paint again. While this may be an exaggeration, it is clear that Leonardo's talent was recognised and that he soon began working on his own projects, likely including "The Annunciation". In 1472, Leonardo was accepted into the painters' guild of Florence, but he continued to work in Verrocchio's workshop for another five years, perfecting his craft.
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Acceptance into the Florentine painters' guild
Leonardo da Vinci was apprenticed to the artist Andrea del Verrocchio when he was around 15 years old. In Verrocchio's workshop, Leonardo received training in painting and sculpture, as well as the technical-mechanical arts. He also worked in the neighbouring workshop of artist Antonio del Pollaiuolo, a sculptor, painter, engraver, and goldsmith.
In 1472, at the age of 20, Leonardo was accepted into the Compagnia di San Luca, the Florentine painters' guild, also known as the Guild of Saint Luke. The guild was a brotherhood of Florentine artists and doctors of medicine. Even after his acceptance into the guild, Leonardo continued to live and collaborate with Verrocchio for five more years.
Leonardo's early works included a range of commissions such as sculpture and decorative metalwork, as well as paintings. However, few paintings from this period survive. One of his earliest known works is a 1473 pen-and-ink drawing of the Arno valley.
Leonardo's fame initially rested on his achievements as a painter, but he also gained recognition for his notebooks, which contained drawings and notes on anatomy, astronomy, botany, cartography, painting, and palaeontology. He is widely regarded as a genius who epitomised the Renaissance humanist ideal.
In addition to his artistic pursuits, Leonardo applied his creativity to various other fields. He was a draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect. He made substantial discoveries in several domains, including anatomy, civil engineering, hydrodynamics, geology, optics, and tribology.
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Employment as a court painter
Leonardo da Vinci is widely recognised as one of the greatest painters in the history of Western art. He is also known for his work as a sculptor, architect, designer, engineer, mathematician, scientist, inventor, anatomist, botanist, musician, and writer.
In 1472, Leonardo was accepted into the painters' guild of Florence, the Compagnia di San Luca. He remained in Florence for the next ten years, working independently from 1477. However, by 1483, Leonardo felt stifled and decided to move to Milan, where he believed he would find more exciting opportunities. He wrote to the ruling family, the Sforzas, requesting employment, emphasising his expertise in military engineering and his skills in painting and sculpture.
In Milan, Leonardo was listed in the register of the royal household as "pictor et ingeniarius ducalis" ("painter and engineer of the duke"). He was highly esteemed and constantly in demand as a painter, sculptor, and designer of court festivals. He was frequently consulted as a technical advisor in architecture, fortifications, and military matters, and he served as a hydraulic and mechanical engineer. During his 17 years in Milan, he completed six paintings, including "The Virgin of the Rocks," which was commissioned by a confraternity.
In 1508, Leonardo returned to Milan, now under French rule, and began working for the French rulers of the city. He started a series of compositions of the Virgin and Child. In 1515, King Francis I of France captured Milan, and the two became close friends. In 1516, Francis I invited Leonardo to France, and in 1517, Leonardo moved to the Chateau of Cloux, near Amboise, where he spent the rest of his life as the King's "first painter and engineer."
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Leonardo's artistic process and influences
Leonardo da Vinci trained as a painter during the Renaissance and became a master of the craft. During the Renaissance, European artists began to study nature more closely, aiming to paint realistic images of the world. They learned to create lifelike people and animals, and they became skilled at creating the illusion of depth and distance on flat walls and canvases using the techniques of linear perspective.
Leonardo's artistic process was heavily influenced by his powers of observation and his curiosity about the world around him. He constantly sought to explain the phenomena he observed, and his scientific approach to understanding the world is evident in his detailed notebooks, which contain anatomical studies, inventions, and theories. He sought to create faithful renditions of life in his paintings, using perspective and his scientific observations to achieve objectivity. This approach became the standard for 16th-century painters who followed him.
Leonardo's education and training also played a significant role in shaping his artistic process. At around the age of 15, his father, a Florentine notary and landlord, apprenticed him to the renowned Florentine painter and sculptor, Andrea del Verrocchio. In Verrocchio's workshop, Leonardo received multifaceted training that included painting, sculpture, drafting, chemistry, metallurgy, metalworking, mechanics, and woodwork. He also worked in the neighbouring workshop of artist Antonio Pollaiuolo, further refining his skills. In 1472, at the age of 20, Leonardo was accepted into the painters' guild of Florence, but he continued to work with Verrocchio for several more years before becoming an independent master in 1478.
Leonardo's early commissions included panel paintings and altar paintings, and he soon gained recognition for his work. He was listed in the royal register of Milan as "pictor et ingeniarius ducalis" ("painter and engineer of the duke"), highlighting his versatility and talent in multiple disciplines.
In addition to his practical skills, Leonardo's artistic process was influenced by the intellectual movement of Renaissance Humanism, which promoted a return to the values and ideals of the classical world while emphasising the importance of reaching one's full potential as a human. This movement encouraged Leonardo to explore the relationship between man and nature, and his understanding of science and mathematics is reflected in his artworks.
Overall, Leonardo da Vinci's artistic process was characterised by his keen powers of observation, his scientific curiosity, and his versatile skill set. He combined his artistic talents with a deep understanding of the world around him to create paintings that revolutionised the artistic standards of his time and continue to inspire and influence generations of artists.
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Frequently asked questions
Leonardo da Vinci received his early artistic training in the workshop of sculptor and painter Andrea Verrocchio. In 1472, he was accepted into the painters' guild of Florence, the Compagnia di San Luca.
The first painting attributed to Leonardo da Vinci is 'The Baptism of Christ', which he worked on with Verrocchio and another apprentice.
Leonardo da Vinci's most famous paintings include 'The Last Supper', the 'Mona Lisa', and 'The Virgin of the Rocks'.
Leonardo da Vinci did not paint many pictures, but he did complete hundreds of drawings, sketches, and plans. Fewer than 25 major works are attributed to him, including numerous unfinished works.
Leonardo da Vinci is also known for his work as a sculptor, architect, designer, theorist, engineer, scientist, mathematician, inventor, anatomist, botanist, musician, and writer.
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