Maddison Wright
Intro to Art History
10/22/2013
Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo Buonarotti
Leonardo da Vinci born 1452 in Italy, was a complex individual who never married. Not only was he a painter in the High Renaissance but a skilled architect, engineer, and contributed to developing the studies of human anatomy and physics of motion (despite his lack of formal education). He used his understanding of the human anatomy to further his sculpting abilities although today none of his sculptures have been found to display publicly. One fact about Leonardo is that he kept a notebook with his ideas and sketches and to ensure no one could read them he wrote everything backwards. Although many subjects interested Leonardo, it seems he longed to live a life without chaos. Trying to simplify everyday life he decided to create designs to reroute rivers, contribute to urban planning, help eliminate stressful aspects to the pedestrian streets, and many other approaches.
When hearing the name Leonardo da Vinci people attribute him to one of the worlds greatest painters. As young as age fifteen years old Leonardo set off to become an artists’ apprentice named Andrea del Verrocchio. It has been said that this Florentine artist was so impressed by Leonardos works that she quite her life as a painter; Leonardo is considered to be the greatest Naturalist painters of all time. His genus also brought a new concept to the art of painting, it is called Sfumato, meaning smokey affect and is used to present atmospheric dimensions. Achieving all of this and becoming a master in the arts at age twenty it’s no wonder he traveled throughout Italy working for well-to-do patrons.
Though Leonardo was extremely talented on his own, another man of the High Renaissance struck people in awe with his works. His name was Michelangelo Buonarroti, born 1475 and in Italy as well. In his early years he would spend his spare time drawing, which in the beginning his father was not pleased and beat him many times until he came to the realization what talent his son possessed. Michelangelo started working as an artist at age thirteen apprenticed by a painter named Domenico Ghirlandaio and at seventeen went out to seek work as an artist on his own. Through his life Michelangelo was always in the sight of wealthy patrons and other highly placed individuals. He was not just a sculptor but an architect, poet, and painter. In the 1500’s Michelangelo sculpted Mary cradling Jesus across her lap, this was called “Pieta” (meaning pity or compassion). After sculpting the Pieta and David, Michelangelo was asked by the Pope to construct a masterpiece on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel which took him only four years to complete. After the revel of this breathtaking painting the people saw him not only as a great sculptor but as well as an astounding painter. Michelangelo painted until he died at age seventy-six; he was very involved with his family but never married.
When hearing the name Leonardo da Vinci people attribute him to one of the worlds greatest painters. As young as age fifteen years old Leonardo set off to become an artists’ apprentice named Andrea del Verrocchio. It has been said that this Florentine artist was so impressed by Leonardos works that she quite her life as a painter; Leonardo is considered to be the greatest Naturalist painters of all time. His genus also brought a new concept to the art of painting, it is called Sfumato, meaning smokey affect and is used to present atmospheric dimensions. Achieving all of this and becoming a master in the arts at age twenty it’s no wonder he traveled throughout Italy working for well-to-do patrons.
Though Leonardo was extremely talented on his own, another man of the High Renaissance struck people in awe with his works. His name was Michelangelo Buonarroti, born 1475 and in Italy as well. In his early years he would spend his spare time drawing, which in the beginning his father was not pleased and beat him many times until he came to the realization what talent his son possessed. Michelangelo started working as an artist at age thirteen apprenticed by a painter named Domenico Ghirlandaio and at seventeen went out to seek work as an artist on his own. Through his life Michelangelo was always in the sight of wealthy patrons and other highly placed individuals. He was not just a sculptor but an architect, poet, and painter. In the 1500’s Michelangelo sculpted Mary cradling Jesus across her lap, this was called “Pieta” (meaning pity or compassion). After sculpting the Pieta and David, Michelangelo was asked by the Pope to construct a masterpiece on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel which took him only four years to complete. After the revel of this breathtaking painting the people saw him not only as a great sculptor but as well as an astounding painter. Michelangelo painted until he died at age seventy-six; he was very involved with his family but never married.
Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo Buonarroti were both not only outstanding artists who contributed much to history, but among the greatest (if not the greatest) artist’s of all time. Leonardo had numerous talents and they ranged in many areas. Michelangelo, though moody and competitive, had a talent that could only be sought out to admire in our world. Both developed iconic art pieces such as for Leonardo da Vinci, his famous works were the Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, Vitruvian Man. Michelangelo’s well known works consisted of David, Pieta, Sistine Chapel ceiling, and The Last Judgment. If observing both artists and their works, you would find that they have an eye for extensive detail, steady hands, and an amazing mind to be able to create every painting and develop many ideas that were added to our history.
Michelangelo Buonarotti, Pieta
Michelangelo Buonarotti, Sistine Chapel ceiling
Leonardo da Vinci, The Last Supper
Leonardo da Vinci, Mona Lisa
Leonardo da Vinci, Vitruvian Man
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