7 Great Works of Leonardo Da Vinci
Leonardo Da Vinci was many things apart from being a painter. He was an inventor, scientists, architect, engineer, philosopher, designer and much more. But he is primarily known for his many famous artworks. He was into many things, such as studying human anatomy, science and art, which is why left behind a huge pile of notes, sketches, diagrams and many unfinished projects. Many of those things are now lost forever. But what remains are some of the paintings he did while he was alive, and which is now a treasure beyond measure.
His curiosity, ability to go beyond the obvious and brave enough to innovate while painting is clearly reflected in his paintings. There are compositions, colors, themes and science behind his every work. Decoding Da Vinci’s work is still on and brings new surprises every now and then.
Paying tribute to the greatest artist of all time, here are some of the well-known artwork of Leonardo Da Vinci:
Mona Lisa painting by Leonardo Da Vinci is the most famous of all his paintings. This painting of a simple women dressed modestly with an almost invisible thin veil has been the subject of wonder for many people. From the artists to experts to art lovers, everyone seems to be confused about the smile. Is she smiling at you or mocking? Everyone has a different opinion. The thing that sets the paintings apart is the realism. Just like the humans, the painting too is complex and you cannot really read what’s going behind that smile. It is a proof of how the painter applied the knowledge he gathered studying different things.
The painting “The Last Supper” is one of the most famous paintings by Leonardo Da Vinci. It is a painting on the walls of the Dominican monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie. The painting too is a proof of how he humanizes a painting. In the painting, all the Apostles are present and are shown as reacting to what Jesus Christ has just declared that one of them will betray him. He was commissioned the work by Ludovico Sforza, duke of Milan. He was also Leonardo’s patron. The painting perfectly depicts each disciple’s unique reaction to the declaration. Unfortunately, the painting started to disintegrate soon after is was painted. It has been restored many times, but experts and art lovers can still see the magic of the work. The original work and its impact can still be felt and seen.
Many consider it as the self-portrait of the famous artist, but the experts differ in their opinion. The red chalk painting of an old man looks much older than Leonardo ever reached since he died at the age of 67. Many believe that it was one of the drawings he did in his notebooks of people he considered interesting. The wrinkled face, the frown, furrowed brow talks of wisdom and a face that has seen life. Whether it’s a self-portrait or not, the drawing is definitely a gold mine for art lovers. It simply shows the emotions of a human being. The deep lines, and the shadows techniques look same as many of his paintings. For art lovers, this painting represents wisdom and understanding of human emotions. Da Vinci was truly a master of arts.
The Lady with an Ermine is one of the most popular paintings by the great artist. Many believe that the young woman in the painting was Cecilia Gallerani, the mistress of Ludovico Sforza, duke of Milan, who was also Leonardo’s patron. This is a great example of how Leonardo understood the anatomy of human expression and structure. The delicate hand of the woman and the head of the Ermine have been painted so beautifully. She is gazing at something beyond the frame and her expression shows the naïve nature of her age. The expression, posture and the dark background truly makes this painting a master piece. If you are an art lover, this painting can be your teacher. Admire and learn the technique used here.
The Vitruvian Man is a great work of art on so many levels. It shows a man in two superimposes positions. This pen and ink drawing are one of many drawings the artists did in his one of many notebooks. In this drawing, Leonardo is trying to replicate and understand the concept of an ideal human proportions inspired by the Roman architect Vitruvius’s book on architecture from the 1st century BCE. Vitruvius’s theory was that, an ideal human being could fit into a square and a circle. Leonardo drew a male figure in two superimposed positions one in a square and one in a circle. The arms of man are outstretched to fit in a square, and in another drawing, the legs and arms spread to fit in a circle. It combines the mathematics, philosophy and art into one making it a treasure for art lovers across the world.
This is another artwork of Da Vinci that shows how talented and knowledgeable he was when it comes to incorporating techniques to represent human expression and posture. The detailed face with heavy eyelids and tender lips is in sharp contrast to the curls that surrounds her face. Many believe that the drawing was a model or sketch for another popular painting the The Virgin of the Rocks. The posture of the women in both the paintings seems to be very similar. The controlled layering technique is so common in his work and can be seen in this drawing too.
The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne is believed to be the last painting by Leonardo De Vinci. The painting depicts the Holy Family consisting of the Saint Anne, her daughter, the Virgin Mary and the Child Christ. Saint Anne watches Virgin Mary sitting on lap trying to restrain the Christ Child. The emotions and postures are again in play here as the mother looks at her son and the gaze are returned. The whole painting looks very intimate and represents deep human emotions. This is one of the most popular paintings by the great artists.
The Bottom-line
These 7 paintings are some of the most popular paintings and artwork done by the great Leonardo Da Vinci. Each of the work represents his genius on many things. He studied not just the art, but humans, science, designs, and so much more. He didn’t always follow the rules, and painted in different ways. As an artist, you can learn so many things about artwork.