Why Was Leonardo Da Vinci Considered A Renaissance Man
Born in 1452 in Italy, Leonardo da Vinci began his life long passion of studying art, nature, and the science behind the way things work. Throughout his life, he moved to different places meeting different mentors in Europe specifically in Florence and Milan, Italy. Florence, Italy was the center of the Italian Renaissance where new artwork, scientific discoveries, philosophical ideas and mathematical ideas were being created and discussed. Here, Da Vinci created a series of journals containing information ranging on anything from how the human body works to weapons and art allowing future readers to recreate his many findings. The true “Renaissance Man” Leonardo da Vinci embodied the spirit of the Renaissance by becoming well educated in a variety of different
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subjects, creating the Vitruvian Man based on the Classical work by Vitruvius and through his analysis of different subject matter, while creating instructions for inventions that are the basis for some technology today. Leonardo da Vinci embodied the spirit of the Renaissance and became the “Renaissance Man” which he is so commonly known as today by excelling at different subject matter. To begin with, Da Vinci studied under Andrea del Verrocchio as a teenager in Florence. When Leonardo was a child, he immediately began to show his love for painting. When his dad and stepmom saw this, they decided that it would be best for him to go somewhere where could he could sharpen his artistic abilities and potentially become a successful artist down the line. After deciding upon this, “His father sent him at the age of 14 or 15 to apprentice with sculptor and painter Andrea del Verrocchio of Florence. He spent six years honing his technical skills, including metalworking, leather arts, carpentry, drawing and sculpting”(Zimmermann).By studying under Verrocchio as a teenager in Florence, the leading city of the Renaissance in southern Europe at the time, Leonardo was able to hone many different skills that could not only be used in art, but also in engineering, architecture, and design. This vast array of skill sets falls into the Renaissance ideal that one must be able to perform many different forms of art, not just sculpting or painting. Next, Da Vinci's life shaped him to embody the spirit of the Renaissance when he began various notebooks on different subjects. When da Vinci moved to Florence, Italy, he was introduced to the notions of keeping notebooks on the observations made in daily life.
Soon after, da Vinci decided to begin the first of his notebooks which by the end of his life, accumulated into a series of loosely formed books containing everything from art to anatomy to architecture (Zimmermann). When da Vinci began his notebooks, he was able to explore, organize, and keep track of any new information which he wanted to study. By striving to learn new information and by keeping track of it so that others can view it at another time, da Vinci was able to embody the spirit of the Renaissance by preaching the idea that it is important to keep track of what one is learning so that others can look back on their studies. Next, Leonardo da Vinci further demonstrated the spirit of the Renaissance through his life when he began to study anatomy in Milan. Throughout his life, da Vinci has studied and pursued every new subject that intrigued him no matter how accepted the topic was. When da Vinci moved to Milan, Italy to work for Ludovico, he began a new book called Book entitled on the Human Figure. Here, he used his findings from the corpses he dissected to draw anatomically correct images of the human
body(Sooke). When da Vinci discovered this new passion for anatomy, he did his best to correctly document his findings for the world to see. Unlike most doctors and scientists in the Renaissance, however, instead of simply just studying how the body is laid out, he made correct illustrations of different sections of the body and write about his observations from studying how they work. By being a skeptic and striving to make his own conclusions instead of believing in anybody else's findings shows that da Vinci embodied the spirit of the Renaissance by questioning everything. Finally, Leonardo da Vinci illustrated the spirit of the Renaissance by studying war technology after witnessing the wars between the Italian city-states. In the 1480’s, da Vinci wrote to Duke Sforza to apply for a military engineer after witnessing the need for them. When da Vinci received the job, he created machine guns, tanks, bicycles as well as furthering his architectural and geometrical talents(Sniderman). By constantly being around war, da Vinci took it upon himself to use it to his advantage by creating weapons and other various forms of war technology. Being able to analyze his situation, da Vinci was able to see that there was a need for engineers causing him to become one. By being able to examine his surroundings and adapt, Leonardo da Vinci embodied the analytical spirit of the Renaissance.
Next, Da Vinci's drawing the Vitruvian Man based off of the classical drawings of Vitruvius embodied the spirit of the Renaissance due to the fact that it portrayed anatomical, mathematical, and spiritual aspects simultaneously. To begin with, Leonardo da Vinci's drawing the Vitruvian Man was based on an ancient Roman philosopher. In classical Rome, Marcellus Vitruvius Pollio created the idea of the Vitruvian Man. Here, he wrote about the correct proportions of the human body in measurements using fingers, arms, and feet which da Vinci used to then create his drawing (Saari and Saari 41).Similar to many “Renaissance Men”, da Vinci used classical works to further his own knowledge about the way things function. By following the precise directions of Vitruvius, he was not only able to make an anatomically accurate man, but also bring back knowledge to the people that were previously lost to them, embodying the spirit of the Renaissance idea of bringing back classical ideas. Succeeding this, Leonardo da Vinci's anatomical design showed advancements in knowledge of the body. In the Vitruvian Man, Da Vinci depicted the different muscles being used while standing in different positions. Da Vinci wrote in one of his journals that “In drawing the human body, or any body, one must know thoroughly what is underneath the skin, for that is what shapes the surface and changes the surface by action”(Leonardo and Kelen 53). The combination of anatomy and art is used again and again in the Vitruvian Man by showing different muscles in different positions. Leonardo believed that it was necessary for an artist to know about all aspects of what they were trying to create before they made it. This yearning to research and use new topics in his life allowed da Vinci to take on the spirit of knowledge in the Renaissance. The final reason why da Vinci's Vitruvian Man embodied the spirit of the Renaissance was that it put an emphasis on math in artwork. In Leonardo’s drawing, he said that “4 fingers make 1 palm; 4 palms make one foot; 6 palms make one cubit; 4 cubits make a man’s height”(Saari and Saari 42). In past times, math was viewed as an impractical topic and contained little research. However, the Renaissance allowed it to emerge as a well-respected practice. By using this in his sketch, Da Vinci showed that math was more than just numbers and could be used in things such as art, making him more of a “Renaissance man”. Finally, Da Vinci combined spiritual values and ideas with his Vitruvian Man. Many philosophers presumed the idea that universe is represented in a chain starting with God and ending with the devil. Originally, it was believed that humans were to be placed in the middle of the chain but in the sketch, the man is placed within a circle and a square simultaneously. By having this, da Vinci stated that he believes a man can fill whatever shape he pleases and therefore move up and down the chain of being as he pleases (Earle). Da Vinci's design depicting a man standing in two different shapes shows that he agreed with the idea that men are able to do anything they want to do as long as they adjust. By switching from a circle to a square, a man had to change what muscles are being activated to be able to fit in the desired shape. This can be true in all situations because like muscles, people may have to use more of one sense or emotion depending on the situation. This idea that people could achieve whatever they set their minds to is just one of the many Renaissance ideas that Leonardo da Vinci took on.
Leonardo da Vinci embodied what is known as the spirit of the Renaissance by creating notebooks which contained information that inspired modern-day inventions. To begin with, da Vinci’s parachute design inspired modern day engineers. Engineer Adrian Nichols studied Leonardo da Vinci's design and decided to make the seven-meter wood and cloth parachute for himself. After testing it out, he was surprised to find out that the overall parachute worked extremely well and had a very smooth ride (Andrei). Leonardo's successful parachute design not only depicted his wide knowledge in engineering, but also in architecture, aerodynamics, and many other fields ahead of his time. By being able to put together this new and innovative piece of technology, Leonardo da Vinci has proved himself to embody the creative spirit of the Renaissance. Following this, da Vinci's inventions also inspired doctors to make surgical robots from his design. In da Vinci's notebooks, Leonardo designed a robotic knight that could move based on a series of pulleys. Combined with his studies in anatomy, doctors created surgical robots to help perfect surgeries(Ammu 42). Da Vinci’s design for his mechanical robot proved itself to be a futuristic piece of technology that could be taken into modern projects such as medical tools used to save lives. By creating a robot that made human life more simplistic, da Vinci allowed humans to have more free time to themselves. This idea circles back to the Renaissance value of humanism showing that da Vinci truly embodies the spirit of the Renaissance. On top of this, Leonardo da Vinci began the idea of plate tectonics and evolution. After doing some research, da Vinci found out than when he was on higher grounds such as mountains, there were shells and fossils that came from marine environments. He then took this newfound knowledge and started to study rocks which lead him to find that there are different layers of rocks at different elevations(Wells and Kemp 42). By beginning the idea that the earth is formed in a series of layers, helped modern scientist further grasp the idea that the earth's magnetic force is shifting. The idea that one should be able to form conclusions to new scientific problems further emphasized that Leonardo da Vinci embodied the true spirit of the Renaissance. Furthermore, Leonardo created a Bridge design that is now used in modern bridges. Leonardo da Vinci created a bridge using parabolas in one of his notebooks. Later on, a team of engineers created a bridge using his designs in the 1930’s called the Sydney Harbor Bridge. The bridge uses two parabolas to support itself while also giving it a modern design(Atalay). This bridge incorporated artistic and engineering principles successfully by creating a sturdy structure for transportation. The study of how architectural design can be perfected by mathematical concepts is just one of the many aspects created in the spirit of the Renaissance.
subjects, creating the Vitruvian Man based on the Classical work by Vitruvius and through his analysis of different subject matter, while creating instructions for inventions that are the basis for some technology today. Leonardo da Vinci embodied the spirit of the Renaissance and became the “Renaissance Man” which he is so commonly known as today by excelling at different subject matter. To begin with, Da Vinci studied under Andrea del Verrocchio as a teenager in Florence. When Leonardo was a child, he immediately began to show his love for painting. When his dad and stepmom saw this, they decided that it would be best for him to go somewhere where could he could sharpen his artistic abilities and potentially become a successful artist down the line. After deciding upon this, “His father sent him at the age of 14 or 15 to apprentice with sculptor and painter Andrea del Verrocchio of Florence. He spent six years honing his technical skills, including metalworking, leather arts, carpentry, drawing and sculpting”(Zimmermann).By studying under Verrocchio as a teenager in Florence, the leading city of the Renaissance in southern Europe at the time, Leonardo was able to hone many different skills that could not only be used in art, but also in engineering, architecture, and design. This vast array of skill sets falls into the Renaissance ideal that one must be able to perform many different forms of art, not just sculpting or painting. Next, Da Vinci's life shaped him to embody the spirit of the Renaissance when he began various notebooks on different subjects. When da Vinci moved to Florence, Italy, he was introduced to the notions of keeping notebooks on the observations made in daily life.
Soon after, da Vinci decided to begin the first of his notebooks which by the end of his life, accumulated into a series of loosely formed books containing everything from art to anatomy to architecture (Zimmermann). When da Vinci began his notebooks, he was able to explore, organize, and keep track of any new information which he wanted to study. By striving to learn new information and by keeping track of it so that others can view it at another time, da Vinci was able to embody the spirit of the Renaissance by preaching the idea that it is important to keep track of what one is learning so that others can look back on their studies. Next, Leonardo da Vinci further demonstrated the spirit of the Renaissance through his life when he began to study anatomy in Milan. Throughout his life, da Vinci has studied and pursued every new subject that intrigued him no matter how accepted the topic was. When da Vinci moved to Milan, Italy to work for Ludovico, he began a new book called Book entitled on the Human Figure. Here, he used his findings from the corpses he dissected to draw anatomically correct images of the human
body(Sooke). When da Vinci discovered this new passion for anatomy, he did his best to correctly document his findings for the world to see. Unlike most doctors and scientists in the Renaissance, however, instead of simply just studying how the body is laid out, he made correct illustrations of different sections of the body and write about his observations from studying how they work. By being a skeptic and striving to make his own conclusions instead of believing in anybody else's findings shows that da Vinci embodied the spirit of the Renaissance by questioning everything. Finally, Leonardo da Vinci illustrated the spirit of the Renaissance by studying war technology after witnessing the wars between the Italian city-states. In the 1480’s, da Vinci wrote to Duke Sforza to apply for a military engineer after witnessing the need for them. When da Vinci received the job, he created machine guns, tanks, bicycles as well as furthering his architectural and geometrical talents(Sniderman). By constantly being around war, da Vinci took it upon himself to use it to his advantage by creating weapons and other various forms of war technology. Being able to analyze his situation, da Vinci was able to see that there was a need for engineers causing him to become one. By being able to examine his surroundings and adapt, Leonardo da Vinci embodied the analytical spirit of the Renaissance.
Next, Da Vinci's drawing the Vitruvian Man based off of the classical drawings of Vitruvius embodied the spirit of the Renaissance due to the fact that it portrayed anatomical, mathematical, and spiritual aspects simultaneously. To begin with, Leonardo da Vinci's drawing the Vitruvian Man was based on an ancient Roman philosopher. In classical Rome, Marcellus Vitruvius Pollio created the idea of the Vitruvian Man. Here, he wrote about the correct proportions of the human body in measurements using fingers, arms, and feet which da Vinci used to then create his drawing (Saari and Saari 41).Similar to many “Renaissance Men”, da Vinci used classical works to further his own knowledge about the way things function. By following the precise directions of Vitruvius, he was not only able to make an anatomically accurate man, but also bring back knowledge to the people that were previously lost to them, embodying the spirit of the Renaissance idea of bringing back classical ideas. Succeeding this, Leonardo da Vinci's anatomical design showed advancements in knowledge of the body. In the Vitruvian Man, Da Vinci depicted the different muscles being used while standing in different positions. Da Vinci wrote in one of his journals that “In drawing the human body, or any body, one must know thoroughly what is underneath the skin, for that is what shapes the surface and changes the surface by action”(Leonardo and Kelen 53). The combination of anatomy and art is used again and again in the Vitruvian Man by showing different muscles in different positions. Leonardo believed that it was necessary for an artist to know about all aspects of what they were trying to create before they made it. This yearning to research and use new topics in his life allowed da Vinci to take on the spirit of knowledge in the Renaissance. The final reason why da Vinci's Vitruvian Man embodied the spirit of the Renaissance was that it put an emphasis on math in artwork. In Leonardo’s drawing, he said that “4 fingers make 1 palm; 4 palms make one foot; 6 palms make one cubit; 4 cubits make a man’s height”(Saari and Saari 42). In past times, math was viewed as an impractical topic and contained little research. However, the Renaissance allowed it to emerge as a well-respected practice. By using this in his sketch, Da Vinci showed that math was more than just numbers and could be used in things such as art, making him more of a “Renaissance man”. Finally, Da Vinci combined spiritual values and ideas with his Vitruvian Man. Many philosophers presumed the idea that universe is represented in a chain starting with God and ending with the devil. Originally, it was believed that humans were to be placed in the middle of the chain but in the sketch, the man is placed within a circle and a square simultaneously. By having this, da Vinci stated that he believes a man can fill whatever shape he pleases and therefore move up and down the chain of being as he pleases (Earle). Da Vinci's design depicting a man standing in two different shapes shows that he agreed with the idea that men are able to do anything they want to do as long as they adjust. By switching from a circle to a square, a man had to change what muscles are being activated to be able to fit in the desired shape. This can be true in all situations because like muscles, people may have to use more of one sense or emotion depending on the situation. This idea that people could achieve whatever they set their minds to is just one of the many Renaissance ideas that Leonardo da Vinci took on.
Leonardo da Vinci embodied what is known as the spirit of the Renaissance by creating notebooks which contained information that inspired modern-day inventions. To begin with, da Vinci’s parachute design inspired modern day engineers. Engineer Adrian Nichols studied Leonardo da Vinci's design and decided to make the seven-meter wood and cloth parachute for himself. After testing it out, he was surprised to find out that the overall parachute worked extremely well and had a very smooth ride (Andrei). Leonardo's successful parachute design not only depicted his wide knowledge in engineering, but also in architecture, aerodynamics, and many other fields ahead of his time. By being able to put together this new and innovative piece of technology, Leonardo da Vinci has proved himself to embody the creative spirit of the Renaissance. Following this, da Vinci's inventions also inspired doctors to make surgical robots from his design. In da Vinci's notebooks, Leonardo designed a robotic knight that could move based on a series of pulleys. Combined with his studies in anatomy, doctors created surgical robots to help perfect surgeries(Ammu 42). Da Vinci’s design for his mechanical robot proved itself to be a futuristic piece of technology that could be taken into modern projects such as medical tools used to save lives. By creating a robot that made human life more simplistic, da Vinci allowed humans to have more free time to themselves. This idea circles back to the Renaissance value of humanism showing that da Vinci truly embodies the spirit of the Renaissance. On top of this, Leonardo da Vinci began the idea of plate tectonics and evolution. After doing some research, da Vinci found out than when he was on higher grounds such as mountains, there were shells and fossils that came from marine environments. He then took this newfound knowledge and started to study rocks which lead him to find that there are different layers of rocks at different elevations(Wells and Kemp 42). By beginning the idea that the earth is formed in a series of layers, helped modern scientist further grasp the idea that the earth's magnetic force is shifting. The idea that one should be able to form conclusions to new scientific problems further emphasized that Leonardo da Vinci embodied the true spirit of the Renaissance. Furthermore, Leonardo created a Bridge design that is now used in modern bridges. Leonardo da Vinci created a bridge using parabolas in one of his notebooks. Later on, a team of engineers created a bridge using his designs in the 1930’s called the Sydney Harbor Bridge. The bridge uses two parabolas to support itself while also giving it a modern design(Atalay). This bridge incorporated artistic and engineering principles successfully by creating a sturdy structure for transportation. The study of how architectural design can be perfected by mathematical concepts is just one of the many aspects created in the spirit of the Renaissance.