4.1 Leonardo da Vinci: artistic innovations and major works

Leonardo da Vinci revolutionized art with innovative techniques like sfumato and chiaroscuro. He mastered linear perspective and realism, creating depth and naturalism in his paintings. His scientific approach to art set him apart from his peers.

Leonardo's most famous works, like The Last Supper and Mona Lisa, showcase his artistic genius. His extensive notebooks reveal a curious mind that seamlessly blended art, science, and technology, making him the quintessential Renaissance man.

Painting Techniques

Sfumato and Chiaroscuro

Top images from around the web for Sfumato and Chiaroscuro

• 

  Sfumato — Wikipédia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Reading: Artistic Elements – Art Appreciation View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  The Last Supper (Leonardo) - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Sfumato — Wikipédia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Reading: Artistic Elements – Art Appreciation View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Sfumato and Chiaroscuro

• 

  Sfumato — Wikipédia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Reading: Artistic Elements – Art Appreciation View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  The Last Supper (Leonardo) - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Sfumato — Wikipédia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Reading: Artistic Elements – Art Appreciation View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

• Sfumato is a painting technique Leonardo pioneered that creates soft, hazy transitions between colors and tones
  • Involves blending colors subtly to create a smooth gradient effect without harsh outlines (Mona Lisa)
  • Contributes to an ethereal, atmospheric quality in his paintings
• Chiaroscuro is the use of strong contrasts between light and dark to create a sense of volume and depth
  • Dramatic lighting effects emphasize the three-dimensionality of forms (The Last Supper)
  • Enhances the emotional intensity and narrative drama in his compositions

Linear Perspective and Realism

• Leonardo was a master of linear perspective, a mathematical system for creating the illusion of depth on a flat surface
  • Converging orthogonal lines lead to a vanishing point on the horizon line (The Last Supper)
  • Allows for convincing depiction of architectural spaces and landscapes receding into the distance
• Aimed for greater realism and naturalism in his paintings
  • Closely observed and accurately rendered details like facial features, drapery, and natural phenomena (Mona Lisa)
  • Pioneered the use of aerial perspective, the blurring of distant elements to suggest atmospheric depth (Virgin of the Rocks)

Famous Paintings

The Last Supper (1495-1498)

• Monumental mural painting depicting Christ's final meal with his disciples before his crucifixion
  • Captures the dramatic moment just after Jesus reveals one of them will betray him
  • Disciples react with a range of emotions from shock to anger to sorrow
• Employs one-point linear perspective with all lines converging on Christ's head at the center
  • Emphasizes Jesus as the focal point and reinforces his divine status
• Innovative in its psychological characterization and narrative complexity
  • Each apostle has a distinct reaction reflecting their individual personality
  • Breaks with tradition of depicting Judas separately, instead integrating him with the group

Mona Lisa (1503-1506) and Virgin of the Rocks (1483-1486)

• Mona Lisa is a portrait of Lisa Gherardini, wife of a Florentine merchant
  • Renowned for her enigmatic smile and the subtle modeling of her features
  • Exemplifies sfumato technique in the soft blending of tones and ambiguous expression
• Virgin of the Rocks depicts the Virgin Mary with the Christ Child, infant John the Baptist, and an angel in a rocky cave setting
  • Two versions painted, one in the Louvre and one in London's National Gallery
  • Pyramidal composition and use of chiaroscuro create a serene, contemplative mood
  • Distant landscape and eroded rock formations demonstrate Leonardo's geological interests

Scientific Studies

Anatomical Investigations and Proportions

• Leonardo dissected over 30 human corpses to gain a deeper understanding of anatomy
  • Produced hundreds of remarkably accurate drawings of skeletal structures, musculature, and internal organs
  • Discoveries included the true shape of the spine, the structure of the heart, and the cranial cavities
• The Vitruvian Man (1490) is his most famous anatomical drawing, depicting the ideal human proportions
  • Male figure with arms and legs outstretched, simultaneously fitting in a circle and square
  • Illustrates Leonardo's belief in the human body as a microcosm of the universe
  • Exemplifies his interest in the mathematical proportions and harmonious geometry underlying natural forms

Notebooks and Observational Method

• Leonardo kept extensive notebooks throughout his life recording his scientific observations, theories, and inventions
  • Over 13,000 pages of notes and drawings covering a vast range of topics from botany to astronomy to engineering
  • Wrote in mirror script, possibly to keep his ideas secret or simply as a left-handed person avoiding smudging ink
• Emphasized empirical observation and logical reasoning as the path to knowledge
  • Rejected blind adherence to ancient authorities, insisting on verifying claims through direct experience
  • Acute visual perception and curiosity about natural phenomena informed both his art and scientific inquiries
• Notebooks reveal the interconnectedness of his pursuits in art, science, and technology
  • Studies of light, optics, and vision informed his use of perspective, sfumato, and chiaroscuro in painting
  • Analysis of natural forms like whirlpools and vortices carried over into depictions of curling hair and drapery