A look into the life of Leonardo da Vinci and his masterpieces (Essay Sample)

A look into the life of Leonardo da Vinci and his masterpieces Evans Juma Kitui [Institution] A look into the life of Leonardo da Vinci and his masterpieces Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was born on the fifteenth day of April 1452 in Vinci, republic of Florence. He spent most of his early years working for the duke of Milan, Ludovico Maria Sforza, before moving to Rome, Bologna and later Venice. Although he is primarily known as a painter, Leonardo was also an inventor, a theorizer and scientist. Leonardo only painted a few artworks and those which exist today are all regarded as masterpieces. All his paintings portray a man who is both original and unpredictable at a time when being a painter was no different than being a common craftsman (Kemp, 2011). Among his masterpieces, the Mona Lisa portrait is regarded as the most popular and most famous. The Mona Lisa features a woman sitting in front of a landscape background, wearing an unadorned dress and with a smile on her face. The mystery of the portrait lies in the exact identity of the woman, how long Leonardo kept it and how the French royal collection came by it. The famous smile visually represents an idea of happiness and Leonardo made this the central aim of this portrait (Scaillierez, n.d.). Another famous piece is the religious painting of the Last Supper. Leonardo’s art about the last supper depicts Jesus with his disciples before Judas betrays Him to the authorities. The painting depicts both Christ and Judas reaching for a plate lying between them even as Judas holds a purse containing the reward money he was paid for betraying Jesus. Other apostles can also be identified from the painting e.g. Peter is seen holding a knife depicting he would later cut the ear of a soldier who attempted to arrest Christ. Very little of this painting remains today because since its completion on February 1498, it has been exposed to harsh environmental conditions and intentional damage ("Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper," 2012). The Lady with an Ermine was painted when Leonardo was working for the duke of Milan. According to Shell & Sironi (1992), the portrait depicts Cecilia Gallerani, at a time when she was the mistress of the duke. In this painting, Cecilia looks out to her left over her shoulder. The ermine’s head which also twists to the left further emphasizes the lady’s head movement. The lady’s hair is parted at the center and falls on either side of the head to be tied under the chin in a cloth. The ermine which Cecilia holds is larger than normal and serves to represent Ludovico, her lover, who in 1486 had been honored with the insignia of the Order of the Ermine by King Farrante of Naples. These are just a few of Leonardo ...