2010

Accomplishments

Links: http://www.leonardo-da-vinci-biography.com/index.html ( All about me)
http://www.leonardo-da-vinci-biography.com/leonardo-da-vinci-inventions.html (Inventinons)
http://www.leonardo-da-vinci-biography.com/leonardo-da-vinci-painting.html (Artwork)
http://www.hypatiamaze.org/leonardo/leo_timlin.html (Timeline of Mathematical Work)
http://pevsnerlab.kennedykrieger.org/leonardo.htm (Contributions to Neuroscince)
http://dsc.discovery.com/news/slideshows/da-vinci-face.html (Slide Show, portraits)

Quotes

"Just as courage imperils life, fear protects it."
"Anyone who in discussion relies upon authority uses, not his understanding, but rather his memory."
"A good painter is to paint two main things, men and the working of man's mind. "
"The truth of things is the chief nutriment of superior intellects. "
"The men of experiment are like the ant; they only collect and use. But the bee . . . gathers its materials from the flowers of the garden and of the field, but transforms and digests it by a power of its own. "
"As a well spent day brings happy sleep, so a life well spent brings happy death. "
"The smallest feline is a masterpiece. "
"The desire to know is natural to good men. "
"The depth and strength of a human character are defined by its moral reserves. People reveal themselves completely only when they are thrown out of the customary conditions of their life, for only then do they have to fall back on their reserves. "
" The eye sees a thing more clearly in dreams than the imagination awake. "

A Journey through My Music

This music was an odd,short, and rare piece of music that I made. Hope you like my complementing pictures.

Original Inventions

Testing my cleverness through the production of my ideas.

Hello there, I am Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci or better known as just Leonardo da Vinci. Some people know me for being an expert painter, sculptor, architect, musician while others know me as a scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, and writer. Nonetheless, I am most widely known for my art and how it is seen through other people’s views. Moreover, I was born on April 12, 1452 in Florence Italy from a wealthy father named Messer Piero Fruosino di Antonio da Vinci and a lower class, peasant mother named Caternia. I had to live with seventeen siblings, until later on when I was older and was able to work on my own.

In my early years, I was already a talented, little boy because I was even able to help my dad create a painting on a shield that was sold and handed down to the powerful Duke of Milan which ended up earning a profit for us. Then, when I was fourteen, I was proudly an apprentice to Verrocchio’s workshop and in there were also other famous painters. During my time there, I had a chance to learn theoretical ideas and skills that helped me later on in life. As I grew up and became more and more wise, I also had the ability to create a silver lyre which shows how creative and constructive my mind was. Later on, I had to work for Cesare Borgia, Pope Alexander V’s son, as a military architect and engineer which was when I knew I was capable of creating distinct maps.

In 1503 as part of the Guild of St. Luke, I took part in relocating Michelangelo’s statue of David even when I felt the loathsome feeling within me. Furthermore, I was a sculptor and painter for the Duke of Milan and produced many studies in inventions and scientific thoughts. When I was finally creating my most distinguished painting, The Last Supper, it was to bring the High Renaissance the idealization of nature and the realistic truth of everything. This painting led to multiple controversies between different religions in the Renaissance. My skill of discovering how nature functioned was to dissect the human body to see more definitely how everything worked. Then, my other notable painting was Mona Lisa, and this painting aroused many to interpret it in contrasting ways, which shows my absolute brilliance in angles of artistic drawings because of the mysterious smile on her face.

During the Scientific Revolution, I summarized my opinion on mathematical science in that "proportion is not only found in numbers and measurements but also in sounds, weight, times, positions, and in whatsoever power they may be". Therefore, I was able to even think like the other elite intellectuals. I am a left-handed writer, so i wrote in a mirror techniques. Furthermore, my crafty wits allowed me to create inventions such as the soaring machines models which enhanced to later discoveries in actual flying. Most importantly, despite the certain antagonists who oppose my greatness, I am a man honored, admired, and thanked in my time due to the impacts and influences that I have done.

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonardo_da_Vinci%22%3Ehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonardo_da_Vinci%3C/a>

Verrocchio's Workshop

The Baptism of Chirst, (later work of art by the both of us)

Today at my 14^th age in 1466, I was actually put into the workshop of Andrea di Cioni or more known as Verrocchio by my father because my father thought I had the talent to do great deeds. I was to be Verrocchio's apprentice in order for me to gain the knowledge in the natural studies of humanities. Other artists put into this fine place were Ghirlandaio, Perugino, Botticelli, and Lorenzo di Credi. In addition, I was finally introduced in more depth of the technical skills of life and the theoretical wisdom that would all be helping me later on in life. I am prepared for any task thrown upon me due to my ability to handle any tool that will enhance the works of my master. Verrocchio seems to appear before me as if I am better than him in what he does; nonetheless, I am not so sure because this man is known for his amazing works of art, and I am only to assist him a little bit further.

This was somehow the only job I can do at the time because I was an illegitimate child, and no other careers were in view. It is the most honorable position I can currently achieve. However, in my time being there, I am only helping Verrocchio in chores as basic and simple that I may be looked at as a worthless servant. Only later in my presence here was he able to give me better tasks to do like setting up pigments and canvases. When all was well an time went on, I am expecting for accomplishments that I would be more proud of like collaborating in a piece of art with my expert, Verrocchio.

Sources: http://www.sparknotes.com/biography/davinci/section2.rhtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrea_del_Verrocchio

Accused for my Attraction to Males

anatomical analysis on men

In this month of Arpil in 1475, I am currently twenty- four and arrested for sodomy with other men. I believe that I can be any kind of man that I want to be. It does not bother me that much when people call me a "Florenzer" or basically a homosexual. Even Machiavelli’s son, Ludovico was interested in men. Some people were least bothered by my kind of men like the Florence’s ambassador to the Papal Court that he even replied that "perhaps there is nothing bad" to this kind of pleasure that brings some men.

details of men in depth

On the other hand by others, I am cruelly charged with homosexual interaction with Jacopo Saltarelli, an infamous prostitute. There are "Officers of the Night" who keep an alertness of us and our activities at the time. Nonetheless, charges are finally put down in June after long discussions with lack of evidence and witnesses. I am told that the Medici family had to do with this turn out. Furthermore, because of this, I felt the need to leave Florence in order to be more productive in my works. I am not planning on marrying or having any children, which shows my lack of notice in women. I write in my diaries that the male and the female sexual intercourse rudely disgust me. I rather draw anatomical pictures of the male body than the female body because the male figure catches my attention. Also, I usually enclose myself men to keep me company. In the future, I will still be sticking with the wide concern on men instead of women due to the remarkable details of males.

Sources: http://www.bnl.gov/bera/activities/globe/leonardo_da_vinci.htm
http://www.gayheroes.com/leon.htm

Time of Inventions

hydaulic machines

In my time of the 1500s, I begin to create such notable inventions. I start off with creating many machines, and one of which is the lens grinding machine. This machine is in use for grounding the crystals or glass. Also, because of my study in the low of motion in water, I am capable of creating machinery in bridges and hydraulics. Due to the civil engineering project for Ottoman Sultan Beyazid II of Istanbul, I actually realize what my mind was capable of doing. Therefore, beneficial factors were made because of the single span bridge.

war tank

For war machines, I thought of technical ways in building a war-based creation. Most of my ideas are written in my notebook along with all the conceptions that appear in my mind. Some of which includes the cannons, crossbows, and wheel-lock musket. I made these weapons during my time in Venice.

drawings of air travel

In addition to my great thoughts, the idea of flight came into view. I deeply desire to fly and for that reason I am starting to create studies and drawings on it. I even asked one of my apprentices to experiment on what I thought, but he fell and broke his leg, meaning my understanding was currently not superior enough to know entirely conclude everything on air travel.

sketch of my viola organist

The viola organist is another great invention of mine. However, it is in the field of music. It is said to be the first convex keyboard instrument ever.

Later on in the 20^th century, my works have been made into reality and were experimented by models. Anyhow, my discoveries were in need of adjustments because of the inaccurate structures of some inventions, yet they are still renowned to be the finer inventions in the early ages.

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_and_inventions_of_Leonardo_da_Vinci

http://inventors.about.com/od/dstartinventors/ig/Inventions-of-Leonardo-DaVinci/

Rivalry with Michelangelo

Leonardo da Vinci's version

Recently in 1503, people call the battle between me and my foe, Michelangelo a "showdown". The mayor of Florence delivered us a task which was to create frescos on the Council Rooms of the Town Halls. Because we were known to be the most distinguished Renaissance artists, there were high expectations for both of us. We did not allow anyone to see what we were doing. I was in deep intimidation that Michelangelo would soar above me in his art, even when I was practically a generation older and had already established a high class reputation. On the other hand, because of that, people will anticipate more of me, but painting alongside of Michelangelo was just a personal challenge that I took on.

How dare Michelangelo copy my perfectly thought out

work. I feel so used and now people will become skeptical on whose work is truly the genuine one because both of our paintings looked distinctively similar. I strongly believe that fool based his Battle of Cascina on my own original art. A great artist does not imitate others ideas but instead come up with their own thoughts on how to produce such plausible art or else it just shows how the person should not get such high titles in society. Consequently, through all the anger and disputes, Michelangelo did not finish his painting and through fury, I ruined mine. As a result, this "competition" did not have actual results on who won the test in seeing who is in fact superior to the other, but it did show how desperate of a man Michelangelo was to be finer in his profession.