Curator’s Choice:
The Many Bodies of Leonardo da Vinci
(all images will be shown at the end of the paper, per professor's instructions)
Leonardo da Vinci represents the true Renaissance Man. The man was interested in so many subjects it was as if he perhaps had Attention Deficit Disorder. Leonardo is famous for so many masterpieces and inventions. His examples of Renaissance bodies will be represented in this exhibition by The Last Supper, The Virgin of the Rocks, and The Battle of Anghiari. “His legacy includes approximately 13,000 sheets of notes and drawings of anatomy, architecture, war and flying machines, plants and animals, all annotated in a reversed mirror-script.” (Pucekovic 40)
He was one of the few artists in Renaissance time that painted and drew many different types of bodies. There were many artists that painted women. However, Leonardo painted babies, children, teenagers, women, mothers, wives, and men. He painted saintly men and men of the Bible. Yet he also drew, painted and sculpted his self. In addition to drawing people, male and female, young and old, he also drew many horses and other animals. He had studied horses in motion and knew how to draw them accurately while in movement.
Leonardo, spent an enormous amount of time with dead bodies, dissecting them, night after night, so that he could understand anatomy. By understanding anatomy, an artist can define the figures and faces in their paintings and drawings with more accuracy. Now of all the sciences an artist could possibly use, anatomy is the one science we should be required to take. “The great drawings he made of dissected bodies begun in 1508.” (Jones 4) He drew so many drawings from the bodies' interior that he actually could have assisted with anatomy illustrations with a medical doctor.
Perhaps, if Leonardo had lived longer, he may have gone on to explore and share the anatomy lessons he learned with the dead bodies. We can only imagine what wonderful things a mind like that could have done with all the information he gathered. Leonardo was truly an amazing person who followed his curiosity and sought answers to life’s questions. The knowledge he gained by such a journey is immense. Sadly by today’s standards, he lacked credentials even though he was truly educated, albeit self-educated.
The many bodies created by Leonardo da Vinci cannot be adequately covered in such a short piece, but perhaps these few highlights will give one enough of an interest, to explore the genius of Leonardo further along with his art. Note: All opinions, comments, and critiques not cited are opinions of the curator of this show, yours truly, Jean Bourque. 12/8/2017.
I. Painting: The Last Supper
Milan 1497-98
Leonardo’s Men Wore Pastels
The Faces Tell the Story
The painting is the story of The Last Supper taken from the Bible. The painting was actually a fresco and Leonardo had never painted a fresco and didn’t realize there was certain methodology he should have used to make the painting successfully stay on the wall. So much of the original Last Supper is lost. The colors faded and peeled, with so many restorations, it is now long past anyone's living memory. (Jones103) The composition, the painting skills, and the color palette are most pleasing. The people of Milan hold the painting in the highest regard and have tried to preserve it and repair the wall. (Vasari290-291) The most recent repair being in 1999.
Many artists prior to Leonardo had attempted to paint The Last Supper but none were able to show all the disciples’ faces as expressively and they tended to look rather contrived. In da Vinci’s version, we see the disciples interacting and it appears more real than a static group of men sitting at a table. The historical moment da Vinci selected is the moment that Jesus tells his disciples that one of them will betray him. You can see the surprise on their faces. He painted their heads with such grace and realistic expressions. The love and care in the painting and in those faces. The remarkable look of deceit and hatred in Judas’ face, tells the story. (Vasari 289-290) The disciples’ bodies are all fairly similar in size, with slight variations. Most of them are not deeply defined as they are wearing robes and tunics.
Jonathan Jones in The Lost Battles, tells us Leonardo left a written inventory of his wardrobe and most of his clothes were in pastel colors. (Jones16) This may explain the color choices he made for the men in The Last Supper. He did these before the dissecting phase of his life. It would be most interesting to see what someone of his caliber would have painted after his anatomical explorations.
Jonathan Jones in The Lost Battles, tells us Leonardo left a written inventory of his wardrobe and most of his clothes were in pastel colors. (Jones16) This may explain the color choices he made for the men in The Last Supper. He did these before the dissecting phase of his life. It would be most interesting to see what someone of his caliber would have painted after his anatomical explorations.
II. Painting: Madonna of the Rocks
1504 Milan, Missing The horses, men, and movement
In 1503, Leonardo was commissioned to paint a mural, The Battle of Anghiari at the Great Council Hall of the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence Italy. The Battle of Anghiari was sketched by Leonardo and in 1504, he started a fresco painting at the Hall of the Palazzo Vecchio. (Jones 6) Leonardo decided to use oil paint directly on the wall of the Hall. The painting did not do well when there was a big storm and the air became humid and the oil paints ran. The fresco was never actually finished because Leonardo abandoned it. Enough of it was done and with the sketch that other artists were able to determine what it would have looked like completed. (Jones 4-6)
This painting was one with so much action, horses were bent and twisted in a variety of positions, yet their bodies were marvelously developed and extremely well rendered. One must admire the beauty of the animals in this image. The muscles and the wrenching of the neck and the eyes and nostrils are all so carefully illustrated. You must know Leonardo loved horses as he did all animals.
This was a masterpiece in its own right. Even unfinished many people stood in line to see the wall. It was there for many years before Giorgio Vasari was chosen to replace the damaged art work. Vasari’s 1563 mural was The Battle of Marciano. A quote from the leonardodavincisinventions.com website states:
'Many historians believe that Vasari being a big fan of da Vinci, would have tried to preserve the art by using a false wall several inches in front of Leonardo’s painting. This is the reason why a team of Italian researchers took samples from behind, Vasari's work. What they’ve discovered is that a black chalk-like substance they’ve found is similar in composition to that which was used on the Mona Lisa. "(*W3)
Aka: Virgin of the Rocks 1483-1485
Leonardo’s Virgin Mary & Angel and It is all about the hands in this painting
This painting was commissioned in Milan in 1483 and painted on a panel in oils. It is perhaps one of his most famous finished pieces. It currently hangs in The Louvre in Paris. He began this painting a year after his arrival in Milan. He worked out the composition very carefully, taking much time to assure perfection in his final painted composition. He used atmospheric perspective in the background landscape of the painting. (Pucekovic40-42) This works well, creating a field of depth within the painting. Following this painting in Milan, Leonardo became widely known and respected.
Madonna is another name for the mother of Jesus, thus we know this is Mary the Virgin. In this painting, we see a beautiful young faced mother and an angel that has a family resemblance. The toddlers, are John the Baptist and the Christ child. John and Jesus are shown as well developed chubby toddlers. Did toddlers play without clothing during the Renaissance? No evidence exists either way. John is pointing his finger, which is an excellent view of the skill and dexterity Leonardo used in creating the tiny child’s hand.
However, if you are looking to see what Madonna’s body looks like, it is very hard to tell in this painting, for all we see is her neck and the slope of her shoulders. There is an abundance of fabric from there to the ground. Our angel looks like they have someone hiding behind them and wrapped in fabric. The angel’s foot and back side are too large to be in scale. This painting does show the artist’s superior skill at painting hands in a variety of positions. Leonardo wants to show his skills in composing a variety of hand movements and positions as well as various sized hands. Overall, the painting looks fine and it isn’t until one gets right on it and really looks that they notice the oddities it represents.
III. Painting: The Battle of Anghiari 1504 Milan, Missing The horses, men, and movement
In 1503, Leonardo was commissioned to paint a mural, The Battle of Anghiari at the Great Council Hall of the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence Italy. The Battle of Anghiari was sketched by Leonardo and in 1504, he started a fresco painting at the Hall of the Palazzo Vecchio. (Jones 6) Leonardo decided to use oil paint directly on the wall of the Hall. The painting did not do well when there was a big storm and the air became humid and the oil paints ran. The fresco was never actually finished because Leonardo abandoned it. Enough of it was done and with the sketch that other artists were able to determine what it would have looked like completed. (Jones 4-6)
This painting was one with so much action, horses were bent and twisted in a variety of positions, yet their bodies were marvelously developed and extremely well rendered. One must admire the beauty of the animals in this image. The muscles and the wrenching of the neck and the eyes and nostrils are all so carefully illustrated. You must know Leonardo loved horses as he did all animals.
This was a masterpiece in its own right. Even unfinished many people stood in line to see the wall. It was there for many years before Giorgio Vasari was chosen to replace the damaged art work. Vasari’s 1563 mural was The Battle of Marciano. A quote from the leonardodavincisinventions.com website states:
'Many historians believe that Vasari being a big fan of da Vinci, would have tried to preserve the art by using a false wall several inches in front of Leonardo’s painting. This is the reason why a team of Italian researchers took samples from behind, Vasari's work. What they’ve discovered is that a black chalk-like substance they’ve found is similar in composition to that which was used on the Mona Lisa. "(*W3)
I. The Last Supper Milan 1497-98
2. Madonna on the Rocks
Milan 1483-1485
3. The Battle of Anghiari 1504
Milan
Image and Web Sources Cited for Art by Leonardo da Vinci
1. The Last Supper, Milan 1497-98.
https://www.artbible.info/art/last-supper.html
2. Madonna on the Rocks, Milan. 1483-1485.
2. Madonna on the Rocks, Milan. 1483-1485.
3. The Battle of Anghiari 1504
http://www.leonardodavincisinventions.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/the-battle-of-anghiari.jpg Also: http://www.leonardodavincisinventions.com/lost-leonard-da-vinci-painting-found/
Works Cited
Jones, Jonathan. The Lost Battles. Alfred Knopf div of Random House. NY. 2012. Book.
Pucekovic, Branko. Leonardo da Vinci and His Contributions to Cartography. KIG, Cartography & Geo information. Croatia. KIG. N2 0 V 1 2. P 40-42; Published Article. Ebsco. 2013.
Vasari, Giorgio. The Lives of the Artists. Oxford World Classics. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK Reissued 2008. Book.
Yours truly,
Jean Bourque
Dedicated to Dr. Anna House, thank you for all that you taught our class in Art History.
