What I Find Inspiring
Leonardo da Vinci is an iconic figure in the world of art and science, with certain admirers even referring to him as a “genius.” The thing that inspires me the most about the life and legacy of da Vinci is the pure vastness of his imagination. Apart from gifting the world masterpieces such as “Mona Lisa” and “The Last Supper,” Leonardo skillfully combined science and art. He was not only a visionary, but an architect, a researcher, as well as a scientist. While most people would probably mention the bewitching smile of Mona Lisa as a source of inspiration, my favorite piece by Leonardo da Vinci is “The Last Supper.” As a devoted Christian myself, I have always admired the painter’s talent in re-imagining Biblical scenes. It is easy to disassociate yourself from those depicted in the Scripture. However, it was da Vinci who showed me the humanity and emotion of Christ and his entourage.
Universal Truths of Humanity
While Leonardo certainly captured the human narrative exceptionally well and played with the themes of betrayal, love, and joy, his primary focus was always nature. In all of his paintings, he tried to show a complete narrative instead of capturing a moment in time exclusively. He dedicated most of his life to exploring his urge to understand nature, which became the primary theme of his artistic endeavors. He wanted to create a genuine and true image of the real world. Therefore, out of the universal truths of humanity, he preferred authenticity to be a central point in his art. Gifted with a scientific mind, Leonardo was curious about every phenomenon in the outside world so that the graphic representation of said phenomena was completely authentic. Furthermore, the artist tried to make sense of nature and the world around him by discovering its laws and finding patterns. Leonardo da Vinci used his passions for art and science to show the interconnectedness of nature.
What Makes Him Different
Some might argue that Leonardo is similar to any other artist of the same era. Indeed, certain similarities can be noted, particularly a variety of references to the Biblical text as well as other distinctive traits of the Italian Renaissance. Despite that, the painter’s work was unique mostly due to the innovative techniques he utilized, the incorporation of science into his work, and the re-imagining of the human form (Gates, 2019). In comparison to other traditional, well-trained painters, Leonardo was always willing to take a risk, experiment with positioning, or introduce an innovative artistic approach. There have been hundreds of depictions of “The Last Supper” before and after da Vinci’s masterpiece. However, Leonardo was the first to tell a story through the painting instead of capturing a singular moment in time (Worrall, 2017). The artist’s “The Last Supper” is truly an emotional narrative. As Christ proclaims that one of those sitting at the table will betray him, each of the apostles has a unique reaction.
Elements in da Vinci’s Art
I have decided to paint nature as my creative art project. Two elements of Leonardo da Vinci’s technique I would like to use our linear perspective and authenticity in capturing flairs and fauna. Linear perspective works best for a naturalistic approach I have chosen to take. As for the second element, I believe that studying the plants I am going to paint will help me to capture them more realistically and find fresh ways to paint them, just as Leonardo did.
References
Gates, B. (2019). Bill Gates: What this legendary artist can teach us about innovation. Time. Web.
Worrall, S. (2017). What made Leonardo da Vinci a genius? National Geographic. Web.