The 15 of April is celebrated as world art day and commemorates the life of the 16th century Italian polymath Leonardo da Vinci. His work was one of the highlights of the Italian high renaissance. Despite being known for paintings like the Mona Lisa, da Vinci was not just an artist. He was also one of the best architects, draughtsman, sculptors, scientists and theorists of his time. Many of his works are still regarded as extraordinary and he is considered to have been way ahead of his time.
Da Vinci was born out of wedlock to a successful notary and a lower-class woman in Vinci, which indicates his place of birth not a family name. He served Ludovico Sforza in Milan but soon became famous in his own right, working in Florence, before moving back to Milan and then Rome. He gathered a large following in the process and was quite well known by the time he was invited by Francis I to his court. He spent his last three years there before his death in 1519.
Da Vinci is regarded by many as the founder of the high renaissance and considered one of the best artists in history, despite many of his works being lost. Fewer than 25 of his major works remain, out of which some are unfinished. The Mona Lisa, housed at the Louvre in Paris, is considered his piece de resistance. He is also responsible for the most reproduced painting in history, the Last Supper, as well as the iconic Vitruvian Man.
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He was a technological genius as well, conceptualizing double hulls, flying machines, armored vehicles and solar power to name a few things. Despite being an art student under Verrocchio, his eclectic interests show the true range of his genius. Therefore, it is fair to associate his birth anniversary with a celebration of the art world. Vasari chronicled parts of Da Vinci’s life, talking about his immense physical beauty and infinite grace. He is also said to be a lover of animals, often purchasing caged birds only to free them. Most aspects of his private life though were kept secret. This has caused debate on his sexuality, amongst other things. It is also said that his most passionate and intimate relationships were with his pupils Salai and Melzi.
Besides his paintings, his drawings and notes delineate the extent of his genius. Many of them have found their way to Museums around the world but it is speculated that most of his works have been lost to the ravages of time.
Leonardo da Vinci is the perfect example of a gifted individual who pursued his interests with a zeal. A zeal that influenced the future of mankind for many generations. This is evident in the fact that he continues to influence artists, painters, sculptors, architects, engineers and scientists even today. In simple words, he is the most fitting representation of what art is to humanity.