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Leonardo Da Vinci (lay oh NAHR doe dah VEEN chee) was born in a small village called Vinci in the country of Italy. He was raised by his grandparents and even as a boy showed signs of genius. He could work hard mathematics problems and was a very good artist.
His father Piero recognized that he had artistic talent and sent him to Florence to study with the artist Verrocchio (və RAWK ih oh). In addition to art he also learned sculpture and engineering. Soon he was a better artist than his teacher. At age 20 he was accepted into the painters' guild in Florence.
Leonardo da Vinci self-portrait around 1512
About ten years later he was hired by Sforza, who later became Duke of Milan. It was during this time he painted The Last Supper. Artists through the centuries had used egg tempera as the base for their paint, but Leonardo wanted to try something new, so he applied plaster to the wall and painted on the dried plaster. Unfortunately the plaster began to flake off after just a short time and the painting has required a lot of repair through the years. Possibly if he had experimented with the process on a smaller work, the outcome would have been different.
When the French army captured Milan, the duke had to flee, and Leonardo went back to Florence. It was here he painted the portrait of the wife of a merchant named Giocondo. It is called La Giocando, or Mona Lisa. Legend has it he hired musicians to play while he painted the portrait so his subject would stay in a good mood. Numerous words have been written about the painting and it remains one of the most recognizable paintings in the world.
He was a musician who invented musical instruments. He would compose, then play and sing his own songs.
Probably of greater importance than his paintings are the contributions Leonardo made in the areas of engineering and architecture. He along with Michelangelo, Raphael, and Bramante designed St. Peter's Church in Rome as well as other buildings in the Vatican.
Leonardo kept books of sketches he made. He studied human anatomy and drew sketches of the body. He had ideas for inventions that would not be developed for hundreds of years. He had an idea for a flying machine, a propeller, and for weapons of war. He designed and built bridges, canals and locks to carry water and move ships. He could write with both his right and left hands. We say such a person is ambidextrous. He wrote his notes backwards with his left hand and read them in a mirror. Today you could find nearly 7,000 pages of his notes which still exist.
Leonardo Da Vinci was truly a man ahead of his time.
Audio Recording
people looking at Mona Lisa
(Click on the picture to hear the recording.)
Leonardo da Vinci
Online book by Maurice W. Brockwell
Information about Leonardo da Vinci
at Humanities Web
Leonardo's Workshop
art adventure
Exploring Leonardo
from the Museum of Science
Mona Lisa Mania
includes a kid's section
Leonardo da Vinci
from World of Biography
The Last Supper by Leonardo Da Vinci
zoom in for a close-up of the painting.
Art History
online interactive art lesson - elementary
Mona Lisa
Leonardo da Vinci
Buy this Art Print at AllPosters.com
Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists: Da Vinci
By Grolier Publishing Company
Get aquainted with the world's greatest artists' in this kid-friendly introduction to Leonardo DaVinci. His biography is accompanied by cartoon drawings that highlight different aspects of his life, while reproductions of his famous notes and artwork give kids' exposure to his style of painting. 32 pages, softcover.
Who Was Leonardo DaVinci
By Roberta Edwards / Penguin Putnam Inc.
Learn about the life and times of Leonardo da Vinci! Full of adventure, this overview of da Vinci's life will keep kids reading about his feats in science and art. With explained terms and relatable text, children will receive an interesting introduction to the man who is our basis for the term "Renaissance Man." Timeline included. 112 pages, softcover. Ages 7-11.
Puzzles on these pages courtesy of
Songs of Praise and Armored Penguin
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