Contents
Leonardo da Vinci
Painting the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper.
Renaissance · Art and anatomy
- Born
- 15 April 1452
- Birthplace
- Vinci area, Tuscany (now Italy)
- Died
- 2 May 1519
More people
Leonardo da Vinci
An Italian Renaissance artist whose notebooks connect close observation of nature with anatomy, mechanics and imaginative designs.
Early life
Tuscan origins
Born in or near Vinci, the son of a notary.
Florentine training
Learned in Andrea del Verrocchio’s workshop.
Career
- 1470s
Florentine artist
Began working independently after his apprenticeship.
- 1482
Milanese court
Entered a long period working for Ludovico Sforza.
- 1516
French patronage
Moved to France at the invitation of Francis I.
Selected work
Vitruvian Man
A drawing exploring human proportions.
The Last Supper
A mural capturing the disciples’ reaction to Jesus’s announcement of betrayal.
Mona Lisa
A portrait famous for subtle modelling and an ambiguous expression.
Beyond work
Anatomy
Studied the body through detailed observation and dissection.
Notebooks
Recorded investigations of water, flight, machinery and natural forms.
Sources & photo credit
Biographical reference ↗Louvre: the Mona Lisa’s technique ↗Photo: Attributed to Francesco Melzi. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
