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Overview

Leonardo da Vinci was a great artist and inventor. He had many interests, including anatomy, engineering, architecture, art and more. Part of what made him so innovative was his curiosity about nature and the place of humans in it. Leonardo is a legend because he inspired other artists to create their own masterpieces; for instance, Raphael painted two famous works based on Leonardo’s drawings: “The School of Athens” (1509) and “The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne” (1510). Other artists who were influenced by Leonardo include Salvador Dali (“Christ’s Entry into Brussels in 1889”), Dan Brown (“Inferno”) and Bradford Cox from the band Deerhunter. But if you really want to understand Leonardo da Vinci as an individual beyond just the myths surrounding him, there are several key points that make everything clear: his life story—what motivated him? What did he do? And how did he influence others? In this article I’ll focus on those key points that will help us better appreciate his talent as well as foresee some future trends that would later emerge thanks to people like him.

Big Idea #1: Leonardo was an illegitimate child, but this worked in his favor.

Even though being illegitimate could be considered a disadvantage, it turned out to be an advantage for Leonardo da Vinci.

Leonardo was born on April 15, 1452. He was the illegitimate son of a notary named Piero and Caterina Lippi. Leonardo’s mother was 16 years old at the time of his birth. His father worked for merchants and upper-class princes in resolving disputes and handling business transactions.

Leonardo da Vinci’s father, grandfather and great-grandfather were all notaries. However, Leonardo was born out of wedlock, so he could not become a member of the guild.

However, this exclusion gave Leonardo the opportunity to flourish. He was not alone in being an illegitimate child; many famous men of his time were also born out of wedlock. Giovanni Boccaccio and Petrarch were poets from that era, as well as Leon Battista Alberti, who greatly influenced Leonardo.

Piero would have been able to get Leonardo’s paperwork updated when he was older, but it wasn’t necessary. It was clear that Leonardo had a different path in life as an artist. He hadn’t attended the best schools and this further encouraged him to learn through his own curiosity and experience rather than by attending school.

Big Idea #2: Leonardo excelled as an apprentice and eventually surpassed his teacher.

In 1464, Piero moved with his son Leonardo from Vinci to Florence. The city had the highest literacy rate in all of Europe and was known for its arts and commerce.

He flourished in Florence because he started an apprenticeship with Andrea del Verrocchio, who was also a client of Piero’s.

In those days, becoming a painter and artist was like becoming a carpenter or blacksmith. It was very formal and structured in the same way that everyone ordered vases from the workshop.

Leonardo’s success as an artist is partly due to the fact that he was trained in a workshop, where he learned perspective and geometry. His training helped him develop his skills, so that he could paint light and shadow.

Leonardo da Vinci was the first person to earn the title of “master painter” at a young age, and he surpassed his teacher’s talents. You can compare Verrocchio’s work with Leonardo’s in The Baptism of Christ. In that painting, Verrocchio painted one angel that looks flat and lifeless. He also made it look like its hair is sitting on top of its head instead of naturally falling down over it.

Leonardo’s angel, unlike Michelangelo’s, has a lively face and eyes. It is also softer and more natural looking than the other one. Leonardo used a technique called sfumato (smokiness) to make it look soft.