Professional Documents
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Leonardo da
Vinci
Human subtlety will never devise an invention
more beautiful, more simple or more direct than
does Nature, because in her inventions, nothing is
lacking and nothing is superfluous.
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.
April 15 1452
The Tuscan hill town of Vinci echoed the screams of
a young peasant girl.
Beads of perspiration were running down her
face. She yelled again, pulling the sheets as she
heaved a heavy breathing, going faster by
Year 1466
Leonardo, i want you to work with Andrea di Cione
as his apprentice. Father came home and
announced it to me excitedly. You will learn much
from Verrocchio because his workshop is the centre
of the intellectual currents of Florence. You, my son
will be educated by one of the finest master of
humanities. Father convinced me.
I was 14 years of age imagined having the
chance to meet the famous Ghirlandaio, Perugino,
Botticelli and lorenzo di Credi. There, i learned
drafting, chemistry, metallurgy, metal working,
plaster casting, leather working, mechanics and
carpentry as
well as the artistic skills of drawing, painting,
sculpting and modeling.
I will never forget Verrocchio compliments to
me the day i painted the young angel holding
Jesus robe, The Baptism of Christ. I swear i ll
never paint again for you my son has managed to
portray a magnificent drawing that i could ever
have!
Year 1472
I was twenty and now a qualified master in the
Guild of St. Luke. The guild of artists and doctors of
medicine. Father was proud of me. You shall have
a workshop of your own Leonardo he announced
as his face shone with admiration. I still continued
collaborating with Verrocchio as i was forever
indebted to his guidance as my master apprentice.
Year 1482
Lorenzo de Medici and Ludovico il Moro, The Duke
of Milan had a disagreement. I wanted the two to
be on friendly terms. I created a silver lyre in the
shape of a horses head, which was sent to Milan. I
helped to secure peace between the two of them.
Ludovicos predecessor.
Year 1495
I received sad news. The woman who had brought
me
finally
Tears come from the heart, and not from the brain
Year 1500
I returned to Florence and became the guests of
the Servite monks at the monastery of Santissima
Annunziata. There, i created the cartoon of The
Virgin and Child with St. Anne and St. John the
Baptist. It was a great piece of work that won such
admiration that men and women, young and old
flocked to see it as if they were attending a
great festival
Year 1502
I became a millitary architect and engineer to
Cesare Borgia, the son of Pope Alexander VI,
travelling through Italy with my patron.
18th of October 1503
I rejoined the Guild of St Luke and painted a great
mural of the Battle of Anghiari with Michelangelo,
designing the companion piece, The Battle of
Cascina.