Leonardo da Vinci’s Creations

On this date in 1452, Leonardo da Vinci was born. A true Renaissance man, he was an
architect, musicians, engineer, sculptor, and painter. Here are 10 of Leonardo’s
important creations.

Virgin of the Rocks (1480s), National Gallery, London

The Virgin of the Rocks was commissioned in Milan for the

Confraternity of the Immaculate Conception to fill a large
altarpiece. The painting depicts an infant John the Baptist,
protected by an angel and worshiping Christ, with the Holy
Family on the road to Egypt. Set in an untamed wilderness, it
shows Leonardo’s interest in nature. Leonardo painted two
versions of this work, one which now hangs in the Louvre, and
the other in London’s National Gallery.

The Adoration of the Magi, (1481)—Uffizi

In January of 1478, Leonardo was commissioned to paint an

altarpiece for the Chapel of St Bernard in the Palazzo
Vecchio, one of his earliest independent commissions. He
departed for Milan the following year, and the painting, The
Adoration of the Magi, was left unfinished. The Holy Mother
and baby Jesus are in the foreground, and the magi kneel in
adoration, creating a triangular shape. It is thought that, in
the semi-circle of figures in the back, viewers can see a self-
portrait of Leonardo on the far right.

 
 The Vitruvian Man (c. 1485) Accademia, Venice

The Vitruvian Man is an incredibly well-known sketch by

Leonardo. Based on the work of the architect Vitruvius, it
explores the proportions of the human figure. The circle and
square in which the human body is shown speak to its
proportionate nature. The notes surrounding the image state
these proportions, such as that the length of the outspread arms is
equal to the height of a man, the elbow to the armpit is one-eighth
the height of a man, and the maximum width of the shoulder is one quarter the height of
a man.

The Last Supper (1498)—Convent of Sta. Maria delle Grazie,

Milan, Italy

The Last Supper was Leonardo’s most famous

painting of the 1490s, and one of his most
famous paintings of all. It depicts the moment
at the Last Supper when Jesus declares that one
of his disciples will betray him. It was
commissioned for the  refectory of the Convent
of Santa Maria della Grazie in Milan, where it may still be seen. Leonardo used an
experimental technique for this work rather than a more reliable method of painting a
fresco, resulting in rapid deterioration.

Leonardo da Vinci’s very accurate map of Imola, created for Cesare Borgia 

In 1502, Leonardo became employed by Cesare

Borgia, son of Pope Alexander VI. Leonardo created
this map, a new concept at the time, in order to win
his patronage. The map worked, and he was hired as
chief military engineer and architect.

 
 Mona Lisa or La Gioconda (1503–1505/1507)—Louvre, Paris, France

The Mona Lisa, also known as La Gioconda (The Laughing One) is

possibly the most famous painting in the world. One of the most
famous aspects of the painting, alluded to in the Italian title, is the
subject’s elusive smile. This work shows the sfumato technique for
which Leonardo would become famous, in which line are blurred to
produce a hazy or smoky effect.

Leonardo da Vinci’s Horse and Rider (1508)

Horse and Rider is the only of Leonardo’s sculptural works known to

exist today. This is a beeswax sculpture, and was intended to be a
model for a larger commissioned sculpture, but Leonardo died
before it was completed. It is believed that Leonardo’s thumbprint
can also be seen in the wax.

Anatomical study of the arm, (c. 1510)

Leonardo’s scientific interests and interest in the human body

intersected in his study of anatomy.  He was given permission to
dissect cadavers at hospitals inFlorence, Milan, and Rome. He made
more than 240 detailed drawings from these dissections and wrote
13,000 words on anatomy.

Leonardo’s St John the Baptist (1513-1516). Louvre, Paris.

St. John the Baptist is one of Leonardo’s later paintings, perhaps

his final. Details such as the elongated  fingers show that the style
is moving from high renaissance to Mannerism. The smile and
use of sfumato may remind viewers of the Mona Lisa.