Da Vinci

 

The Last Supper was painted by Leonardo da Vinci in a rather short period of about three years; that was from 1495 to 1498 AD. The darker colors used in the background of the painting do well to complement the people. The stances and body positions of the people in the painting do an equally good job in pushing the viewers focus to Jesus standing at the center of the painting. I find it interesting that the people in the painting all seem to be confined to a specific amount of space, however, neither of them chose to sit on the other side of the table.

I have always harbored an interest for the works of  Leonardo Da Vinci. It is his ability to morph his talents to fit different forms of artistic and scientific media that has captivated my attention the most. Born the fifteenth of April in 1452 to Piero and Caterina Da Vinci, Leonardo was taught by a Florentine painter by the name of Verrocchio.  His full birth name was "Lionardo di ser Piero da Vinci" which means, Leonardo, son of Piero Da Vinci. Leonardo received a non conventional education in geometry, mathematics and Latin. Most of Da Vinci's earlier life included him traveling to  places such as Milan, Rome,Venice and for work before settling in his home in France gifted to him by Francis the 1st.

Leonardo Da Vinci is celebrated primarily as a painter, do to such works as: the Mona Lisa and the Last Supper. However, Da Vinci is responsible for other iconic images such as the Vitruvian Man. Leonardo Da Vinci is notorious for his technological creativity. He theorized and conceived the first versions of tanks, calculators , and helicopters. Leonardo Da Vinci was known to the world as a painter, writer, botanist, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, architect, geologist, cartographer, musician, and sculptor.


The pen and ink drawing by Leonardo da Vinci, depicting a man fitting his body to a circle and a square by adjusting the position of his arms and legs. An obvious interest to this drawing is the ability of the Vitruvian man to re-animate himself depending on how the viewer sees the work.This animation is made possible through Da Vinci use of line. The softer lines around the joints of the man aids in the illusion.

Sources:
 http://www.biography.com/people/leonardo-da-vinci-40396
 http://joshjackcarl.com/2010/01/06/
the-last-supper-hishttp://thealchemicalegg.com/VitruviusN.htmltory-and-parody/