Leonardo Da Vinci

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After Verrocchio’s Botega, Leonardo went his way and wanted to work for Ludovico Sforza, the ruler of Milan. Leonardo wrote a letter to him, asking for a job, saying that he knew Ludovico had powerful enemies, and knowing this, Leonardo offered to create many new kinds of war machines and methods of taking fortresses by siege. He barely mentioned his paintings, just at the end of the letter. Ludovico took Leonardo into his court, but not to create war machines, but to use Leonardo’s skill in design, paintings, his musical skill, and many other things. He wanted Leonardo to make the court masques. Masques were partly plays, partly fancy-dress parades, and partly spectacular shows. The courtiers and even Ludovico and his family took part. They demanded beautiful costumes, splendid scenery, and clever stage effects. Leonardo would use all his skill to surprise and delight those taking part. 

Leonardo da Vinci had many contributions. Math, art, science, inventions, architecture… etc. He designed flying machines, parachutes, helicopters, submarines, boats, diving suits, water turbines, and even wanted to create a whole ecological city. These are all examples of inventions. In the scientific view, he said the earth rotates around the sun, the moon’s light is reflected from the sun, explained why sea shells are found miles inland on mountain tops, and created the first textbook and drawings of human anatomy. He dissected over 30 dead bodies, and drew the skeleton, muscles and blood lines of our body. From the mathematical view, he made many theories, and drew the dimensions of an ideal human, using mathematical shapes, called the Vitruvius Man. Through art, which he is most famous for, he drew the Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, and The Baptism of Christ.

Leonardo didn’t receive any prizes during his life time, but is now admired worldwide for his work, not just for his paintings, but also math, art, music, science, inventions… In France, the museum Louvre, receives over 6 million people yearly that all come to see Leonardo’s masterpiece, The Mona Lisa. Not a single other painting in the whole museum, and probably in the whole world, doesn’t get as much attention as the famous lady with the mysterious smile, so you can barely see the painting from the huge crowd. In Florence, there is a museum dedicated to Leonardo’s inventions, and even today, many people investigate his notes and drawings. Right now, during this time of year, in Belgrade, there is a month dedicated to math. During this time, many great mathematicians give lectures about various subjects, including Leonardo’s theories.

Leonardo died on May 2, 1519, not in Italy, but in France, where he served the king, until his death. Some people say that the king admired Leonardo’s skill, and that he died in the king’s arms, while others say this is completely incorrect. According to them he just served the king, and had no relationship with him. only people who followed his funeral were a few servants and village people paid seventy sous each to carry torches. Even after his death his body suffered misfortune. During the French revolution, the church in which he was buried was destroyed, the tombs robbed of their lead, and the bones scattered. These were later collected and put into a common burial place. Leonardo’s bones were presumably among them.