Introduction
In the modern day, Leonardo da Vinci is considered by many to be the greatest artist and possibly even the greatest person of all time. That opinion survives since the Renaissance era when he was thought to be the most gifted man in the world and influenced many of his contemporaries in a big way. The greatness of Leonardo is evidenced by the description of his life and work created by Giorgio Vasari.
Leonardo as an artist
Vasari describes many deeds of Leonardo from his first works on the part of an image of the Christ’s baptism (Vasari 287) to his incredible inventions, like alchemical concoctions similar to the modern day latex (Vasari 296). The most amazing story recounted by the historian is probably that of The Last Supper. The painting was commissioned by the Dominican friars of Milan. Vasari writes that it impressed the Church officials so much they demanded Leonardo finished it, even after he stated he could not paint Christ in all his glory. The painting captivated King of France to the extent he was ready to pay any sum of money to have it moved to Paris. Only the fact that The Last Supper was painted on the wall managed to stop the relocation (Vasari 291). The other universally famous work mentioned by Vasari is Mona Lisa. He describes it in great detail writing how “the eyebrows could not be more natural” and “the flesh of the face seemed to be real flesh, rather than paint” (Vasari 294). It is clear that Vasari admired the work greatly as did many before and after him. The excellence in art made Leonardo extremely famous. He was recognized as a phenomenal artist even in his own time, as evidenced by Vasari, who recounts Leonardo being tasked with various paintings by the city council of Milan (Vasari 295).
Leonardo as a scientist
Another aspect of Leonardo’s genius was his aptitude towards natural science. Vasari writes about many incredible experiments. Leonardo blew up guts of steers so much they filled a whole room (Vasari 296). He designed machinery for various purposes, including pumps and excavators (Vasari 286). He also was interested in herbs and animals, studying and recording various species. His most famous achievement in this field – an incredibly detailed and precise painting, representing human anatomy, called Vitruvian Man, is also mentioned (Vasari 292). The painting represents the level of understanding and detail unmatched by anybody at that time.
Conclusion
All of the da Vinci’s achievements are described by Vasari with great reverence. The historian makes it very clear how much Leonardo was respected in his time. All of his works which were at least nearly complete instantly became classic. Leonardo’s skills impressed some of the most powerful people of the time all of whom wished for something made by him. This adoration clearly shows that da Vinci was incredibly famous and influential even in his own time and as Vasari states “his fame increased even more after his death” (Vasari 284). And from the modern perspective, we can clearly see how much Leonardo da Vinci affected Renaissance culture and all of the world after his death.
Works Cited
Vasari, Giorgio. The Lives of the Artists. Trans. Julia Conaway Bondanella and Peter Bondanella. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008. Print.