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The Impact of Leonardo da Vinci Paintings
Leonardo da Vinci is famous for a wide range of accomplishments within diverse fields and practices. He was considered a brilliant painter, inventor, scientist, philosopher, engineer and early medical researcher by his peers. With regard to the field of art, historians and scholars agree that Leonardo da Vinci paintings have not only produced a strong impact in the art world, but also boast the extent of this artist’s versatility.
Da Vinci was first and foremost a master painter, whose work is an excellent example of Italian Renaissance concepts, techniques, and typical subject material of the 15th and 16th century. Like other Renaissance painters, da Vinci concentrated on religious or semi-religious iconography for his themes, but he also did portraiture, which was an important part of his income during his life.
Leonardo’s
Style
What makes Leonardo da Vinci paintings stand out from the work of his
peers and contemporaries? Many would say that it is due to his paintings’
unique effect on viewers, ultimately caused by his impressive scientific
approach toward his work.
For example, he was one of the few artists who mastered the concept of the “vanishing point”, which involves creating a remarkable sense of depth and three-dimensionality in a two-dimensional frame by drawing strong diagonal lines that intersect in the painting’s background. A great illustration of this technique can be found in one of his most famous paintings, ‘The Last Supper’. The room in which Jesus and his disciples are sitting appears symmetrical and realistic, a perfect representation of three-dimensional space, whereby the walls seem to be converging inwards.
Da Vinci experimented with perspective to create unforgettable impressions of people and places. For example, in what is perhaps the most recognized portrait in the world, ‘Mona Lisa, viewers feel that the woman in the painting is watching them, regardless of their position in relation to the frame. Furthermore, her mysterious smile seems to suggest a thought. Gazing at Mona Lisa is an eerie experience that can only be felt when looking at the original as some of the effect is lost in reproductions. Many deem her partial smile to be the cause of her unsettling effect on viewers, while others attribute it to her unavoidable eyes. In any case, Mona Lisa’s portrait is an unforgettable, intimate viewing experience.
Other Paintings
Aside from ‘The Last Supper’ and ‘Mona Lisa’,
Leonardo da Vinci created many other notable works, causing tremendous
impact on his peers and the style of future artists. One such masterpiece is ‘Madonna of the Rocks’, whereby his talent for three-dimensional effects, applied to a landscape background, produces a strong reaction in viewers. ‘St. John in the Wilderness’, which combines dimensional
technique, skillful perspective, and color effects into one powerful composition,
is an illustration of da Vinci’s ingenuity.
While some may deem Leonardo da Vinci paintings tame in their total effect on our society’s modern sensibilities, his development of techniques that immersed the viewer in the world of the painting, and the impact of those techniques cannot be understated.
Read about more Leonardo Da Vinci paintings on www.leonardodavinci.net.