Leonardo da Vinci

 Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci

 

“Learning never exhausts the mind.” – Leonardo da Vinci

 

Leonardo da Vinci was another individual that reflected what it meant to be a “Renaissance Man”. Among the many skills and talents, da Vinci excelled and was an inventor, mathematician, painter, drawer, sculptor, engineer, architect, musician, scientist, writer, historian, cartographer, as well as many others. Leonardo da Vinci was similar to Michelangelo in the level of detail that he ascribed to his paintings.

 

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” – Leonardo da Vinci

 

Among the many works of da Vinci, the Mona Lisa as well as the Last Supper stand out as his most famous works. The Mona Lisa depicts a woman in a serene demeanor that has an ambiguous smile or emotion. The Last Supper depicts Jesus with the twelve apostles the night before the crucifixion was to occur. The amount of detail and realism is astounding and leads the viewer the ask themselves how such art is possible.

 

“The natural desire of good men is knowledge.” – Leonardo da Vinci

 

Leonardo da Vinci perfected his art and continued learning. Among the most amazing facts concerning this individual is that he had a notebook containing notes of flying vehicles, tanks, and similar mechanisms of action that could be said to have been inspiration for the planes and tanks we have now. The amount of ingenuity that this man possessed was astounding. This is all during the 15th century. There is something that happens when a person decides to focus on the beauty and innovation of life and maximizes their time.

 

“Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!” – Leonardo da Vinci

 After finding the ability to master multiple topics and lead to beautiful works of art and masterful innovations, da Vinci seems to be a perfect example of the universal genius. He serves as an example of what the human mind is capable of achieving if only it has its sights placed on its goals. He wrote much about the need to act and not only think. He was as much pragmatic as philosophical. The perfect balance existed that led to his abstract ideas becoming visible to everyone around him.