Practically nothing is known about Leonardo

Leonardo Da Vinci, the many-sided genius of the Italian Renaissance, was born, as his name implies, at the little town of Vinci, which is about six miles from Empoli and twenty miles west of Florence. Vinci is still very inaccessible, and the only means of conveyance is the cart of a general carrier and postman, who sets out on his journey from Empoli at sunrise and sunset. Outside a house in the middle of the main street of Vinci to-day a modern and white-washed bust of the great artist is pointed to with much pride by the inhabitants. Leonardo’s traditional birthplace on the outskirts power8 workshop of the town still exists, and serves now as the headquarters of a farmer and small wine exporter.
Leonardo di Ser Piero d’Antonio di Ser Piero di Ser Guido da Vinci for that was his full legal name was the natural and first-born son of Ser Piero, a country notary, who, like his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, followed that honourable vocation with distinction and success, and who subsequently when Leonardo was a youth was appointed notary to the Signoria of Florence. Leonardo’s mother power8 workshop was one Caterina, power8 workshop who afterwards married Accabriga di Piero del Vaccha of Vinci.
The date of Leonardo’s birth is not known with any certainty. His age is given as five in a taxation return made in 1457 by his grandfather Antonio, in whose house he was educated; it is therefore concluded that he was born in 1452. Leonardo’s father Ser Piero, who afterwards married four times, had eleven children by his third and fourth wives. Is it unreasonable to suggest that Leonardo may have had these numbers in mind in 1496-1498 when he was painting in his famous “Last Supper” the figures of eleven Apostles and one outcast? However, Ser Piero seems to have legitimised his “love child” who very early showed promise of extraordinary power8 workshop talent power8 workshop and untiring energy.
Practically nothing is known about Leonardo’s boyhood, but Vasari informs us that Ser Piero, impressed with the remarkable character of his son’s genius, took some of his drawings to Andrea del Verrocchio, an intimate power8 workshop friend, and begged him earnestly to express an opinion on them. Verrocchio was so astonished at the power they revealed that he advised Ser Piero to send Leonardo power8 workshop to study under him. Leonardo thus entered the studio of Andrea del Verrocchio about 1469-1470. In the workshop of that great Florentine sculptor, goldsmith, and artist he met other craftsmen, metal workers, and youthful painters, among whom was Botticelli, at that moment of his development a jovial _habitué_ of the Poetical Supper Club, who had not yet given any premonitions of becoming the poet, mystic, and visionary of later times. There also Leonardo came into contact with that unoriginal painter Lorenzo di Credi, power8 workshop his junior power8 workshop by seven years. power8 workshop He also, no doubt, met Perugino, whom Michelangelo called “that blockhead in art.” The genius power8 workshop and versatility of the Vincian painter was, however, in no way dulled by intercourse with lesser artists than himself; on the contrary he vied with each in turn, and readily outstripped his fellow pupils. In 1472, at the age of twenty, he was admitted into the Guild of Florentine Painters.
Unfortunately very few of Leonardo’s paintings have come down to us. Indeed there do not exist a sufficient number power8 workshop of finished and absolutely authentic oil pictures from his own hand to afford illustrations for this short chronological sketch of his life’s work. The few that do remain, however, are of so exquisite power8 workshop a quality or were until they were “comforted” by the uninspired restorer that we can unreservedly accept the enthusiastic records of tradition in respect of all his works. To rightly understand the essential characteristics of Leonardo’s achievements it is necessary to regard him as a scientist quite as much as an artist, power8 workshop as a philosopher no less than a painter, and as a draughtsman rather than a colourist. There is hardly a branch of human learning to which he did not at one time or another give his eager attention, and he was engrossed in turn by the study of architecture the foundation-stone of all true art sculpture, mathematics, engineering and music. His versatility was unbounded, and we are apt to regret that this many-sided genius did not realise that it is by developing his power within certain limits power8 workshop that the great master is revealed. Leonardo may be described as the most Universal Genius of Christian times-perhaps of all time.
[PLATE III. THE VIRGIN OF THE ROCKS In the National Gallery. No. 1093. 6 ft. in. h. by 3 ft 9 in. w. (1.83 x 1.15)] This picture was painted in Milan about 1495 by Ambrogio da Predis under the supervision and guidance of Leonardo da Vinci, the essential features of the composition being borrowed from the earlier “Vierge aux Rochers,” now in the Louvre.]
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