A simple pencil sketch and a bit of wash... I could never do him justice but he makes one want to try... so I did ... on a 5" x 7" 300 lb CP Arches WC paper...
Leonardo da Vinci.... 1452-1519
High Renaissance scientist... writer... painter... draftsman...inventor... architect... musician... sculptor............
Although Leonardo lacked the knowledge of Latin...it was probably an advantage since this work is based on his own observations rather than the teachings of others.....
An original thinker and creator...
Leonardo was one of the greatest painters and most versatile geniuses in history...
A report states... of his participation in a debate at court, between representatives of the arts and sciences that..... " he silenced the learned and he confounded the liveliest intellect"
A teacher for all....
I would highly recommend the book "Leonardo da Vinci" Sketches and Drawings by Frank Zöllner and published by Taschen
... also this fabulous online source of Leonardo's Drawings...
11 comments:
Nice drawing! I have a book I found at a thrift store on him and his drawings, in fact..maybe the same one. If not, it has beautiful art and the cover is gorgeous. I'll take photos and put it at my art blog later today if it is a different one. It was like brand new and I think I paid
$1.99 for it. I LOVE when that happens..
A person like Leonardo comes along about once in a thousand years. I wonder what he was like personally, if he was approachable and kind? Another book to add to my growing list!
It's a beautiful sketch...very gentle. I was struck by the positioning of the sketch in relationship to your ID photograph and how they mirror each other...very similar expressions.
Really nice sketch. I love people who "...confound the liveliest intellect." Way to go Leonardo! He really was a genius. And you do him justice with your sketch! I will have to check out this book.
sandy,
you do find the greatest deals!.. maybe it is the same one...it a self portrait done in red chalk on the back... and his "Proportions of the Human Figure" on the front...
Ruth, you have made me curious as you always do.. what an inquisitive mind you have... I'm going to want to do some looking up on that... personality...
actually one book I read said that he was an illegitimate son of an Italian notary... which must not have gone over too well way back then, but I only read that in one book and never found any positive facts to back it up
... not that I'm pointing fingers.. no one in this house is married (officially)...
one other book said that his painting teacher Verrochio was so impressed with Leonardos extraordinary artistic ability that he quit painting...
Sharon,
I got so wrapped up in what I was doing I never even noticed that... you are very observant... Hummm... that's kind of strange...
wonder why I did that?
Oh Anet you would love it... so many of his drawing and sketches are in it... of course my son Max's favs for drawing practice were the pages of weapons ... Isn't that what Ruth said ... most males seem naturally drawn to them... guess it is naturally built in...
Beautiful drawing.
I have been having many da Vinci thoughts lately as my wife and I will be in Milan a few weeks from now, and we have tickets to see the painting "The Last Supper", which must be purchased 2 months in advance.
When we were at Windsor Castle in 2006, the castle was featuring an exhibit on da Vinci drawings and writings - he appears to be the theme of our recent European trips.
In one of the documents on display at Windsor castle, da Vinci noted that others made the male form look like a "sack of nuts". I think this is a jab at Michelangelo, whose drawings always seem (to me) to have too many bulges that don't realistically depict the male form.
The ultimate artistic genus. Not that his work would fly anymore. No self right angst. I pour over the almost 800 page book "Leonardo Da Vinci - Master Draftsman" published in '03 by the Met. It makes me understand that while I love doing digital imagery- it is the pencil and brush that keeps me true to the roots of art. Thanks for your work and the reminder.
thanks for writing J... you are so lucky to be going over to Milan...and to actually see Leonardo's work in the flesh... I'm so jealous! wow 2 months in advance... Do you think you could tell if one of those disciples is really a woman.. isn't Mary Magdalene suppose to be in the picture?
maybe you will post about it when you get back...
and you have seen a double douse... at Windsor castle too .. I'm not a traveler but I certainly am wishing I was...
love the comment that Leonardo made... maybe Michelangelo only drew the fellows that worked down at the rock quarry...
Bill, That book must be a Beauty... . I wonder, is it still in print or available?...
You certainly have a mastery of your artists tools. I really admire what you create...
Thanks for the info on the book.. I am going to look it up right now!!!
Gwen, I hope you'll get used to my inquisitive mind without feeling YOU have to be the one to answer my questions. But if it got you curious too, that's cool.
Ruth, I love curious minds ... something Sophocles (a Greek dramatist, I have just briefly discovered)said, " look and you will find it; what is unsought is undetected"...
curiosity...exactly!
Post a Comment