Leonardo da Vinci
By: Michael Lipari
The Life of Leonardo
Leonardo da Vinci was born April 15, 1452 in the town of Vinci, Italy. As he grew up, Leonardo became an apprentice in the workshop of Andrea del Verrocchio. He learned to sculpt, paint, and perform other crafts. Leonardo soon mastered these skills and became an independent artist. Leonardo traveled through Italy, and was funded by patrons like the Duke of Milan, the Venetian Senate, and Cesare Borgia. He traveled to Milan and Florence and even spent a short time in Rome. Leonardo was respected by a painter by many, as evident by his wealthy patrons. He was invested in his numerous projects and tried to keep his work original. He was intelligent and created blueprints for architectural and military marvels. Some of his most famous pieces are the Mona Lisa, Last Supper, and the Flying Man.(below)
Fly Like a Bird
Leonardo da Vinci always dreamed of flight, and created the Flying Man, resembling a modern day hang glider.
- This invention was created in 1488
- While the original invention can not be found, model's of Leonardo's design can be found on display in several museums.
- Man achieving flight was an absurd idea, so this was a revolutionary invention with an idea completely original.
- This is incredibly interesting it's startling how similar it is to hang gliders of the modern era. Leonardo's invention might not have worked perfectly, but in a way, da Vinci was the first person to invent extreme sports.
Skeptic of the Sky
The Flying Man shows skepticism in a high degree. Leonardo asks why we would need to stick to the ground, he wanted to push humanity into a new realm. Leonardo's work was always different than anyone else, but when he wanted to fly, he asked why we couldn't and set to work.