In recent times, a popular novel, and subsequent movies, have drawn attention to Renaissance artist and inventor Leonardo da Vinci. While this fictitious entertainment is entertaining, it holds some truth about who Leonardo was and what he contributed to the Renaissance, and the future world. Before the Renaissance, art was limited to religious saints and stories and had little depth or realism. When the Renaissance occurred, artists began highlighting God’s creation through the human form and other natural wonders. A genuine Renaissance man, Leonardo dove into learning as much as humanly possible about his surroundings and his fellow man.

Leonardo wasn’t just an artist, but a student of architecture, math, warfare, hydraulics, geology, botany, mechanics, medicine, and anatomy. His studies of anatomy influenced his future portrayals of the human form and caused him to develop sharpened skills when painting the human form. Often times, Leonardo would dissect cadavers to gain knowledge of what lay beneath the surface, so he could accurately paint figures. This was highly illegal at the time and carried a death sentence, but Leonardo persisted, documenting his studies of human musculature in detailed sketches. Eventually, his interest in anatomy did stir attention, and he had to hurriedly escape from the Vatican to avoid being prosecuted.

Since he was so devoted to accurately depicting the human form, Leonardo’s works are some of the very best works ever created. The most famous, Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, are reproduced and hung in homes around the world. The Last Supper of Christ with his disciples features depth and reflection into each character included. Every disciple has a unique expression upon hearing Christ’s predictions of his own death. Christ’s face, as painted by Leonardo, has since become the prototype for future depictions. Mona Lisa’s perfect features glow amongst the careful play of light and dark and give her an everlasting appeal. Her expression is one that any viewer’s guess could be right; she could be angry, bored, amused, or anything else imaginable. While there aren’t any hidden messages, Leonardo’s message is still heard after all these centuries.