The Reasons Why Leonardo Da Vinci Didn’t Sweat The Technique
If the genius of the Renaissance didn’t bother about his technique, then why should you?
Raphael Morghen, Rijksmuseum
If you had to think of the Renaissance era, the first image that would come to your mind would probably be an artwork or an invention by Leonardo Da Vinci. Born in 1452, Da Vinci was one of the most versatile people in history.
How Did Da Vinci Become a Polymath?
Da Vinci wasn’t only an incredible painter, but he also took an interest in anatomy and physics, architecture and engineering, sculpture, science, and weaponry.
It is incredible how many designs and also how many creations Da Vinci made in such a short time.
But how did he have the time to master his knowledge in all these different fields? Well, he didn’t.
Around the age of 14, Da Vinci became a Garzone (studio assistant), in the workshop of Andrea del Verrocchio, one of the most important painters and sculptors in Florence.
Three years later, with the death of Verrocchio, Da Vinci became the apprentice of another great master, Donatello.
He stayed as his apprentice until the age of 24 and was associated with other great artists such as Botticelli and Perugino, among others.
He then was exposed to theoretical and technical training in many, many fields such as chemistry, engineering, and woodwork, but also met his fellow artists at Verrocchio’s workshop and Medici’s Platonic Academy.
Da Vinci learned a lot about the fundamentals but excelled as an artist, scientist, and engineer on his own.
Despite being an apprentice for many years, Da Vinci was mostly self-taught. You can find thousands of pages filled with his innovative ideas, such as the bicycle, the diving suits, many aviation machines, and weapon vehicles, but they were always created along with his other insights and artworks.
