We all know of Leonardo da Vinci (1452 - 1519) because he painted the Mona Lisa, the Last Supper, and many more famous paintings. These works were made famous because of Da Vinci's understanding linear perspective, his integration of light and shadow, and his superb understanding of anatomy. In his time he was accepted as a very talented artist. Many artists after Da Vinci mimicked his methods in hope to make their paintings more realistic.
He developed a linear perspective that is a mathematical system for representing three-dimensional objects and space on a two-dimensional surface by means of intersecting lines that are drawn vertically and horizontally and that radiate from one point (one-point perspective), two points (two-point perspective), or several points on a horizon line as perceived by a viewer imagined in an arbitrarily fixed position." Da Vinci used linear perspective in all of his paintings to make them more life-like and three-dimensional. He was also one of the first painters to incorporate light and shadows into his paintings as well. This created the effect of 3D shapes in paintings, as we know it today. Also, because of Leonardo's understanding of human anatomy, he was able to make the subjects of the painting three-dimensional as well as the setting.
Da Vinci's paintings were different than most others painted during the same time. The majority of the paintings of the renaissance period were flat, and two-dimensional, and never very proportional. Da Vinci changed all of this with his new and revolutionary methods. With all of his new painting methods, he changed paintings of the time from flat (2D), and disproportionate to impossibly graphic and real. Although he was such a painting phenomenon, he rarely finished his works, only managing to complete a few. Less that 20 complete works of Da Vinci exist today. Even so, his impact in the field of art was immense.
Da Vinci did more to create the artist genius than anyone else. By continually stressing the intellectual aspect of art and creativity he transformed the artist’s public status. Invited by King Francis I to live at Le Clos Lucé in France in 1516, Da Vinci designed grand projects: the palace and the ideal town at Romorantin, the draining of the Sologne marshes, the surprising staircase with double turns at Chambord castle, among others – many surprisingly modern challenges. Today, the Château du Clos Lucé holds a wonderful exhibit about Da Vinci about his 10 years in a few local castles. I’m fortunate to have visited this exhibit twice.
Following Da Vinci, there were Michelangelo, Raphael, Titian and so many more artistic geniuses. Who do you consider to be a living artistic genius?