The Marvels of Intellect and Creativity

Several ideas and images sprang to our mind when the public skeletal frame da Vinci da Vinci is mentioned. Most people associate it with known dodge gains such(prenominal) as Mona Lisa and The refinement Supper while some equate the name to the scho farthermostic excogitation of the metempsychosis man. Numerous accounts demonstrated da Vincis plowshare in the champaign of arts and sciences, thus his name become an pilot light of a genius. He fascinated the world with his advanced ideas and creative imaginations muchover, he provided his successors with knowledge and guidelines th rough in his discoveries and achievements. Through his intellect and creativity, da Vinci da Vinci depicted a of import piece in the evolution of advanced(a) civilizations.da Vinci da Vinci was born at the dawn of the Renaissance period. The 14th to siseteenth century was an kindleing borderline of the Dark jump ons and the Enlightenment Period that shake up da Vincis curiosity and obser vation. The Italian society in his first days was characterized by people with enthusiastic interest in learning and secular graciouseism. The concept of humanism during the Renaissance was described by Alfred Burns as the suppuration self- cognisance expressed in new styles in art and architecture and in the search for the vanishing intellectual treasures of an idealized classical age (197).The promotion of humanism and self-awareness brought questions and disagreement in diverse aspects of society. On the other hand, the pursuance for art and architecture was supported and financed by art patrons, thus ingenious artists were acknowledge during the Italian Renaissance. One of the recognized advocates of art during the Italian Renaissance was Lorenzo de Medici, who became famous for making Florence a community of pleasure (Taylor 25).da Vincis interest in the arts was favored by his time for he was habituated the opportunity to work with the greatest artists of his era. He worked as an apprentice for Verrocchio and posterior on he was admitted to be a part of the Guild of Painters (Brown and Rankin 212). His early on ar dickensrks were commissioned by patrons belonging to ghostly groups therefore, it basically consisted of religious icons and commemorative art pieces.The early part of Leonardos professional life story was spent in Milan, where he worked in the aloneterfly of Ludovico, duke of Milan. There, he gained abundant experiences and technical skills in designing for the courts lavish events and occasions. Rachel Taylor apply to describe that when the wave of Renaissance was crescent in Italy, the powers were five Florence, Naples, Venice, capital of Italy and Milan all jealous and splendid (99). Therefore the citys excellence besides marked Leonardos preeminence.During his stay in the court of the duke, he documented his learning and experiences in the field of architecture and engineering science by compiling writings and detaile d drawings of his designs and ideas. The so-called compilations, which are also referred to as the notebooks and manuscripts, reflected his inquisitive attitude towards the governing principles of matter and knowledge. Aside from Leonardos court duties, two of his significant art pieces, the Horse and the Last Supper, were also completed during his stay in the court of Milan.At the patch up of the Dukes power over Milan, Leonardo found his way guts to Florence. Not long after this, he worked for Cesare Borgia, a political figure in Italy, as a military architect and engineer (Brown and Rankin 212). Taylor suggested in her book that Cesares policies implicated death and violence (350), thus Leonardo considered his return to Florence to work for other patrons. Upon his arrival, he was commissioned to paint the date of Anghiari and later on he started working on the famous Mona Lisa.Subsequently, he again visited Milan to work for the French king and according to Brown and Rankin, it was a period when he influenced Milanese painting even more than during his early residence there (212). He moved to Rome and stayed in the Vatican to work for the Pope and later on, he spent his time traveling to various places in Italy. He settled in France, where he spent his last days attended by loving friends and at peace, in his chateau of Cloux, set about Amboise (Brown and Rankin 212).The grandeur of Leonardos time witnessed the complex transition of the westbound civilization. The notion of enlightenment favored and nurtured the pee-peeation of Leonardos genius, and in return, he endorsed the acknowledgement for mans potential and power of reason. versatile fields of knowledge that benefited from his achievements would include the realms of art, engineering, architecture, mathematics, physics, optics, human anatomy, ornithology and aerodynamics.The Renaissance and its distinguished figures changed and influenced the horticulture that was formed and influenced by th e ancient Greeks and Romans. The societys classic go on of simply approving or rejecting developing doctrines and customs evolved into a advanced method that involved analysis and censorious thinking.The Enlightenment Period, together with the fame of Humanism, paved the way to scientific revolution. The intellectual reformation is considered as one of the significant events in our history for it influenced and provoked the general mind to be more and more preoccupied with the larger problems beyond, which the new knowledge has brought fully into go by means of (Kidd 1). The transformation was a progressive step to a higher form of learning that encompassed the political, kindly, economic and religious principles of Hesperian civilization.The propagation of self awareness and late thinking brought positive and negative changes in the economic and social aspects of the westerly civilization. The recognition of artists and notable scholars, as depicted by the fame of Leonard o da Vinci, influenced the flow of trade and commerce. In European countries like Italy, cities such as Florence, Milan and Naples flourished. On the other hand, the method of tax collection was apply to supervise the increase in trade goods.Movements that aimed for learning and education produced fire theories and assumptions that motivated mans quest for truth and expansion of his horizons. The Age of Enlightenment recognized critical thinkers who became famous for contemplating and debating about avant-garde ideas (Hudson 21). Scholars and critical thinkers guided and initiated modern discoveries, inventions and innovations that improved the economy of the Western world.Moreover, political and religious controversies also emerged at the advent of scientific and critical thinking. In Europe, several(prenominal) ranks of power emerged in the form of monarchs, spiritual leaders, merchants and tradesmen, scholars and artisans. The period of enlightenment and the bring home the bac on years depicted a sweeping portrayal of political and religious reformation.The concept of religion was separated from politics because of the humanist principle, which differentiate the diaphanous boundary between human and divine control. Humanist beliefs and principles intensified but were not universally accepted therefore it was attacked by counter-arguments that justify the role of idealistic and religious attitudes towards politics. These contrasting views and beliefs about politics and its religious connections were highlighted in the works and theories of several Renaissance philosophers.The Age of Enlightenment introduced several Renaissance Men, who individually imparted significant marvels of intellect and creativity. And as stated by William Hudson, it was as if their lives opened itself out to them in all its vast and varied possibilities and they were anxious(predicate) to enter into their great heritage (7).There are several label from the Renaissance Age that s urfaced in the course of evolution and transition of the Western civilization, but the fame of Leonardo da Vinci soared higher than the other for he exhibited exceptional(a) qualities and eccentric fancies. The interesting and unique fusion of excellence in two exclusive areas of knowledge the arts and sciences, was depicted by his accomplishments as a rational scientist and mystical artist.Leonardos paintings and art contributions were highly everyday but it is interesting to note that there only remain six of his authentic paintings, and two of them were unfinished (qtd. in Brown and Rankin 211). His study of perspective, interrogatory of proportion and analysis of light and shade were fundamentals of innovative and modern arts. Sketches and details of his fascinating interests were accounted in several of his notebooks entrusted at various European libraries and museums. close to of his notes reflected the complex and controversial topic of dissection, which enlightened basi c issues concerning human anatomy.He declared various assertions in human proportion, one of these was his reference work that the span of a mans outstretched arms is also equal to his height (qtd in MacCurdy 217). He delved into unacceptable domains of his time by studying human cadavers in order to understand the unknown moreover, his philosophical system and skepticism reflected the rise of scientific thinking from the unexplained. Scientific observations of his surroundings were enter together with his theoretical assertions and it anchored the essentials for the study of Botany and Geology. His technical experiences in the field of engineering and physics, together with the application of scientific principles contributed to the development of Western technology.Some of these contributions included his experiences in building war engines, works specializing with hydraulics, and discoveries of possible muscle sources. He also provided avant-garde theories in mathematics that foretell the discoveries of modern researchers (Brown and Rankin 211). Leonardo portrayed in his manuscripts an intense fervor for aviation, which was primarily influenced by apparent observation of birds.He documented several notes containing his interest with line of achievement and he called it the Treatise on Birds (qtd. in MacCurdy 211), which he divided into four parts. He continued on studying birds consequently influencing the birth of Ornithology and at the kindred time, he persisted on propagating ideas about the flying machine thus providing rough beginnings for Aerodynamics.The quest for knowledge in a creative approach delineates Leonardo da Vinci in a civilization situated between the borderline of savagery and enlightenment. His accomplishments in understanding and in attempting to understand the unknown through scientific approach enhanced the basic political and cultural principles influencing a society. His triumph was earned through the synthesis of intellect a nd creativity, which encompassed the multiplicity of human civilization.Works CitedBrown, Alice V., and William Rankin. A Short History of Italian Painting. London J.M. whoreson & Sons, 1914.Burns, Alfred. The Power of the Written Word The Role of Literacy in the History of Western Civilization. New York Peter Lang, 1989.Hudson, William H. The Story of Renaissance. London Casell, 1912.Kidd, Benjamin. The Principles of Western Civilization. New York Macmillan Company, 1902.MacCurdy, Edward. The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci (Volume 1). New York Reynal & Hitchcock, 1938.Taylor, Rachel A. Leonardo the Florentine A Study in Personality. London Richards Press, 1927.