Leonardo da Vinci
Today i wish to talk about universal genius and my favorite artist “Leonardo Da Vinci“.
For those who do not know what his name means it is “Leonardo who hails from Vinci“. Vinci is a small town near Florence, in the Tuscan region, Italy.Because of his illegitimacy he did not get his fathers name and was perhaps therefore called “Da Vinci”.
I was very lucky to see his works up close, first hand. The memory is etched in my mind. (My sixth sense tells me i was born in the same days as Leonardo in his life time of course and that my wish to see his works was fulfilled in this lifetime.):P
It was an exhibition of his sketches, writings and some war machines that he designed at the “Galleria degli Uffizi“. I also saw two of his famous works “Adoration of the Magi” and “The Baptism of Christ” on permanent display in Ufiizi gallery.
Leonardo was supported by the Medici family in Florence. Lorenzo de Medici was a patron of art and he contributed more than anyone to the flowering of Florentine genius in the late 15th century, supporting such giants as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo.
Leonardo later wrote in the margin of a journal “The Medici made me and the Medici destroyed me.”
Leonardo spent much of his time living in the Belvedere in the Vatican in Rome before he was was commissioned to make a mechanical lion which could walk forward, then open its chest to reveal a cluster of lilies by Francois I(King of France)and Pope Leo X.
He entered François’ service, being given the use of the manor house Clos Lucé[o]next to the king’s residence at the royal Chateau Amboise. It was here that he spent the last three years of his life. He was buried in the Chapel of Saint-Hubert in the castle of Amboise, France.
So people my next aim is to visit France, see rest of Leonardo’s work at Louvre and also visit his grave in Castle of Amboise. Where it happens one of my French friend works currently.I have all the luck in the luck in the world!!