How Did Leonardo Da Vinci Influence Humanity

Leonardo Da Vinci had been a momentous painter of the Italian Renaissance who has had a long reaching impact on humanity. Leonardo had been born on April 15, 1452 to Ser Piero Da Vinci and Caterina, in Vinci, Italy. Leonardo grew up with his father and by age 15 he began as an apprentice painter under Andrea Del Verrochio and he had stayed with him until he was approximately 20 years of age when he would become an independent master himself. Aside from being an artist, he also had been an inventor and he studied science and nature. Throughout his lifetime, Leonardo has contributed art, art styles, and a variety of works that continue to inspire people in todays world.
Leonardo has provided a few of the worlds dearly treasured pieces of

artwork. “The Last Supper” is one of Leonardo’s better known paintings and it is famous because it depicts Christ’s last meal with his disciples and identifies Judas as his deceiver before he is crucified. The painting is constantly being examined and analyzed for details that may lead to discovering secrets it may hold. Leonardo’s “Mona Lisa” is a highly recognizable painting and is considered to be invaluable. It is a portrait of Francesco del Giocondo’s wife, however it is the details of the painting that fascinate the observer. Such details include Mona Lisa’s mysterious smile and the unusual background painted behind her, both of which has brought upon the painting an abundance of inquiry. Leonardo’s paintings have been recreated countless times and have inspired a mass of artists, and will continue to affect our world.
One of Leonardo’s greatest contributions to art had been his own take on a style of painting called Sfumato. This style of art had been used by a number of great painters, however Leonardo’s interpretation remained distinct in his paintings. What made Leonardo’s Sfumato style unique is that he studied science and how the eye will perceive different contrasts, and he had integrated this science into his paintings. Author Glennis McGregor, in her article entitled “Leonardo’s Sfumato,” claims that “he had discovered in his experiments with optics that the pupil adapts to low light by dilating and that such dark-adapted eyes are able to see a greater variety of mid-tones”. Based on this “He therefore decided that the best time to paint was just before sunset for the most subtle and delicate lighting” (Hall 91). Leonardo’s Sfumato gave his paintings a unique and surreal style that would allow his art to be remarkably interesting to an abundance of admirers.
Although Leonardo would be limited in technology and reference material in his time, he had a great comprehension of the subjects he studied. Leonardo’s invention the Ornithopter was a machine intended for a man to be able to fly. This machine was conjured up out of Leonardo’s curiosity of the flight of birds and although it was never successful, it may have lead to future discoveries of flight. Author Christopher Lampton, in his article “Top 10 Leonardo da Vinci Inventions” states that “This invention demonstrates da Vinci's strong grasp of aerodynamics and modern attempts to reproduce the ornithopter show that it could indeed have flown…”. Based on this, it can be infered that Leonardo had a strong understanding of aerodynamics undeterred by the inadequate technology of his time.
Leonardo Da Vinci was a talented individual who has provided the world with brilliant inventions, intrieging art styles, and astounding pieces of art. The amount of inspiration and wonder would most definitely subside without the talents of Leonardo da Vinci