Leonardo Da Vinci's Influence

Outline
I. Introduction
A. Leonardo Da Vinci was born on April 15th, 1452 in Vinci, Italy. He died May 2nd, 1519 in Amboise, France (Abbagnano)
B. “I can carry out a sculpture in marble, bronze, or clay; and in painting I can do everything it is possible to do.” –Leonardo Da Vinci (Lester, 63)
C. It is believed by many that since his time, Leonardo Da Vinci has influenced all painting (“Leonardo Da Vinci”)
D. Thesis: Although he was often unreliable when it came to his work, Leonardo Da Vinci was the greatest artist in European history because of his intense focus on nature and perspective, his studies on human anatomy and mathematics, and because of his influence on many other artists.
II. Leonardo Da Vinci was the greatest artist because he focused on the physics of nature and perspective
A. Leonardo Da Vinci wrote in notes books about methodological graphic symbols (Abbagnano)
1. On procedures of scientific information and on philosophical application (Abbagnano)
2. Process of nature (Abbagnano)
B. Da Vinci believed perspective was nothing but a thorough knowledge of the function of the eye (Richter, 29-30)
1. He believes perspective is a rational demonstration in which every object sends its image to the eye by a “pyramid of lines” (Richter, 29-30)
2. He believes that shadow is very important in perspective because without them opaque and solid bodies will be ill defines (Richter, 69)
C. Da Vinci believed that the problems of perspective are made clear by five mathematical terms (Richter, 27)
1. The point, the line, the angle, the superficies, and the solid (Richter 27)
III. Leonardo Da Vinci was the greatest artist because he focused o human anatomy and mathematics/proportions
A. “The youth should first learn perspectiv...

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...nce artists today. Though some may argue that Leonardo Da Vinci was not the greatest artist because he was unreliable with deadlines, Leonardo Da Vinci was indeed the greatest artist in European History.

Works Cited

Abbagnano, Nicolo "Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519)." Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Ed.
Donald M. Borchert 2nd ed. Vol. 5. Detroit; Macmillan Reference USA, 2006.
281-282. Opposing viewpoints in context. Web. 21 Mar. 2014.
"Leonardo Da Vinci." Encyclopedia of World Biography. Detroit: Gale, 1998. Student
Resources in Context. Web. 24 Mar, 2014
Lester, Toby. Da Vinci's Ghost: Genius, Obsession, and How Leonardo Created the
World in His Own Image, New York: Free, 2012. Print.
Wallace, Robert. The World of Leonardo, 1452-1519. New York: Time, 1966. Print.
Richter, Jean Paul. The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci. New York: Dover
Publications, 1970. Print.