The Renaissance Man, Leonardo da Vinci

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Most people do not realize that a parachute and the Mona Lisa have one common factor—Leonardo da Vinci. His techniques of self-teaching are very impressive and unique from anyone else’s during the Renaissance era. This Renaissance man, Leonardo da Vinci, generously impacted the art and science world by creating new-world inventions, perfecting newly found art techniques, and creating the most famous pieces of art in history. Leonardo da Vinci’s inventions were all considered fever dreams in the Renaissance era, like the equivalent of seeing a futuristic object in a science-fiction movie, but they inspired many actual products of the world of today. Some of the ideas his imagination scribbled in a notebook are the parachute, diving suit, armored cars (like army tanks), and an Ornithopter, a machine made for flight with the use of wings (Lampton Christopher). Some of these inventions, or really just newly designed weapons and some art, such as the Last Supper, were created for The Duke of Milan as the occupation of military engineer and designer. Leonardo was totally anti-war, but being in Renaissance Italy, he was constantly surrounded by it. He helped design many weapons, like missiles, multi-barreled machine guns, grenades, mortars, and even a modern-style tank. Also, being fascinated by water, he designed an underwater suit with breathing devices (including a diving hood), webbed gloves to explore underwater, and a life preserver. He did not release this to the military for fear of the suit being used for “evil in war.” Leo’s notes were written in a way like no others’, like many of his art techniques (“Renaissance man”). He wrote in Italian and in his own self-invented shorthand. However, he also used “mirror writing,”... ... middle of paper ... ...). By going out and having himself “happen” to the world, Leonardo became one of the most influential artists, inventors, and scientists of all time. Works Cited Lampton, Christopher. “Top 10 Leonardo da Vinci Inventions.” genius stuff, Discovery Communications, 2014, web, 24 March, 2014. “Leonardo Da Vinci’s Notebook Project.” ivc, Raven Mansen, 2007, web, 25 March, 2014 “Leonardo’s Last Supper.” Smart history Khan academy, khan academy, web, 26 March, 2014 “Leonardo’s Sfumato.” glennis, World Press, 2014, web, 25 March, 2014 “Leonardo da Vinci Quotes.” Brainy quote, Brainy Quote, 2001-2014, web, March 26, 2014 “Leonardo’s Vitruvian Man.” stanford, n.p., n.d., web, 25 March, 2014 “Renaissance man.” mos, Museum of Science., n.d., web, 24 March, 2014 Zimmerman, Kim. Leonardo da Vinci: Facts and Biography.” Live science, Tech Media Network, 2014

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