Produced by Juliet Sutherland, David Widger and the DP Team
[Illustration: Plate 1--MONA LISA. Frontispiece
In the Louvre. No. 1601. 2 ft 6 ½ ins. By 1 ft. 9 ins. (0.77 x 0.53)]
Illustrated With Eight Reproductions in Colour
"Leonardo," wrote an English critic as far back as 1721, "was a Man so happy in his genius, so consummate in his Profession, so accomplished in the Arts, so knowing in the Sciences, and withal, so much esteemed by the Age wherein he lived, his Works so highly applauded by the Ages which have succeeded, and his Name and Memory still preserved with so much Veneration by the present Age--that, if anything could equal the Merit of the Man, it must be the Success he met with. Moreover, 'tis not in Painting alone, but in Philosophy, too, that Leonardo surpassed all his Brethren of the 'Pencil.'"
This admirable summary of the great Florentine painter's life's work still holds good to-day.
His Birth His Early Training His Early Works First Visit to Milan In the East Back in Milan The Virgin of the Rocks The Last Supper The Court of Milan Leonardo Leaves Milan Mona Lisa Battle of Anghiari Again in Milan In Rome In France His Death His Art His Mind His Maxims His Spell His Descendants
Plate I. Mona Lisa In the Louvre II. Annunciation In the Uffizi Gallery, Florence III. Virgin of the Rocks In the National Gallery, London IV. The Last Supper In the Refectory of Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan V. Copy of the Last Supper In the Diploma Gallery, Burlington House VI. Head of Christ In the Brera Gallery, Milan VII. Portrait (presumed) of Lucrezia Crivelli In the Louvre VIII. Madonna, Infant Christ, and St Anne. In the Louvre
Leonardo Da Vinci, the many-sided genius of the Italian Renaissance, was born, as his name implies, at the little town of Vinci, which is about six miles from Empoli and twenty miles west of Florence. Vinci is still very inaccessible, and the only means of conveyance is the cart of a general carrier and postman, who sets out on his journey from Empoli at sunrise and sunset. Outside a house in the middle of the main street of Vinci to-day a modern and white-washed bust of the great artist is pointed to with much pride by the inhabitants. Leonardo's traditional birthplace on the outskirts of the town still exists, and serves now as the headquarters of a farmer and small wine exporter.