The life and times of Leonardo da Vinci -------------------------------------------- Leonardo da Vinci, renowned Renaissance artist and polymath, died on May 2, 1519, aged 67 -------------------------------------------- Leonardo’s birthplace Apr 15, 1452: Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci born out of wedlock to notary Piero da Vinci and peasant named Caterina in Anchiano, near Vinci. Grows up on father’s estate and treated as legitimate son – receiving elementary education -------------------------------------------- 1466: Moves to Florence with father. Apprenticed to artist Verrocchio -------------------------------------------- 1472: Paints angel in Verrocchio’s Baptism of Christ (above). Qualifies as master in Guild of St Luke – fellowship of artists -------------------------------------------- 1473: Drawing of Arno Valley is earliest known dated work -------------------------------------------- 1476: Leonardo and three other men acquitted on charges of sodomy -------------------------------------------- 1480: Supported by Lorenzo de Medici, noted patron of arts -------------------------------------------- 1481: Begins altarpiece Adoration of the Magi, but it remains unfinished when he moves to Milan -------------------------------------------- 1483: Offers his services as engineer, architect, sculptor and painter to Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan. Begins studies for monumental equestrian sculpture in honour of Sforza’s father -------------------------------------------- 1486: Completes first of two versions of Virgin of the Rocks -------------------------------------------- 1490: Vitruvian Man (right). Leonardo keeps detailed sketchbooks throughout his life, including early concepts for flying machine, calculator, tank, and parachute -------------------------------------------- 1493: Builds Gran Cavallo, full-scale clay model of horse statue, but Duke uses bronze set aside for statue to defend city from invasion -------------------------------------------- 1495: Mural of Last Supper (above) takes two years to complete, using experimental technique -------------------------------------------- 1499: Invading French forces destroy Gran Cavallo, using it for target practice -------------------------------------------- 1500: Leaves Milan and travels to Mantua, Venice and back to Florence, where he begins work on Madonna and Child with St Anne (finished 1503). Last Supper begins to deteriorate -------------------------------------------- 1502: Enters service of Cesare Borgia, son of Pope Alexander VI, acting as military architect and engineer. Travels throughout Italy with his patron -------------------------------------------- 1503: Returns to Florence to begin work on vast mural of Battle of Anghiari in Palazzo Vecchio. Begins Mona Lisa -------------------------------------------- 1506: Summoned to Milan, he abandons Battle of Anghiari (below)*. Mural is lost but may survive behind later mural by Vasari -------------------------------------------- 1508: Employed by French king Louis XII. Resumes major anatomical studies – dissecting cadavers -------------------------------------------- 1513: Invited to Rome by Giuliano de Medici, brother of Pope Leo X. Focuses on scientfic studies -------------------------------------------- 1514: Returns to Florence and paints his only known self-portrait -------------------------------------------- 1515: Pope forbids any further human dissections. Paints last known picture, St John the Baptist -------------------------------------------- 1516: Moves to France as premier painter, engineer and architect to King Francois I, who gives him house in Amboise. Right hand paralysed by stroke -------------------------------------------- May 2, 1519: Leonardo dies. His remains lie in Chapel of Saint-Hubert at Château d’Amboise -------------------------------------------- GERMANY FRANCE ITALY Paris Amboise Mantua Venice Florence Milan Vinci Rome Modern country borders 250km 155 miles -------------------------------------------- Sources: leonardoda-vinci.org, Google Arts & Culture, British Library Pictures: Wiki Commons, Visit Tuscany *Rubens’ copy of da Vinci sketch © GRAPHIC NEWS