Leonardo Da Vinci
1452-1519Our selection
Universal genius
A sculptor before he became a painter, architect, scientist, musician, humanist and initiator of the Second Renaissance, Leonardo da Vinci embodies the concept of a universal genius. His great works include The Last Supper (1495-1498), which made him one of the most famous artists of his time, The Virgin of the Rocks (1483-1486) and of course the Mona Lisa (1503), both on display at the Musée du Louvre. Covering every discipline, Leonardo da Vinci also left behind a significant amount of studies in zoology, botany, anatomy and geology. Invited to the court of Francis I in 1516, the Italian painter spent the last years of his life in France, taking part in urban planning projects and designing décors for Royal christenings and weddings.
" What makes a thing noble is its eternity. "
Mona Lisa
It is the most mysterious, disturbing and above all the most well-known view in art history. Considered the world's most famous representation of the female face, the most visited work of the 21st century, the Mona Lisa has yet to reveal all her secrets. Nevertheless, many historians claim that the portrait is that of Lisa Gherardini, wife of the Florentine silk trader Francesco Del Giocondo. Painted on a thin board of poplar wood, the Mona Lisa defies the codes of painting in force at the time: seen in three quarters, depicted from the waist up (including her arms and hands), she looks directly at the spectator, who cannot detach his eyes from this enigmatic face. Although Leonardo da Vinci considered his painting finished, two areas seem to have been neglected: a portion of the landscape and the outline of the index finger of the right hand.
Did you know ?
Leonardo da Vinci was ambidextrous: he was as skilful with his right hand as he was with the left