The period of cultural Renaissance, marked, first of all, by an increased interest in ancient values in Italy, historical science defines the year 1456. This time corresponds to the conditional end of the Middle Ages, which began to manifest itself in all spheres of life, including, first of all, culture and social activities. And therefore, the work of Leonardo da Vinci in this context is of particular interest.
The personality of Leonardo da Vinci provided an invaluable service for the development of the spiritual aspect of the Renaissance in Italy, torn apart by both internal contradictions and external feudal wars. After all, his creative legacy still boggles the imagination of even a sophisticated modern person.
The soulful atmosphere of that era is fully reflected at the same time by the cheerful and cheerful disposition of Raphael, always surrounded by a company of friends, and the brooding and gloomy character of Michelangelo, who, together with Leonardo da Vinci, receives a lucrative commission to paint a Christian cathedral in Florence. And the leadership of this ambitious project is entrusted to the young and ambitious official Niccolo Machiavelli.
And it is precisely this wide range of spiritual realization that stands at the forefront of the time when the idealization of antiquity becomes that mathematically verified model of architecture and art. Moreover, the Greco-Roman heritage is fully complemented by appropriate creative processing, which was able to bring characteristic uniqueness and originality to the cultural heritage of its era.
The creative legacy of Leonardo da Vinci
Today it is reliably known that the genius of Leonardo da Vinci managed to spread to almost all areas of painting and engineering. Due to the fact that as an artist he was at one time much less in demand, this talented person had to position himself primarily as an engineer creating new types of weapons, or, for example, as a cook who was able to invent a sufficient number of new and exquisite dishes.
It is known that in Milan he was in charge of the duke's own table, in connection with which he had to manage not only the entire set of measures for serving various solemn feasts, but also deal with issues related to the preparation of the entire range of menus. And among his most famous achievements in the field of engineering structures, numerous high-quality drawings of airplanes should be highlighted, according to which, even today, it is possible to manufacture quite relevant aeronautical equipment.
This ingenious inventor believed that man was created for air travel. So, in the list of his thematic creations there is a parachute, a telescope with two lenses, a lightweight version of mobile bridges and much more. Special words of gratitude were deserved for his research in the field of anatomy, because in this area of science he was ahead of his time by at least three centuries.
The last years of his life, Leonardo da Vinci spent in France, where he was actively involved in the organization of court celebrations, led a project to change the channels of two rivers, created a plan for a canal between them, and also planned the construction of a new royal palace. Truly, the genius of this man was inexhaustible. Perhaps he can top the list of genius people of the planet of all times and peoples.
Assessment of art experts
The painting "John the Baptist" by the Italian Renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci is painted in oil. It belongs to the later period of the artist's work. The decadent nature of this work is evidenced not only by the period of the artist's life, but also by the end of the Renaissance itself, which inspired the entire European world of culture and art. This is clearly seen, both in the image of John, and in the absence of the traditional landscape in the background of the picture.
"John the Baptist" was painted by the artist in the estate of Clou (the city of Amboise in the central part of France), when he was held in high esteem and surrounded by universal recognition and attention. It is known that Leonardo da Vinci no longer felt satisfaction from his own creativity. He was constantly engaged in reworking and supplementing his old works, which he brought here in large numbers with him. All signs show that this picture was "brought to mind" during the period of its extreme creative decline.
The picture shows a young man with one hand pointing upward, and the other holding a cross to his chest. The mystery and enigma of the image is enhanced by the contrast of the dark background and the illuminated figure of the young man. Despite the enthusiastic reviews of colleagues in the creative workshop and critics about the artist's works of that time, it was the painting “John the Baptist” that caused them genuine surprise. After all, the usual canonical image of the saint in this case was very different from the resulting image.
The religious tradition unambiguously interprets the personality of John the Baptist, who appeared in the Holy Scriptures precisely as a severe ascetic with abundant hair on his face. Therefore, the ambiguous smile of the young man depicted in the picture does not fit in any way with the classical perception of the famous historical and religious character. It is important to understand that it was this smile that was characteristic of all the faces of the people that Leonardo portrayed in his later period of creativity.
It is the absence of a picturesque landscape in the background of the painting "John the Baptist" and the blossoming image of a young man, which does not correspond to the canonical rules of artistic reproduction of images, that allow us to say that Da Vinci in this case wants to make a special impression on the viewer. Perhaps, many people associate this kind of ambiguity only with an ironic motive and a kind of insight that allows them to look beyond the traditional framework of being.
Brief description of the painting
A young John is depicted against a dark background of the painting. Light falls on it from above and from the left. With the index finger of his right hand, the saint points to a cross located on his chest and which is his direct attribute. It is the cross and the firmament that symbolize the coming of the Savior. Therefore, this gesture eloquently testifies to the message when all people need to reflect on the spiritual feat associated with preparing for this most important event.
In the painting by Leonardo da Vinci, the depicted character communicates with the audience through his eyes. He smiles tenderly, and his figure is fully consistent with the type of a mature artist. The hermit's clothing is a fur skin. He is not fully clothed, leaving his right shoulder exposed in the correct proportions. And the long curly hair of John the Baptist falls in waves over his shoulders.
Many experts suggest that his student Salai served as a model for the artist. All chiaroscuro and contrasting transitions have a subtle and sophisticated character. The famous sfumato, invented earlier by Leonardo da Vinci himself, is fully realized here. The roundness and plasticity of perfect forms is emphasized in the picture by soft and very gentle transitions between light and dark tones. This way of depicting allows you to reflect the spiritualized state of the saint. It is surprising that brush strokes cannot be seen on the canvas.
Painting "John the Baptist": materials and a historical excursion to its places of residence
The famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci "John the Baptist" was painted in the period 1508-1513 with walnut oil on wood. The size of the canvas is 69 x 57 cm. It should be understood that at the time of writing this masterpiece, the materials for painting were made using a technology that is completely different from the modern one. So, the oil was bleached in the sun for fifty years, and the boards were dried even longer. The paints were prepared by the artists themselves. As a rule, they used crystals crushed into a powdery state.
For the first time about the painting by Leonardo da Vinci "John the Baptist" is mentioned in the annals in 1517. It is known that it was his student Salai who became its owner after the death of the teacher. By the way, he also made a copy of it, which is well preserved. And after the death of Salai, his relatives sold the original to Francis I in France. Thus, this work ended up in the Louvre. However, later it was resold to England in the collection of Charles I. After the execution of this monarch, the painting appears already in Germany. No later than 1666, agents of Louis XIV ransom it, and the masterpiece reappears in France. Now the painting "John the Baptist" by Leonardo da Vinci is on display at the Louvre.
