Leonardo da Vinci and Nature
In the modern world, art and science are two very separate activities, but in Leonardo's time they were closely connected. Science meant mathematics and medical studies.
Mathematics included practical work like surveying land for making maps as well as measuring the movements of the stars in the sky. An artist might need to measure the different parts of the body. He could also use mathematics to place things in relationship to each other in a drawing or painting so the scene looked correct.
Mathematics was also connected to music because musical sounds have a fixed relationship with each other that can be described in numbers. More than this, though, Leonardo believed that numbers were a part of all things in the world, including music, and he said that "without them nothing can be done. "
"Nature has kindly given us things everywhere to copy," wrote Leonardo. In all his activities, Leonardo was trying to discover the rules that control nature. In his search for those rules, he looked very carefully at a lot of examples and details. Actual experience was more important to him than opinion, and he worked from facts to ideas. His purpose was to examine the world so he could copy it in beautiful paintings and sculptures. He also wanted to learn from the clever solutions of nature.
His quick little sketches, often done while wandering outside, helped him to catch a movement or a shape. More careful drawings would be done at a desk with a pen and ruler.
In July 2001, a small drawing by Leonardo was sold for $12 million. It was the most expensive drawing in the world.
A. Leonardo was always drawing.
B. How could these be connected with art?
C. Leonardo was also an influential philosopher.
D. Mathematicians and doctors worked to discover the unknown.
E. Above all, Leonardo wanted to understand how and why things worked.
F. Leonardo himself was a very good musician and liked to play an instrument and sing.
G. You will see a good example of such positioning in the painting of The Last Supper.