But his schooling and knowledge of numerous subjects is what makes him the ultimate Renaissance man. Da Vinci was ahead of his time in everything he did, whether it was design, philosophy, or drawing. His innovative designs for future technology express how unique he was. “His sketches of machines resembling a bicycle, helicopter and a flying machine based on the physiology of a bat.” During this time period, very few could even think of the future and what it would like, but Da Vinci seemed to predict it with these designs. Over his lifetime, “Leonardo’s notebooks add up to thousands of closely written pages, abundantly illustrated with sketches—the most voluminous literary legacy any painter has ever left behind.” He is classified in this passage as a painter, but these notebooks are not only filled with his sketches. Da Vinci’s intellectual curiosity and countless thoughts and ideas are displayed, revealing how Leonardo was one of the smartest of the time and used it to change the world. Also, within his notebooks were many philosophical statements, such as, “Nature is full of infinite causes which were never set forth in experience”, or, “The natural desire of good men is knowledge.” Above all, his intellect, innovative designs and thinking during the time period, support why Leonardo Da Vinci is the ultimate Renaissance …show more content…
His most famous works, The Mona Lisa (1503–1519), and The Last Supper (1495–1498), represent how the artist is considered the best painter ever. The Last Supper depicts Christ and his 12 disciples and their reactions, after he says to them, “One of you will betray me.” It is considered a perfect composition and shows such particular emotions on the faces of the disciples that no other artist could achieve. In the Mona Lisa, Da Vinci presents a woman, that is debated to be several different women, and a landscape in the back. However, it is the perfect blend of portrait and landscape, while mixing nature and humanity, which relates to his philosophies. Da Vinci’s contemporaries, Raphael and Michelangelo, are also considered some of the best, but their work could not reach the beauty and perfection that Leonardo depicts. His artwork serves as a representation of the Renaissance, the beauty and success of the period. Together, his artwork, and extensive knowledge helped contribute to the Renaissance era and define him as the ultimate renaissance