ThE ReNaIsSaNcE


VIEWPOINTS AND OBJECTIVITY Many people have argued about Mona Lisa’s smile. Do you think the woman is happy or sad? Give a reason for your answer.


RECALL


1. When and where was Leonardo da Vinci born? 2. Explain what the term ‘sfumato’ means? 3. Leonardo da Vinci is regarded as a genius. Do you agree? Discuss this with a partner and give reasons for your answer.


4. What type of information did Leonardo write in his notebooks?


PEOPLE IN HISTORY PROJECT


Write an account on Leonardo da Vinci using the following headings: — His early life


— His later life


— His inventions — His artistic methods — His paintings


2. Michelangelo (1475–1564)


Early life Michelangelo Buonarroti was born in the small village of Caprese in 1475. He grew up in the city of Florence when it was the centre of the early Renaissance. He preferred drawing to schoolwork. At age 13, he became an apprentice to a Florentine artist. In 1490, Lorenzo de Medici, ruler of Florence, saw Michelangelo’s work and asked him to study at his own private sculpture school. For two years he learnt much by being surrounded by some of the greatest artists, poets and scholars of the time. In 1494 Michelangelo moved to Rome.


Michelangelo’s sculpture In 1497 a French cardinal asked Michelangelo to sculpt a statue of Mary and Jesus. The statue is called The Pietà (which means sorrow). The statue of white marble shows Jesus in the arms of Mary after being taken down from the cross. The realism of the Renaissance can be seen clearly in this statue. The folds of Mary’s clothes and the body of Jesus are very detailed.


Fig 5.9 Michelangelo


In 1501 Michelangelo entered a competition in Florence to create something out of a large block of white marble. He won the competition, even defeating da Vinci in the process. The result was a five-metre tall statue of David from the Biblical story of David and Goliath. Michelangelo’s interest in anatomy resulted in a statue of great beauty and detail. The statue was placed in the centre of the Palazzo della Signoria (the central square of Florence). It is now in a museum for safety.


123 ✣ By the way


5


Leonardo, who was left handed, was worried his ideas would be stolen so he wrote everything in his notebooks from right to left. You can only read his notes by looking at them in a mirror.


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