Leonardo da Vinci is often called the greatest painter and inventor of all time, and much of his work has survived to this day. Some of his paintings became so popular that they would go on to become some of the world’s most beloved pieces of art, including these incredible 5 works.
Mona Lisa
The Mona Lisa by Da Vinci is not only Da Vinci’s most famous painting, but also probably the world’s most famous painting. Although alternative theories persist, Lisa Gherardini, a middle-class woman who lived in Florence, is mostly believed to be the subject of the famous painting. That faint, enigmatic smile is what makes it truly unique. Some interpret it as a sad smile, others as a sly expression that indicates that something is being hidden by the woman, something that all poker and even some online roulette NZ players wish they could master.
The Virgin of The Rocks
Da Vinci uses the title The Virgin of the Rocks to create two almost identical paintings. Both pictures portray a bleak environment with four biblical characters: the Madonna, the Child of Christ, the Baptist’s infant, and an angel. The scene’s topic is the regard and worship given to the Christ Child by John the Baptist.
The complexity and sophistication of the composition is one aspect that makes this painting so great. The figures, arranged in a triangular form, all point to each other and look at each other. This unifies the composition and allows more of a “story” to be told by the painting. It is particularly important because the figures in the artwork of previous eras often seemed separate.
The Last Supper
The Last Supper is a painting in Santa Maria della Grazie, a Milan, Italian church. It portrays a scene from John’s Gospel: the last supper of Jesus with his disciples, and especially the time after Jesus relays the news that one of them is going to betray him. The scene portrays very astutely the emotions of anxiety of the disciples and dismay when they hear this news.
For being the first painting to portray biblical scenes showing human feelings and acting like true human beings, the painting is important from a historical point of view.
Ginevra de’ Benci
Ginevra de’ Benci was an academic from Florence, 17 years old, and it is theorized that Da Vinci was commissioned to paint her in commemoration of her commitment to Luigi Niccolini. This piece is particularly fascinating because it appears to be indifferent or dissatisfied, unlike other pictures of females by Da Vinci. One common understanding is that the approaching marriage was dissatisfied with Ginevra.
The Lady with an Ermine
The Lady with an Ermine by Da Vinci is a half-long picture of Cecilia Gallerani, at the moment the wife of the employer of Da Vinci. It portrays her holding an ermine, an animal that could portray a variety of aspects, including purity (Ermines has lovely white coats and, it is thought, would experience death before they dirty their clothes) or marriage.
