Leonardo da Vinci: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 02:54, 13 April 2005

Revision as of 12:17, 13 April 2005

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Leonardo kept his private life particularly secret, and there is no evidence that Leonardo was ever intimately involved with any woman, nor in a close friendship with one. He also surrounded himself with handsome young men throughout his life, and his art reflects an appreciation of [[androgynous]] beauty. It has, therefore, been assumed that he was a [[homosexuality|homosexual]]. One of his loves may have been Gian Giacomo Caprotti da Oreno (nicknamed Salai (Little Devil)). Gian entered Leonardo's household around [[1488]] at the age of 10, becoming his servant and assistant.

In [[1506]], Leonardo met [[Count Francesco Melzi]], the fifteen year old son of a [[Lombard]] aristocrat. Salai eventually accepted Melzi's continued presence and the three undertook various journeys throughout Italy. Though Salai was always introduced as Leonardo's "pupil", he never produced any work of artistic merit. Melzi, however, became his pupil and life companion.

Leonardo had many other friends who are now figures renown in their fields, or for their influence on history, these included [[Niccolò Machiavelli]], [[Cesare Borgia]] and [[Franchinus Gaffurius]].

Disregarding the controversy of homosexuality, it is clear from the works of Leonardo and his early biographers, that he was a man of high integrity and very sensitive to moral issues. Hereby, it should be noted that Leonardo was a vegetarian at least a part of his life and often bought birds just to release them. He was also the respected judge on the matters of beauty and elegance, particularly in [[pageantry]].

[[image:leonardo_self.jpg|thumb|left|[[Self-portrait]] in [[red chalk]], circa [[1512]]-[[1515]]]]

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*[http://www.leonardoamilano.org/en/ Leonardo's artworks now visible in Milan]

*[http://www.amuseyourself.com/goodreads/leonardodavinci/index.html Leonardo da Vinci] Illustrated biography with ruminations on alternative interpretations of subliminal meanings in Leonardo's art (including the ubiquitous "John gesture"), conjecture on his personal life, and the "Priory of Sion" / "Da Vinci Code."

*[http://www.ivu.org/history/davinci/hurwitz.html International Vegetarian Union] - about Leonardo's vegetarianism and his stance to animals.

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