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1、Leonardo da Vinci and his creations sent mysterious messages to humanityAlina GnatyukCandidate number: 2111-003Extended EssaySubject: Visual ArtsMarch 6, 2006Word count: 3 586 words Grade: DTheme: Leonardo da VinciThesis: Leonardo da Vinci and his creations sent mysterious messages to humanity.http:
2、/cougar.slvhs.slv.k12.ca.us/pboomer/physicslectures/leonardo/page1.jpgContentIntroduction _1Description of the Mona Lisa _2-3 What colors did Leonardo da Vinci use for this painting? The background (landscape) and the foreground “Chiaroscuro” his studying of shadow and light Mona Lisas face (her mou
3、th and eyes)Theories about who is depicted on the canvas _3-4Is Mona Lisa a self-portrait of da Vinci? _4Gematria _5 EquationsRebus _6 The moon and the sun Defect eyebrows _6-7Brief information about the Last supper_8Description of the Last Supper in the Bible_8-9What did Leonardo da Vinci depict? _
4、9-11 Composition What do letters “M” and “V” represent? Is it Apostle John or Mary Magdalena? An incomprehensible hand with a knifeNo Holy Chalice _12 Is Mary Magdalena a holy grail?Restoration _12-13The secret organization “Priory of Sion”_14Jesus was married and had children _14-15Church denials _
5、15-16 The “Sacred Feminine”Conclusion _17 Dan Browns book, “The Da Vinci Code”, a bestseller of 2004, encouraged me to write this essay. Authors conclusions and questions raised in the novel made me think differently about Leonardo da Vinci his art and personality. Dan Brown described things that we
6、re forgotten and buried for a long time. Discussions about this book are carrying on until now. But what stays undeniable is that this novel awakened the interest of many people to the history of creating Leonardo da Vincis famous paintings, to the mystery of artists great creations. Da Vinci couldn
7、t dedicate his life to one profession painting (he was an artist, sculptor, scientist, and inventor.) He was interested in questions “how” and “why”. Leonardo da Vinci, in the documents and his notes, was using codes, ciphers, and hidden anti-Christian massages pointing to the truth about Christiani
8、ty in his paintings Cox, Simon, 5. Although, his drawings had a religious nature and he, without doubt, was a Christian, - some people consider that da Vinci was leaving coded accusatory messages in his “pseudo religious” paintings Cox, Simon, 6. It may be that he hid all the answers, to the riddles
9、 of his astonishing paintings, in his own diaries. Da Vincis works of art it is a permanent sequence of investigations and experiments. He wanted his paintings to be scientifically correct, but he was also careful to show emotions. He tried to show the inside and the outside of a figure. All charact
10、ers of da Vincis paintings have their own history. Why does the Mona Lisa smile? What is happening in the Last Supper? http:/www.cojeco.cz/attach/ilustrations/39d272b7346f4.jpgThinking about Da Vinci, the first thing that comes to mind is his mysterious painting, Mona Lisa. Da Vinci began the Mona L
11、isa in 1503 and completed it after three or four years of work Pedretti, Cartlo, 30. Original colors that Leonardo chose for his Mona Lisa were soft and transparent in the landscape and bright on the monumental foreground. On the background - a fantastic landscape with hills and mountains - the warm
12、 and soft tones, leaving afar, above it gradually brightening sky. Two columns on edges of a landscape are closed with a present frame of a picture Cox, Simon, 169. This messy landscape, with brown colors below and grayish blue above, creates a contrast between the landscape itself and the figure si
13、tting on the foreground. But because nothing disturbs an eye on the background, it is possible to feel harmony, silence, and calm weather in it. In this picture da Vinci has achieved such harmony not only by more careful composition, but also by picturesque means due to which all is visible as thoug
14、h through easy haze, covering the small details, softening the outlines, creating imperceptible transitions between forms and paints. In this canvas all details are fine, but the attention is firstly focused on the face. http:/forum.rc- But how did Leonardo da Vinci make Mona Lisas look so mysteriou
15、s? He was studying shadow and light which are perfectly demonstrated in the Mona Lisa (“chiaroscuro”) Pedretti, Carlo, 62. This technique is shown on the painting in the lowest areas, at the edges, and the background of the landscape, so a viewer can easily concentrate on the face of Mona Lisa. Her
16、face is bright compared to the rest of the painting, so it gives an impression like she is gazing from the darkness. Her look and smile are most dependent upon Leonardo da Vincis favorite technique because the delicate shading effect is shown around the eyes and the corners of her mouth. Thus, da Vi
17、nci has given much to our imagination and in it the reason of that Mona Lisa amazes us, looking on the spectator as if alive. The Mona Lisa (also known as La Gioconda) shows a woman looking out at the viewer with what is often described as an “enigmatic smile” Carr-Gomm, Sarah, 133. So far it is sti
18、ll unclear who exactly was posing and smiling for the great master. Many theories were adduced to this theme and all of them are differing in the imagination. Some are inclined that the Mona Lisa is a portrait of an ignored daughter da Vinci kept in shadow Burstein, Dan, 25. Simon Cox in his book “C
19、racking the da Vinci Code”, explains that the order on the picture Leonardo da Vinci got from Francesco Del Giaconda, who was a Florence seller of silk. So the majority of historians believe that on the portrait is depicted Lisa Gherardini, the wife of Giaconda, who ordered this portrait to honor a
20、birth of their second son (December, 1502) Cox, Simon, 169. There are many more of such theories and they all may be correct, but what if everything about Mona Lisa is not as complicated, as we make it? So, many art historians are just wasting their time and for no purpose they are puzzling themselv
21、es and other people. On the other hand, this painting may be even more mysterious that we think. Nevertheless, already for 500 years, the mysterious identity of the person in the painting is still under question. Some people agree that the painting may or may not be a portrait of a real woman Cox, S
22、imon, 170. There is a version according to which, the Mona Lisa is s secret self-portrait of Leonardo da Vinci Meattle, Jay. To support this hypothesis, Dr. Lillian Schwartz of Bell Labs did a digital analysis of the facial features of da Vincis face and that of the painting. Using a computer it was
23、 perfectly seen that a self-portrait drawing by da Vinci and an image of the Mona Lisa are similar, including the tip of the nose, lips, and eyes, just like a mirror reflection Cox, Simon, 170. So, Leonardo could depict himself in the appearance of Mona Lisa. Others say that these similarities can b
24、e explained due to the fact that both portraits were painted by the same person using the same style Carr-Gomm, Sarah, 135. Another mystery that agitates art historians is that da Vinci was using codes in his art works. One of such methods to encode some kind of message in paintings is kabbalistic e
25、xegesis called gematria (every letter corresponds to a number). If to use this method on the title of the painting (Mona Lisa), then an equation will correspond to:Mona Lisa = (13+15+14+1) + (12+9+19+1) = 84.Another name for this painting is La Giocconda, also calculates a value of 84:La Giocconda =
26、 (12+1) + (7+9+15+3+3+15+14+4+1) = 84 (Carlo Pedretti, 87).And if to count the circumference of this rectangle (painting) 18:24, the number will also be 84:Circumference = 2 x (18+24) = 84.In the da Vincis name as well the sum of the numbers is 84:Leonardo = 12+5+15+14+1+18+4+15 = 84 Emick, Jennifer
27、. It may be, that the mysterious woman is no one else but the artist himselfOr Leonardo da Vinci himself tried to show his personality through Mona Lisa. Da Vinci was a little similar to her: people saw him always counterbalanced and friendly, but anybody precisely did not know, what exactly was on
28、his mind Pedretti, Carlo, 22. Also, the title of this unexplained painting might not appear as simple, as it seems. The word “Mona” most probably is a contracted form from “monna” or “mia Donna” (“milady” or “madam”). In French she is called “La Joconde”, and in Italian “La Gioconda”, which means li
29、ght hearted Carr-Gomm, Sarah, 141. However, this is just a play on words, coincidence with a surname of a person, who served as a prototype of the painting. Some historians are sure that the title of the Mona Lisa is just like a rebus (decoded message consisting of pictures, words, or other symbols)
30、:MONA LISA = SOL + ANIMAThe rebus above shows the basic alchemical antimony of Sun (Sol) and Moon (Anima), two basic symbols for opposing forces. During Renaissance a lot of artists were influenced by alchemical texts, especially this subject antimony. It was calculated that the ratio of rectangle t
31、hat defines the figure is 9:12. Both numbers are symbols for antimonies: number 9 symbolizes Moon, and 12 Sun Emick, Jennifer. And there are many more of such suggestions concerning the title Mona Lisa. One more mysterious characteristic that caught my eye in this painting is that Mona Lisa does not
32、 have eye brows. Can it be a defect of the painting? Maybe, this is a result of excessive diligence, with which the painting was cleaned in the consequence of century. Also could be that a model of a great master in purpose completely pulled out all her eyebrows, as long as at that time it was fashi
33、onable Cox, Simon, 171. In the lists of art historians, the number one question to discuss will be always the Mona Lisa. Her identity will be always a mystery, and her eyes and the smile will attract and draw attention of the art researchers for many more years. Another da Vincis painting that becam
34、e famous because of its enigma is the Last Supper. The Last Supper is a fresco that is done on the refectory wall of Santa-Maria Della Gracie Monastery in Milan. Even at Leonardos epoch this painting was considered as his best and most famous work. This fresco was created between 1495 and 1497 and t
35、he size is approximately 15 x 29 feet Cox, Simon, 136. Did Leonardo da Vinci leave some message in his most religious creation? He was at enmity with the church and with the fundamental orientation of Christianity, but despite this he drew so-called “saint pictures” Cox, Simon, 138. To celebrate Jew
36、ish Easter, Christ collected his apostles. On this Last Supper Jesus announced: “One of you will betray Me”. This extremely saddened them and every apostle started asking Him: “Is it me, My Lord?” They began their supper: Jesus blessed, took some of bread and drank a little of wine, which afterwards
37、 became symbols of his body and blood. The Last Supper was an appropriate subject for monastic refectories; often was taken an episode where Jesus eats bread and drinks wine Burstein, Dan, 93.However, in The Last Supper, Leonardo da Vinci depicts a moment when Jesus is announcing the forthcoming of
38、betrayal, and sequential reaction and different emotional reaction of apostles to these words can be seen Carr-Gomm, Sarah, 145. The Last Supper is full of symbols. Apostles are evenly distributed in groups of three and are combined with a central isolated figure of Jesus. Near Jesus sits Apostle Ma
39、tthew, who shows his forefinger on his right hand and who has a threatening expression of his face. Jesus does not pay attention to him. Historians call it a gesture of John. In the painting the apostle, as if, tells Jesus, “Remember John!” Cox, Simon, 140 Furthermore, Leonardo da Vinci depicted him
40、self in the form of one of the apostles James, sitting on the edge of the table turned away. But this is not to make a successful composition, but to express his dislike to Jesus Cox, Simon, 141. Also near Jesus is sitting a person that is moved aside to the right from Jesus, thus to form with figur
41、es a letter “M”, and between these two figures is seen a letter “V”. This figure that is on the right side from Jesus (for a viewer left side) is supposed to be Apostle John, but actually if look carefully, then it can be seen that this figure is a woman Cox, Simon, 139. Her clothes contrasts with J
42、esus clothes (Jesus wears a red blouse with royal blue cape; John/Mary wears a royal blue blouse with red cape - perhaps symbolizing two bonded halves of marriage Carr-Gomm, Sarah, 142), she has a bust and golden beads Cox, Simon, 139. But what is this suppose to mean that Jesus and John (woman) are
43、 moved aside in the opposite sides, forming a letter “V”, and contour of their bodies form “M”? Does this carry some kind of symbol? Some affirm that placing figures like that, one of which has characteristic features of a woman, contains a hint about that this is not John, but Mary Magdalena and th
44、e sign “V” is a symbol of a holy womans beginning Brown, Raymond E, 117. In my opinion, the sign “V” can also represent artists surname Vinci. As I wrote before Leonardo da Vinci depicted himself on this painting, so it is most probably that he hid his initials also. The Templars (an international m
45、ilitary and religious order, who are implicated in dozens of mysteries, and rumored to be the guardians of the Holy Grail Picknett, Lynn, 11) believed that Mary Magdalena was for Jesus, a mother, a lover, and a partner in a holy sex Cox, Simon, 140. By putting a woman in the last supper, when there suppose to be 12 Apostles and J
