Sean Douglas May

Leonardo da Vinci was one of the great minds that defined the European Renaissance period. Leonardo was born near a hill village in Tuscany named Vinci. Leonardo is known for his artistic abilities. Some of his most famous paintings were the Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, and Virgin of the Rocks. In addition to his artistry, Leonardo was a scientist, engineer, architect, musician, and sculptor. He performed hours and hours of field studies and mastered everything he laid his eyes upon. He studied under great scholars and humanists in the Renaissance period. The works of Leonardo are housed all over the world and continue to spark curiosity and controversy today. The recent film, The Da Vinci Code, was detested by the leaders of Catholic Church due to the controversial depiction of the life of Jesus Christ.

The lost notebooks: Leonardo’s concerns for technological principles

The enculturation of humanistic thinking and views gave way to great minds, like Leonardo to develop and flourish. His interest in mathematics and engineering added to his knowledge and concern for technology principles. In 1965 there were two lost notebooks discovered. The notebooks were found in the archives of the National Library of Spain in Madrid. One of the notebooks revealed his vast work with concepts of technology. The other notebook was a diary of Leonardo’s thoughts over a 14 year period. These two notebooks, The Madrid Codices, were published in 1974 and contain nearly 200 pages of geometry and mechanics.
Leonardo da Vinci illustrated the humanistic movement during a time in history that continues to be explored, discovered, taught, and discussed in scholarly circles throughout the world.

Source: Columbia Encyclopedia. Leonardo da Vinci. Retrieved on October 19, 2007 from http://reference.aol.com/columbia/_a/leonardo-da-vinci/20051206195809990015?flv=1&ncid=oyjqUzrKfk0000000465&icid=rbox_encyclopedia.M

Source: The Unmuseum. Leonardo’s notebooks. Retrieved on October 19, 2007 from http://unmuseum.mus.pa.us/leosketch.htm

Posted by May at 08:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The European Renaissance gave way to a new way of thinking…and behaving. The Renaissance occurred between 1300 and 1600. The Middle Ages preceded this period and was characterized by “serving the church” and thinking was very limited outside of religious beliefs.

The Renaissance started in the wealthy Italian cities and spread from there. People began to shift their thinking more toward a center political community and away from the church. Colleges developed and people became less fearful and began venturing out more. Wealthy merchants began spending money on paintings, music, and literature.

This period gave birth to scholars, inventions, and learning. One of the most important inventions was the printing press which dramatically changed the lives of individuals and communities. This period also gave rise to many great minds including Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. Artists incorporated mathematics into their work to more clearly depict size and proportions. Humanism emerged focusing on people and culture.

The European Renaissance and its scholars paved the way for communities of learning to grow and flourish. A foundation for collective intelligence began to develop. If not for this influential period in history, the concepts and interactivity of information and communication would not be as we know it today.

Source: Renaissance. (2007). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved October 7, 2007, from Encyclopædia Britannica Online: http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9063161

Posted by May at 07:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)