Leonardo da Vinci Comes Full Circle

Wanna hear a historical fact that really bugs me? I shouldn't tell you because it will bug you too now but here it goes....the greatest artist who ever lived didn't want to be an artist. And for much of his life he only painted when he had cash flow problems. This goes against everything we know about artists. For most of us art is our one true passion. It keeps us up all hours of the night trying to birth each new creation. And being a mother I can tell you perfection in art can sometimes be as painful as childbearing. But for Leonardo da Vinci it came so easily that he often lost interest once he knew he had achieved it.

“Art is never finished, only abandoned.”

~ Leonardo da Vinci

This...one of the greatest pieces in art history will forever remain unfinished. Leonardo spent tons of time on 'The Adoration of the Magi' but once he knew he was certain to cross the finish line...he lost interest and moved on to something else. Knowing he could achieve it in his mind was enough for Leonardo he didn't have to prove anything to anyone.


Leonardo started painting when he was sixteen. He was born the baster child of a wealthy merchant at a time when being a baster really meant something. Because of restrictions placed upon him by Italian society he could not follow in his father's footsteps nor inherit his estate. Such a predicament would have been devastating to some but it only fed Leonardo's determination to succeed.

“Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!”

~ Leonardo da Vinci

You see he was one of those characters who refused to let anything especially the ignorance of man get in his way. So he learned to draw. He knew if he could get into an artist guild that he had a shot of escaping the status placed upon him at birth. He was right. His father set up a meeting with Andrea del Verrocchio. Recognizing the teenager's talent Verrocchio excepted the young genius into his workshop. But once Leonardo surpassed the talent of his master he became restless. He left the studio and art behind him determined to become a military engineer.

Leonardo was extremely driven. He poured himself into his new endeavor. He moved to Milan and wrote a bold confident letter boasting of his engineering abilities to Ludovico il Moro, Duke of Milan. He included several designs of new artillery he hoped to build. The Duke was impressed so he agreed to meet with Leonardo who had only briefly mentioned that he was a painter. Leonardo was disappointed when his designs were pushed aside and he was asked instead to paint a portrait of the duke's mistress. Reluctantly, once again Leonardo painted one of the greatest paintings in history.


Lady with an Ermine is one of those paintings that artists spend their lifetimes studying. What makes it so intriguing is that Leonardo captured the emotion of the moment. You can see the expression in her face and sense how alert the little Ermine is. Leonardo, a master of motion, makes you feel as if the creature might leap from her arms at any moment. The Duke was of course pleased with the painting and as Leonardo had predicted it opened the door to more consideration of his military ideas. He spent years with the Duke but unfortunately just when he was on the verge of seeing his designs become reality France invaded Milan. Leonardo lost his wealthy benefactor. He was forced to return to Florence and painting.

It took him decades of dreaming, drafting and inventing before finally realizing his dream. In 1502 Leonardo was offered a job by Cesare Borgia, the son of Pope Alexander VI, as a military architect and engineer. He traveled throughout Italy with Borgia. Where he was finally able to see his designs in action. He also saw something he had never considered -- death, blood and destruction. Like many great inventors Leonardo's desire to create had blinded him of the realty of the devastation his creations would bring. To him they were simply brilliant inventions. The fact that they would be used to maim, murder and destroy had never come to mind. It was this harsh reality that brought Leonardo full circle and ushered a return to his first love - art. Only this time he would remain faithful until his death.

During the final years of Leonardo's life he carried around a piece of his work in which he hoped to achieve perfection in painting. And unlike so many of his other masterpieces he never lost interest. The only reason he stopped working on the painting was because he died. However I believe he succeeded in his quest. Today his Mona Lisa remains the most famous work of art in history.