LEONARDO DA VINCI AND MICHELANGELO

Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo

Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo

Introduction

Comparing and contrasting the various techniques that constitute “mastery” of detailed drawing is something that was hesitant to do, given that the terminology is highly subjective. There is also a doubt in judgment with regard to which artists to select, given that the brief stated a modern artist to be analyzed as well as a figure working sixteenth century. These years encompass hundreds of artists and whether to gauge “mastery” by commercial success, critical success, or personal preference was something that was considered extremely seriously before deciding on a hybrid of all three as the criteria for artist selection which influences the Italy and Europe. Consequently, it is believed that an effective analysis and comparison can be made between Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo, despite the huge variation in style and content of their work.

Discussion

In comparison to Michelangelo, Da Vinci's silverpoint drawings exhibit an obvious fixation with surface and the visual appeal of said surface. These silverpoint drawings are full of light, delicate strokes, exhibiting a sensitivity surpassing that of other Old Masters, also contemporary artists.

Leonardo Da Vinci Works

Da Vinci's anatomical drawings also display a deep understanding of the human body in terms of size, proportion, texture, scientific relevance, also emotional investment. The observational skills of the artist are evident in the perfect proportions of every physical element, drawn with a physician's as well as an artist's eye. The sheer scope of Da Vinci's work on anatomy reveals a commitment and intent evident in the drawings themselves: working in a time when dissection was not only deeply unpleasant but also dangerous in terms of heretical connotations, the drawings chart an exploratory journey, carefully mapped and realized. The shading of each muscle and bone fiber lends depth to the drawing and solidity to the thin, precise lines. The cutaway view of the human form exemplifies the revelatory quality of the drawings, before Da Vinci, anatomical study was mainly limited to writing and not in diagrammatic form. Through drawing, Da Vinci reveals that art replicates the world before us, reproduces it during a time when there was no other method of reproduction that could capture forms so closely. (Arasse, 1997)

The drawings are accurate, yet also charged with emotion. Da Vinci's exaggerated proportions here deliberately render the figure grotesque, the chin and nose distorted. This displays a nuanced understanding not only of realistic drawing but also of the impact of exaggerating certain elements within a drawing, particularly when the human form is involved. The bulbous nose and chin juxtapose uncomfortably with the delicate nature of the lines, shading and hatching, and the negative space within the figure's face serves to distort the features even further. By contrast, Da Vinci's own self portrait serves as a potent reminder of his command over line, form and texture. Exquisitely swirling marks in the figure's hair and beard create a wistful, contemplative effect. (Lucertini, Gasca and Nicolo, 2004) The drawings of Da Vinci are masterful ...