Why Leonardo da Vinci is so popular today

[@cc100101]

Need to understand Da Vinci's painting's hands. The right hand of Jesus (which is not a natural way of grabbing bread) is alarmingly similar to Madona of the rocks, Mary's left hand. I'm pretty sure all these hand gestures have their meaning known to a small group . Raphael painted many beautiful Mary and child, none had any peculiar hand gesture, end up less famous.

[@AmuzeArt]

He loved hands indeed, and he made many drawings of hands throughout his life.

[@Eye_in-the-Sky]

The threatening hand gesture of the Virgin Mary indicates one of the sides of the Great Mother Goddess. The nature of this mythological figure is twofold. On the one hand, she is the source of life, on the other, the personification of death. Such opposing features indicate her chthonic essence. Thus, in the image of the Madonna, Leonardo da Vinci depicted Mother Nature herself.

[@baldwinverhoeven9795]

This can be seen as a less convincing argument for Da Vinci's popularity, but you didn't mention that his art was just simply amazing. All the other arguments like the triangle form and sfumato wouldn't hold out if his paintings were not as enchanting as they are! - or, we just find them so amazing simply because they are made by Da Vinci of course 😊

[@AmuzeArt]

You are totally right! I didn't list that under the five artistic innovations, but it was perhaps a bit implicit in the story. For example, the reason that his Last Supper and Mona Lisa were copied so many times was just because they were very popular paintings.

[@DC-zi6se]

Probably because he was the first/oldest great Italian painter. Although Titian and Raphael were perhaps the best painters from the Italian renaissance.

[@AmuzeArt]

He was indeed the generation before Michelangelo and Raphael, but artists like Botticelli who was only 7 years older than Da Vinci did not earn that much praise over time..

[@belendemaria1989]

Amazing video!! I learned so much!

[@AmuzeArt]

Nice, thanks

[@FatimaVhd]

That was Great💖..I have always fascinated by your amzing videos with perfect explanation.

[@AmuzeArt]

Thank you so much! I will keep on making these every week. Today, I'm working on one for this week about paintings on the Christmas theme.

[@FatimaVhd]

@@AmuzeArt that's gonna be wonderful✌️I'm really waiting to be ready💖💖💖

[@AmuzeArt]

@@FatimaVhdI have written the story, just need to create the video tomorrow, and it will be available on KZbin this Friday at 10am EST

[@DC-zi6se]

I think the Baroque era really tilted the axis of art history. Movement, drama and realism has never reached such a sublime height before or after. Rembrandt and Caravaggio in particular.

[@AmuzeArt]

I always find it interesting how these movements have influenced each other. Da Vinci was among the first to use Chiaroscuro and Tenebrism, which the Baroque artists took to the next level. But also composition-wise, artists like Peter Paul Rubens learned from artists like Da Vinci when visiting Italy.

[@DC-zi6se]

@@AmuzeArt Feels like after the Baroque era the creativity went gradually down. Technique improved but inspiration and creativity... not so sure. Ilya Repin is a master painter who I think sort of had a perfect ballance of creativity and technique.

[@AmuzeArt]

@@DC-zi6seEvery period was searching for another way of expressing the ideas of their time, and sometimes the art of a brilliant artist from a period that is hard to understand from today's society, gets appreciated less just because it doesn't resonate with us today. But the reverse is also true.

[@robertirving1308]

It's a question I had asked myself many times. I am more a fan of some other Renaissance painters, but yet Da Vinci seem to set all the records. It may also have to do with the mystery surrounding him and the limited number of works?

[@AmuzeArt]

The scarcity of his works certainly drives up the auction prices and visitor numbers. It's the reason why Vermeer exhibitions are so popular (there are only 35 known works by him) compared to, let's say a Rembrandt or Titian exhibition.

[@DC-zi6se]

Great Video btw, as usual!

[@AmuzeArt]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it.

[@royaebrahim2449]

❤

[@AmuzeArt]

Thanks!