Research Paper About Leonardo da Vinci

Research Paper About Leonardo da Vinci According to Spielvogel, Leonardo da Vinci was one of the greatest Italian Renaissance artists, which was once explained that a painter will create paintings of small merit if he shall use the work of other as a stand; but if he will study from natural objects, he shall bear good fruit, especially for those who shall use nature as their standard. This was the philosophy followed by da Vinci in the preparation of his paintings. As a renaissance artist, he considered the imitation of nature as his primordial goal. This has given rise to naturalism as he tried to persuade onlookers to see beyond the reality of the object that he is portraying; while at the same time, incorporating new standards, the depicts a new attitude mind as well by putting an emphasis on the human beings as the center and measure of all things. During the early Renaissance, da Vinci, together with his companions, maintained that it was Giotto who came from the 14th century, who first initiated the imitation of nature. This means that people who observed art became a world of reality that is presented to be a continuation of their own world. In fact, Western civilization changed organically, just as how the body’s form, structure and physiology change proportionally as it continues to develop. Leonardo da Vinci is known as a genius during his time and a man of inspired distraction. He was famous for being a man who had a reputation for not being able to accomplish things, but his ingenuity and uniqueness in the fields of arts and sciences has created a legacy that lasted for centuries. Though he may not have produced as much paintings as his contemporaries, he earned more by painting the fresco of the â€Å"Battle of Anghiari†, known as the Florentine victory. At the same, da Vinci was also distracted by a flight of birds, which led him to draw expansive notes on avian aeronautics, which made him discover human flight. He further explored the idea that a bird is a machine that can be operated by the use of mathematical law, and man has the knowledge and ability to duplicate a flying machine. Though this invention was unsuccessful, he focused his attention in creating several of his master pieces such as the â€Å"Battle of Anghiari†, the â€Å"Last Supperà ¢â‚¬  and the renowned â€Å"Mona Lisa†. Even though da Vinci’s early beginnings was identified with delays, he still managed to become a legacy that will live on forever. At 16 years of age, he was an engineer, creator of theatrical extravaganzas, designer of war machines and an occasional painter. In history, he is being given credit as the greatest Italian painter, sculptor and architect and whose brilliance and wisdom was beyond compare during the Renaissance. The famous work of art Mona Lisa had given him universal fame, along with the Last Supper. Later on his life, he became an excellent inventor, mathematician, engineer, naturalist and anatomist. In the field of anatomy, he discovered how the human body functions by dissecting more than 30 corpses. Edgar has reported that due to da Vinci’s imagination and innate skills, he was able to create moulds of organs such as the heart, the lungs and the womb of a mother. Another innovation that was introduced by da Vinci is the spatial considerations of taxonomy, which are comparable to modern, double-entry bookkeeping that has been codified during the Renaissance period. The double entry bookkeeping has transformed the confusing volume of data that is related to exchange of goods, while separating and classifying it on the basis of profits, losses, income and expenses, assets and liabilities. On the part of Da Vinci, he assisted in illustrating and including the very first definitive writing on double-entry bookkeeping. Nash adds that the overlap between art and technology was also expressed by da Vinci during the period 1452 to 1519 as the brilliant man of Renaissance, who both excelled in the two fields. He made important observations in mechanics and optics, by developing designs for various mechanical devices and has resolved issues on military engineering. Da Vinci has conceptualized that the paintings reflected divine creation to the highest degree possible, negating the principle of servility. According to Noble, Strauss, Osheim et al., da Vinci is famous about his plans, which were sometimes prophetic which consisted of bridges, fortresses, submarines and airships. This clearly shows how da Vinci has contributed in the field of engineering and is still up to this day continuously developing, owing to the exceptional knwledge that this man has established. In the field of painting, he left a signature mark in one of the painting technique that he developed known as â€Å"Chiaoscuro†, which makes use of a combination of light and dark in pictorial representation that presented aerial perspectives. The lines of his paintings also has shown horizons as muted, shaded zones, rather than with sharp lines, which has given inspiration to several modern day painters who followed the techniques of da Vinci. His analytical observations served as the utmost encouragement among his contemporaries. As a scientist, he was unique in such a way that he overruled those arguments and ideas based on the boundaries set by the ancients. But rather, he expressed his advocacy for the study of the natural world. This is one of the worthwhile contributions of da Vinci that changed the course of Western Civilization. Despite his lack of education and having been raised in a village that was outside of Florence, he was able to prove to the world that he can rise above the rest amidst all adversities in life. His indifference from the humanistic milieu from the city was able to set a legacy through his artistry which was comparable to his formerly schooled superiors. During one of his personal writings in his journal, he admitted that he is fully aware that though he was not a literary man, because some people consider him unworthy of recognition pointing to the reality that he is not a man of letters. However, da Vinci was brave enough to defend his inadequacy for classical education by arguing that all the best writing, just like invention is purely based on the close observation of nature. This, da Vinci’s practicality, sensibility and reasonableness has earned him a mark in history that no other schooled contemporary can surpass. In addition, according to Jackson, Leonardo also participated in the field of psychological and psychoanalytical etiology of male homosexuality through the study of Freud’s theory on male homosexuality. There is a passage in the work of Leonardo in which Sigmund Freud reinforces the repetitive history of the normative heterosexual male and the failure to conform to Oedipal orthodoxy. Da Vinci was able to evaluate the imbalance binaries of science and art through his scientific investigation, which is regarded as a more mature sublimation, which is more in keeping with the principle of reality, than the earlier sublimation of scopophilia in his art works. In fact, Freud lauds the artistic work of da Vinci as more â€Å"homosexual† than his scientific curiosity since his scientific thinking became a big contribution in the cultivation of Western civilization, whose sophistication has far exceeded his own time. Freud has labeled da Vinci’s scientific research as a sublime accomplishment and far greater than the prestige brought about by the works of art. The career of da Vinci is magnified by his intellectual prowess, while humanity succumbed to the attraction of a great and mysterious man who has contributed in the development of the Western civilization. Therefore, it is undeniable that significant role Leonardo da Vinci during the period of High Renaissance Art has influenced Western civilization. Da Vinci, despite his lack of classical education was able to prove to the world that greatness cannot be measured by literary compositions, but rather, the supreme invention can be made through close observation of nature. References Byfield, Ted. Renaissance, God in Man. Canada: Mc Callum Printing Group, 2010. Jackson, Earl. Strategies in Deviance: Studies in Gay Male Representation. USA: Indiana University Press, 1995. Noble, Thomas, Strauss, Barry, Osheim, Duane et al. Western Civilization, Beyond Boundaries, 1300-1815. California: Cengage, 2010. Rosenberg, Gary. The Revolution in Geology from Renaissance to the Enlightenment.Colorado: Geological Science of America, 2009. Spielvogel, Jackson. Western Civilization. Boston, MA: Cengage, 2012. Thorpe, Edgar.The Pearson Guide to LLB Entrance Exams. India: Pearson Education, 2008.

The Rebellion by Edna in The Awakening by Kate Chopin - Free Essay Example

Introduction A read through the book by Kate Chopin, The Awakening, leaves one with many questions, especially when they are through to the 7th chapter. The story of Edna Pontellier is the one which is problematic, as one follows the character from the beginning of the story to the end. The various transformation of the character Edna is what is sure to leave many questions in the head of a reader. One might be sure to ask as well as ponder whether this is another feminist novel or whether Edna is mad, or it is, in fact, the author, Chopin who is mad. However, one thing that is sure to stand out in the novel is the rebellious nature of Edna. However, the question of whether her rebellion can be termed to be realistic is one of the factors that many critics of the novel try to argue. In this paper, the uprising of Edna will be discussed as well as the causes for the rebellious nature. Analysis of the Rebellious nature of Edna When a reader first comes across with Edna, she appears to be a muted woman, one who is entirely unable to articulate herself and very much unable to tell a story from her point of view (Urgo 23). However, as one progresses through the novel, Edna gets more courageous and even learns to say no, she slowly turns into a woman who is capable of rebelling as her character begins to take into shape. From the novel, it can be said that awakens Edna as well as her sensuality, is mainly the art of speaking out as well as her being able to make her desires, as well as her emotions, be understood in a narrative form. The awakening is mainly a story about Edna being unable to speak and as such, not being able to make her story being heard. The central tragedy to Edna in The Awakening is that comes to later find out that the story which she is telling is mainly unacceptable in her culture, such demands that if she wants to live in their current society, she will have to silence herself, and igno re the others. However, Edna comes to reject this truth. Such is what brings out her rebellious quality at first. The readers are introduced to the fact that Edna is now willing to extinguish her own life than editing her form of the story. However, such raises a very crucial component in her rebellious nature; she even comes to the point of accepting and reaching for a compromise with death rather than being silent, which seems a very suitable bargain when compared to death. It should be noted that from the start of the novel, Edna is always going through a rough patch when trying to express her emotions as well as experiences in the form of a narrative. A perfect example is when Edna and Robert try to come up with a relation to the ?adventureby Leonce, which they have had out in the water, but they fail. Edna says,It didnt seem half so amusing when told (Chopin 173). Furthermore, one of the most discouraging factors that had been attributed to be causing the turbulence in the Pontellier marriage is the fact that, in the eyes of Leonce, Edna was failing to talk as well as converse with him (Chopin 177). However, the catch is that Edna cant appreciate such type of conversation because the first time the readers are introduced to her, we find her to be mute. All these time, Edna can be said to be quiet, especially for the first six chapters of the novel. Ednas attempt to express herself always runs her into problems; all these can be seen at the first effort to make her thoughts be heard. All this was seen when Edna decided to take anatural aptitude test to undertake to do a painting for Madame Ratignolle. However, when the picture was done, Ratignolle was greatly disappointed as the woman in the picture bore no similarities to her at all. However, Edna interrupts this statement. She says thatIt was a fair enough piece f work, and is satisfying in many ways (Chopin 187). As demonstrated, this indeed becomes the first instance of Edna, having a chance to have her interpretation and thoughts be heard. She refuses to get what she sees as being good, being termed as unrealistic by the other. Such shows that whatever Edna sees in her own eyes, it is not the same that is recognized by her compatriots, such explains one of the causes of her rebellious nature. She is mainly rebellious because she does not conform to the standards as well as patterns of her compatriots. However, Edna destroys the picture despite some consolation from Robert. No sooner had she made the unsettling picture of the Madame Ratignolle than Edna is hit by the many series of her forms of awakenings. With this, the realization the relations that surround her are progressively made more prominent (Chopin 191). The incidence of the painting with Madame Ratignolle teaches her a lot. She learns that even though her visions and way of seeing things are different from the others, it is paramount that she learns to express them. And this serves the second reason for her rebellion, to make herself understood as well as bring out her voice. However, as Chopin explains, the beginnings brought about by such types of awakening are vague, and as a result, Edna still had a very long way in a bid to make her voice be heard. However, it is chapter 7 that reveals much about the history that Edna has concerning her rebellious nature. The section explains the kind in which she would run out of the fields in the sole bid to escape the prayer services that she saw as being gloomy. The chapter also shows why she ended up marrying Leonce as her family had the violent opposition to her marrying a Catholic man. It is evident that she led a dual life all her life as her outward appearance mainly seemed to conform to what the society expects of her while the internal part of her always appear to be questioning the actions she undertakes. Before the life that Edna leads while in marriage, she had experienced various sexual, obsessions as we passionate encounters with some men that he could not have lasting relationships with them. She was always fixated on a writer who was dead as well as having the constant amount of persistence of the infatuation to these other men. Such made it seem like it was genuine love. However, such kind of perception, especially to a dead man, was in a way a perfect portrayal of the weakness that Edna suffered the pain as well of having an unfulfilled love. All these were some of the reasons that aggravated her need to express herself to the world. The story that needs to be told by Edna, as seen, is the story of the awakening that is seen in her body. Such is described by the author asthe animalism that has forever stirred impatiently within her (Chopin 293). Her body has been the one that has suffered more from the silence as it had never found a perfect place to express her desires openly. It is this, however, that he must rebel against, in a bid to set her body and soul free. She must be able to tell her story and be able to explain or narrate her desires to the people, who might sometimes take advantages of her silent and muted nature (McConnell 44). The incident that happens at the Grand Isle, very early in the novel, represents a foreshadowing of the move that will be taken by Edna. That when moving from the appreciation of the passive consumption and appreciation of the arts, towards the side in which it demands active participation, towards the authority as well as the expression of oneself. Such typically represents a move from the viewpoint that the art is taken as being ornamental or just being social to the people of the society. Work Cited Urgo, Joseph R.A Prologue to Rebellion: The Awakeningand the Habit of Self-Expression. The Southern Literary Journal, vol. 20, no. 1, 1987, pp. 22â€Å"32. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/20077844. Chopin, Kate. The Awakening. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2017. Print. McConnell, Mikaela. A Lost Sense of Self by Ignoring Other in The Awakening By Kate Chopin. The Explicator 72.1 (2014): 41-44. Web.