The Genius That is Da Vinci & Michelangelo
Tammy Klapper-Sinclair
Art 101 Art Appreciation
Instructor: Todd Leisek
October 15, 2012

Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo Buonarroti were two of the most famous and talented artists of their time. Born only 20 years apart, their artistic styles and interpretation had a similar focus, much of which was thought of as a reflection of their tortured and troubled minds. Michelangelo was intrigued with the precision of the human form and sought perfection of such in his work. Leonardo da Vinci saw a strong, continuous connection between art and science, and many of his works were explanations and findings of many such experiments.
Michelangelo and da Vinci were both ground-breaking, pioneering artistic giants and innovators. Through their use of brilliant color, influential and powerful imagery, and their unusual ways of creating complexity in their work, they established themselves as two of the worlds’ greatest artistic geniuses. Although their artwork and forms were quite different, they shared many similar commonalties. For example, both da Vinci and Michelangelo attained much of their inspiration from passages in the bible. They were also both also extremely eccentric and seemingly tormented men who were also very misunderstood and underestimated during their time. It was also believed that both repressed their homosexuality. Both famous men have gone on to live eternally through their ageless and remarkably, breathtaking works of art (Austin, 2008).
Leonardo da Vinci’s study of anatomy what was led him to his refined talent as an artist. He was intrigued by the human body and its internal structure, and he strived to perfectly depict them in his artwork. Not legal at the time, he gained useful knowledge from the dissection of cadavers and risked life imprisonment or possibly death to study the body’s muscle structure and inner workings. The way da Vinci viewed the world was less mysterious and more fundamentally logical than most people believe, and the practical methods he engaged in were quite uncommon for his time. It is also intriguing to learn that da Vinci was not a prolific painter but more of a draftsman and retained drawings of meticulous detail of his discoveries (biography.com, 2012). It has been reported that he obtained and stored body parts for his further study, and it has been acknowledged that he recorded the first known anatomical study of a human fetus. Da Vinci’s eager interest in dissection ultimately led him to flee the Vatican to evade prosecution (Austin, 2008). Only as few as fifteen of his paintings survive today mostly due to his numerous experimentations with new methods as well as his constant procrastination (Wikipedia, 2010). However, it was his intense pursuit for the exactness of the human form that has led us to have some of the world’s finest pieces of art known.
Michelangelo considered himself a sculptor first, although he was talented and considered a genius in many media. The way in which Michelangelo depicted figures in his paintings was representative of his thoughtfulness and understanding of the extreme intricacy of the human form (Biography.com, 2012). However, despite this fact, Michelangelo was extremely careless about his own health leading an extremely harsh lifestyle and would often completely exhaust himself and eat and sleep little. He was known to be a perfectionist when it came to his work; however was not when it came to his appearance and many times wore dirty and rumpled clothes looking often unkempt (Gasque, 2006). He created endless drawings seeing an importance in the use of them as they related to his finished painting works. Michelangelo not only became skilled at the art of movement in his paintings, but he also used coloration and crisp lines to grab the awareness of the viewer.
Some of the differences in the work of the two talented artists would be to speak of how Michelangelo used vivid colorations and chiaroscuro, which is the modeling of volume by depicting shade and light by boldly contrasting them. He used this technique many times to create an image to completely overpower and overwhelm the senses of the viewer while using brilliant and vibrant colors in contrast. In contrast, known for his procrastination and tendency to leave projects unfinished, da Vinci seemed to use more mottled colorations which were subdued and hazily combined. He also mastered the use of sfumato, which is the technique used to create a feeling of depth and distance by using layers of translucent colors (biography.com, 2012). Michelangelo also seemed to incorporate a feeling of vibrancy and energy into his painting and sculpture works where da Vinci’s works were more muted with blending of colors for a more sense of mystery and interpretation rather than the clear, precise outlines which Michelangelo used. da Vinci’s The Virgin and Child with St. Anne
In Leonardo’s painting Virgin and Child with St. Anne, the portrait picks up the theme of figures in landscape which has been described as “breathtakingly beautiful” (Wasserman, 1975). It is believed this painting was originally commissioned for Louis XII of France to celebrate the birth of his only daughter, but he worked too long on it, and being unfinished, it was never delivered (Laborie, 2005). In this religious scene, Mary is seated on her mother Saint Anne’s lap, and she is leaning forward seemingly to pick up or put down the Christ Child as he plays with a lamb, which has been described as a portrayal of his imminent sacrifice (Wikipedia, 2010). The painting depicts three generations with the two women doting on the tiny child while showing the union of mother and daughter as well. In this painting, the Virgin Mary is shown clearly making a connection with her own mother while trying to restrain or interact with her child, while her child is playing with a lamb. St. Anne is clearly the bigger of the two woman showing possibly her authority or superiority but letting her daughter care for her son, St. Mary’s grandson, while he is playing with the lamb possibly too roughly Mary might think.
This painting has a very mysterious setting and chiaroscuro lighting with straight and swirling lines which brings a sense of naturalness, although dark, to the picture. Depicting a very earthly, mountainous background, the painting conveys a distinctively moody perception with shiny, blue highlights which has been thought to suggest Leonardo’s interest atmospheric and geological occurrences (Laborie, 2005). Using his trademark painting effects, Leonardo combines the arrangement by bringing together the landscape and forms in a momentary and graceful blur which shows their subtle yet expressive faces with noticeable tenderness. With the Virgin Mary’s face occupying the very center of the painting and Saint Anne’s seemingly mysterious and all-knowing presence, this painting shows a strong family bond.
Michelangelo’s Doni Tondo
In Doni Tondo, Michelangelo was believed to be commissioned by Agnolo Doni to celebrate his marriage to Maddalena Storzzi. The painting is in the form of a “tondo” (a round frame) which was often used during the Renaissance to encompass domestic scenes. The painting shows Mary, Saint Joseph, and the child Jesus along with John the Baptist in the forefront as well as five identified nude male in the background. Mary seems to be the main focus of the image and is sitting on a cushion on the ground between Saint Joseph’s legs. The grass beneath her is a vibrant green and contrasts sharply to the ground surrounding her. Saint Joseph is shown above Mary holding the Christ Child on his knee with Mary looking up at him.
There is a horizontal line, almost like a shelf, that separates the Holy family from the nudes in the background, who do not look directly at the family. The association of bright coloring is similar to the use of color in many of the Sistine frescoes. The lines of the fabric are very crisp and sharp, and the skin of the figures is extremely smooth looking more like a sculptured piece than that of a painting. Michelangelo created a hazy effect in the background by applying the color in a particular way showing he was focusing more on the Holy Family rather than anything else (Wikipedia.org, 2012).
Similarities
It is thought that in Doni Tondo, Michelangelo was influenced by an early version of da Vinci’s Virgin and Child with Saint Anne. There are three main figures in each painting compressed into a small, symbolic area with a similar, equally proportioned arrangement being shown. They both also depict Mary’s graceful, outstretched arms reaching for her son. Both paintings also show a hilly or mountainous background; in one, the family is sitting on grass, and in the other they appear to be sitting on dirt or sand.
Differences
Some differences in these two paintings would be the noticeable colorations. In Doni Tondo, Michelangelo uses his bright, vibrant colorations while da Vinci’s use of blotchy, dull colors is evident. Also, Michelangelo incorporates other figures into his painting, the unknown nude men as well as John the Baptist. Leonardo da Vinci shows only the three figures by themselves.
- da Vinci’s Madonna of the Rocks
In da Vinci’s Madonna of the Rocks (also referred to as Virgin of the Rocks), he depicts two woman with two small children in what appears to be a stone cave or cavern. In this painting he creates a feel of depth in the mountains by using sfumato, which is the use of several layers of translucent paint to create a sense of distance and depth (Veltman, 2008). Da Vinci also mimics the darkness and dampness of the cavernous atmosphere by integrating the use of dark and light colors with dark and dull greens and oranges used throughout also adding to the depth in the scene. The main focus of the painting would seemingly be the woman and children; however, the eye is not only drawn to them, but the entire scene. The image seems to create more a sense of mystery than it does obscure feelings, however, which shows how da Vinci mastered the importance of configuration and depth. This is also the first time that da Vinci did not paint any halos (smarthistory.com, (2005-current). By giving the figures in the painting elegance and beauty, especially the way in which Mary seems to move, he signifies mysticism and spirituality rather than just an ordinary scene, which was typical of paintings during the High Renaissance. The four figures, Mary, Jesus, the infant Saint John the Baptist, and an angel show each figure gesturing with their hands in one way or another. The two children are shown as John the Baptist clasps his hands in prayer with the Christ Child seemingly blessing him. Mary has her arm around John with her other hand protectively hovering over Jesus’ head. The scene shows them on the rocky ground with unusual landscape and river formations which seem to surround the entire scene and was thought of as highly innovative of the period (Laborie, 2005). This painting is over six feet high and painted in oils on a wooden panel.
Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam
In the Creation of Adam, which is one of the many, and one of the more familiar scenes portrayed on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo portrays the creation narrative from the Book of Genesis where God is giving Adam life. He shows God’s outstretched hand to a soulless Adam to breathe life into his body (Austin, 2008). The focus of this image is the outstretched hand of God reaching toward Adam where God is shown as an old, white-bearded man wrapped in a cloth. Adam is shown as nude with his left arm outstretched and resting on his knee. Adam is portrayed as weak and listless trying to outstretch his arm to touch God’s finger. God’s presence seems to be strong and forceful, and he seems to be forcefully moving through the heavens with angels surrounding him. Adam’s strong, muscular body seems to resonate the idea that God creates man in the image of himself (Annenberg Lerner, 2011). There have been several ideas surrounding the identity of the figures surrounding God and has been suggested that the person protected by God’s left arm might be Eve since she is gazing toward Adam.
Combining his study of ancient sculpture with his knowledge of human anatomy and imaginative power, Michelangelo painted these figures rather robust and animated with a lot of dynamic energy. The bold and colorful paintings on the Sistine ceiling is reflective of Michelangelo’s belief that the body should be looked at as a reflection of the divine beauty of the human soul and celebrated (Annenberg Lerner, 2011).
Similarities
One of the similarities that are most noticeable is the outstretched arms of both Adam and God in Creation of Adam and of the Virgin Mary’s in Madonna of the Rocks. Both scenes also have a sense and strong feelings of need as you look at the gestures of God, Adam, Mary and the angel. Both paintings show a sense of powerful protectiveness and hopefulness as well; the power of God and the hopefulness of Adam as they reach toward each other as well as the powerful protectiveness of Mary as she instinctually put her arms out to protect Saint John and her hand over the top of Jesus’ head. The angel as well is using her pointed hand as a gesture similar to Adam.
Differences
As with most of the comparisons of da Vinci’s and Michelangelo’s paintings, the main difference immediately identifiable would be the distinct differences between da Vinci’s dull and muted colors and Michelangelo’s vibrant and magnificent colors. Another difference would be scenery; God and Adam are in the bright Heavens, and Mary, Jesus, St. John the Baptist and the angel are in what seems to be a dark cavern. While the Heavens are full of light where God and Adam are and the cave is full of the feeling of darkness and dampness, the feelings of light-heartedness is abundant. da Vinci’s Last Supper Leonardo da Vinci was commissioned to create Last Supper for the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy. This scene is a powerful portrayal of the final gathering of Jesus Christ and his disciples sharing a meal showing the moments immediately after Jesus announces that one of them will betray him prior to sunrise. This painting shows the visible responses and reaction of the twelve disciples in varying levels of shock and anger. These reactions are quite precise to each apostle and expressed what da Vinci referred to as "motions of the mind" (Bambach, 2002). Leonardo seems to create a sense of order in the scene, despite the intense reaction to his words. Christ is at the center of the painting, outlined by an opening in the background, and his head is also the point in which all lines of the setting seem to come together and disappear. The scene has been painted prior to da Vinci’s interpretation, however, in this version, it was the first to show Christ and his disciples portrayed as people with true emotion (Esakk, 2012). To create depth to the painting, da Vinci uses a linear prospective so as not to create an otherwise crowded and flat piece. However, rather than using the dependable technique of fresco on wet plaster, which was the preferred method of fresco painting, he used tempera over a base coat which was mainly dry gesso. While this resulted in the painting being of a more diverse palette, which is what Leonardo was going for, it resulted in a coating which was not durable and subject to flaking and molding quite easily (Esaak, 2012). Even though this was an unfortunate turn of events for the famous artist, it still remains one of the foremost recognizable paintings ever created.
Michelangelo’s Last Judgment
Michelangelo was asked by Pope Clement VII to paint the wall behind the altar with a fresco of the Last Judgment, which was about 25 years after his work on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Times were beginning to change; Protestant Reformation was under way, and the Church was starting to turn its back on the Humanism of the High Renaissance, and it was believed that Michelangelo wanted to represent these historical elements in his representation of the Second Coming of Christ (Smarthistory.com, 2005). In this painting, those who are blessed are separated from those who are damned, gathered on either side of Christ. Those who were sinners were being pulled down to hell are shown on Christ’s left, and those who were the blessed ones were shown on his right rising up from their graves floating up to heaven. The painting is crowed with Saints and Old Testament figures being judged by Christ with his decision of bringing those who were not sinners to Heaven. Michelangelo shows a lot of pain and violence here, and the harmony and beauty shown on the chapel ceiling seems non-existent. The sinners are shown with violence and chaos with tortured and deformed bodies trying to scratch and claw their way to Heaven. The blessed ones are being helped up to heaven by angels seemingly to portray and signify that one’s faith can overcome. Christ seems to pay most of his attention to the sinners with his hand out in an angry, blocking manner with Mary almost huddling beside him as if to say she can no longer help. Michelangelo has also portrayed himself in this painting as the skin of St. Bartholomew, and it is thought to be a representation of how Michelangelo himself viewed his own mortality and faith as well as his questioning of whether he would be accepted in Heaven or be damned to a life in Hell (Smarthistory.com, 2005).
Similarities
A strongly, noticeable similarity would be the emotion of both paintings. In da Vinci’s Last Supper he portrays the men in many stages of anger showing examples of different emotions which is evident on the faces of the Disciples and can be felt by the viewer. In Michelangelo’s’ Last Judgment, he shows an equally emotional portrayal of the day we are judged for our sins. Even on the faces of those rising to Heaven from the dead, it is not a serene and peaceful flowing of emotion, but seemingly confused and tormented.
Differences
Again, the noticeable colorations, which are distinctive of the artist’s patterns, are of the most formidable difference. The techniques used in Last Supper were of poor quality as well and did not hold up to time, and Michelangelo used no new techniques, but what he was used to and knew would work. Another difference would be the timing of the portrayal of Jesus Christ; the Last Supper was prior to his death and resurrection, and Last Judgment was after his death and resurrection.
How these artists influenced the art of the 16th century in Italy and Europe Renaissance humanism did not fully identify any commonly widespread separations between art and science, however, Leonardo’s study of engineering and science are just as inspiring and ground-breaking as any of his artwork. He was admired and well-respected for his technological inventiveness and creativity, and his findings and unorthodox studies were well documented in thousands of drawings and notes. He brought together his art and natural philosophy which were consistent throughout Leonardo’s life and travels, as he made constant interpretations of his surroundings and environment. In both the natural and his created world, Leonardo developed a systematic method to his drawings and in his approach to science. He led the way to the study and focus of the underlying physical and mechanical principles of new machinery instead of the elementary how and what (Veltman, 2008). Many of his unusual but significant findings in anatomy led to a focus on the perfection of the human form in his artwork. Michelangelo is considered one of the best-documented artists of the 16th century. In spite of his low opinion of the painting medium and himself, he created two of the most powerful painted fresco works in the history of Western art which can be seen almost as perfect today as when they were painted on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. He also initiated the Mannerist style of painting. Michelangelo was often surrounded by censorship with his controversial works, but he paved the way for many artists to follow.
Both Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo Buonarroti were uniquely different artists in their art style and perspectives and beliefs; however, both were extremely similar in the way they studied and portrayed the human body and what it represented and meant to them. Both men were seemingly introverted, troubled souls and rumors of homosexuality surrounded them both.
It may be that a troubled mind is a requirement for such personal connection with the artistic work of a genius.

References
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