Leonardo Vinci (1452-1519) is considered the greatest polymath of the art and history of science. His inventions, works of art and studies, but also his mysterious life, deal with today science and literature.

The universal genius Leonardo da Vinci, epitome of the Renaissance man, was a painter, sculptor, architect, writer, theorist, naturalist, inventor and technician all in one. Although he had learned as an illegitimate child in the primary school barely read, write and count, he prevailed early thanks to his unique talent for training as a painter and sculptor in the workshop of Verrocchios, and soon tried to gain a position at one of the farms. Temporarily succeeded, for the Duke of Milan or for Cesare Borgia, to operate the Pope or the French King.

His life was filled with that humanistic view of humanity and universal knowledge and pressing urge, which was characteristic for its era. Constantly observing, registering, and analysing, he created alone as a scientist and engineer a huge factory. For example, he dealt with the geological information and the cloud formation, the flow of the water and the air, the bird's flight and apparatus, which should allow the flight of people.

His work as an artist is, however, less, but occupies the highest rank such as the "Last supper" and "Mona Lisa".

His artistic quest for compositions with moderate-quiet basic geometric shapes prepared the High Renaissance. His later approaches to regard the phenomenal world in their transformation by air and light, even have been expected on the Baroque painting.

(Rebirth). Designation of art from about 1350 until the 16th century.

A state of mind that developed in Florence in the late 14th century that was retrospectively classified as rebirth of the classical ideals of Greek and Roman antiquity. During the 15th and 16th centuries, the Renaissance spread first over Italy and then all over Western Europe and determined the entire artistic creation. Such brilliant artists as Donatello, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Dürer, Holbein, Cranach and Fouquet created their immortal works by following the humanistic premises and putting a human being in the center of all thinking.

Renaissance experienced its heyday in literature through dramatic works and poems of William Shakespeare.

At the end of the 16th century, Renaissance had to make way to the luxury of baroque before its ideas had their rebirth in the classicism of the 18th century.

A plastic work of sculptural art made of wood, stone, ivory, bronze or other metals.

While sculptures from wood, ivory or stone are made directly from the block of material, for bronze casting a working model is prepared at first. Usually it is made of clay or other easily shaped materials.

The prime time of sculpture after the Roman antiquity was the Renaissance. Impressionism gave a new impulse to the sculptural arts. Also the contemporary artists, such as Jorg Immendorf, Andora, and Markus Lupertz enriched the sculpture with outstanding works.

An alloy of copper with other metals (especially with tin) used since ancient times.

Bronze casting:

When casting bronze, artist usually applies the lost-wax technique which is dating back more than 5000 years. It's the best, but also the most complex method of producing sculptures.

Sculpture "The Book Reader" by Ernst Barlachs is shown here as an example:

First, the artist forms a model of his sculpture. It is embedded in a liquid silicone rubber composition. Once the material has solidified, the model is cut out. The liquid wax is poured in the negative mould. After cooling down, the wax casting is removed from the mould, provided with sprues and dipped into ceramic mass. The ceramic mass is hardened in a kiln, and the wax flows out (lost mould).

Now we finally have the negative form, into which the 1400 ° C hot molten bronze is poured. After the bronze had cooled down, the ceramic shell is broken off and the sculpture comes to light.

Now the sprues are removed, the surfaces are polished, patinated and numbered by the artist himself or, to his specifications, by a specialist. Thus, each casting becomes an original work

For lower-grade bronze castings, the sand casting method is often used which, however, does not achieve the results of more complex lost wax technique in terms of surface characteristics and quality.

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Sand casting

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