Leonardo Da Vinci Research and Analysis

Leonardo Da Vinci 

'Study of Hands' (c. 1474)

Metal point, ink

www.wikiart.org/en/leonardo-da-vinci/study-of-hands

Leonardo Da Vinci was born in April 1452 in Florence, Italy. Not a lot is known about Da Vinci's early life, but he spent the first few years of his life living with his mother, then he moved to the town of Vinci to live with his father in 1457. As a child Leonardo's education consisted of learning Latin, geometry and mathematics. Today he is still considered to be one of the greatest minds to have ever lived. He grew up to be a talented painter, sculptor, architect, musician, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist and writer. Leonardo played a large part in the Renaissance movement, painting some of the most famous pieces in the world: 'Mona Lisa', 'The Last Supper', 'Then Vitruvian Man' and 'Lady with an Ermine'. Da Vinci died on May 2, 1519. 

In Da Vinci's 'Study of Hands', you can see sketches of two hands in different positions. Da Vinci has used a metal point and ink to produce a study containing various uses of tones and lines, showing the intricacy of the sketch. 

Da Vinci has used construction lines to create marks that give the different techniques and a unique outlook. The lines have been drawn at various angles to give the hands a 3D effect, as it looks like they are reaching out of the page. 

A contrast of dark and light tones have been used here to juxtapose black and white within the piece. Lighter tones subtly graduate into darker tones creating a shadow effect as the use of light and dark creates the layering of many different densities creating a 3D effect. 

The use of this sort of tones creates a smoother texture on the hands, as the subtly graduated create soft changes in the light making the texture seen more smooth. The contrasts however with the lines on the arms, which are much sharper, creating a rougher, more expressive texture. 

This piece could relate to my work on hands because I could incorporate the contrast of soft textures and more harsh textures, perhaps the texture of the hands contrasting with the background.