Leonardo was the most universal genius of that age of geniuses, the Renaissance. As a limn of science lie towered above all contempo raries, and had his views been known and gen erally published, they must have revolutionized the science of his day. That they were not is perhaps due to the fact that his manuscripts were almost undecipherable, being written with the left hand, back-handed, and from right to left. With an almost inspired glance he divined the secrets of nature, making discoveries which it has been reserved for our own time to perfect. A consummate master of anatomy. he even divined the circulation of the blood and the action of the eye in vision. He made astounding observations in meteorology. knew the earth's annual motion and the effect of the moon upon the tides, fore shadowed the hypothesis of the elevation of con tinents, and discovered the nature of fossil shells. Ile originated the science of hydraulics. and prob ably invented the hydrometer; his scheme for the canalization of rivers is still of practical value. He also invented a large number of labor saving machines, very remarkable for his day.
In the art of painting he wielded the greatest influence. Ile was the pioneer of the High Renaissance, the first to achieve that complete mastery of form and technique which admitted of a new freedom of handling, a new truth to nature and life. He was the first to attain a sound and complete mastery of anatomy and to introduce color, in the higher sense, into Florentine painting. By the use of `sfumato'— a smoky, hazy quality—he achieved a remark able melting tone and blending of color; Ile was the first great master of light and shade, which he made witching and lovely. His drawings re veal the consummate draughtsman seeking rather after finesse than general effect; they may he found in the principal European collections, especially at Windsor. Among the principal are the beautiful head of Christ in the Ambrosiana (this attribution is disputed), the magnificent head of Leonardo in old age (Royal Library, Turin), and the large series of caricatures in which he displays a remarkable sense of humor.
Especially characteristic of Leonardo's art are his landscape backgrounds, into which he was among the first to introduce atmospheric perspec tive, that mysterious quality which heightens most admirably the effect of the picture. and the subtle mysterious smile, which Vasari has characterized as more than human. The influence which he wielded over Italian art was profound and wholesome. The chief masters of the High Renaissance in Florence—like Raphael, Andrea del Sarto,and Fra Bartolommeo—all learned from him; he completely transformed the school of Milan (see PAINTING, paragraph High Renais sanrc, Italy), and at Parma Correggio carried his art to its logical development.
BIBLIOGRAPHY. Leonardo's copious manuBibliography. Leonardo's copious manu- scripts, rich in drawings by his own hand, have been published. for the most part. in facsimile; those in the Paris libraries under the editorship of Ravaisson-Nollien (G vols., Paris, 1881-91): the Codex Atlanticus in the Ambrosiana 1895) ; and those in the Trivulzio Collection (ib., 1891 ). His celebrated Trattato della pittura, compiled from the manuscripts by some pupils, has been published many times (London, 1802; Ro'ne, 1890; Vienna, 1882). The best edition of his literary works is by .J. P. Richter (Lon don, 1883). with English translation. The first critical biography was by Amoretti (Milan, 1803). Uzzielli, intorno a Leonardo da Vinci (2d ed., Turin. 1896 et seq.). has best used the documentary evidence. The most extensively planned biography, that of Miiller-Walde (Mu nich. has remained unfinished. Others are by lloussaye (Paris, 1876), Rosenberg (Bielefeld, 1898), Mtintz (Paris, 1899; Eng. trans.. London, 1898). Volynsky (Saint Peters burg, 19110; trans. by Ileaton and Black, London, 1874). and Richter tilt., 1880). Of special im portanee for the critieism of his works are the researelies of Morelli (q.v.).