Why is Leonardo da Vinci considered mysterious?

Question

Why is he mysterious? Why would he keep hidden messages in his paintings like "The Last Supper", and most especially enigmatic "Mona Lisa"?

Answer 1

I've studied Leonardo da Vinci for a long time now and there are many reasons why this artist is considered mysterious. Whole essays and books have been written on the subject so if I can just give you a few pointers.

Most important of all though before we begin is to understand that there is a lot of hype around Leonardo and an equal amount of untruths and assumptions and as an art historian I will give you as unbiased an opinion as is possible. Moreover it will be free from the gossip and legend surrounding Leonardo, his works and his life.

Why is he mysterious?

1. His writing probably contributes to his mystery. He wrote in mirror script probably because he was left handed and due to a lack of formal education and tutoring his childhood habit was never rectified. In painting though he used both hands and could write in normal script too. He was afraid that others would discover his studieds and so in adulthood the mirror writing became a useful tool.

2.Many aspects of his life lack clear documentary evidence and clarity which adds to his mystery. Little is known about his probable homosexual activity and subsequent arrest and release and although his tomb is located in the Loire Valley, the body inside has never been properly identified as Leonardo, albiet for the assumption that a body found in the 19th century which had a large skull and a grave marker with some of the letters in da Vinci's name was the man himself.

3. There are uncertainties surrounding some of his artworks. Not many paintings have survived and there is still arguments surrounding his Virgin of the Rocks and Madonna of the Rocks. There is only one contract which exisits for both works and academics still debade whether he painted one and sold it (contra to his contract) then had to paint another quickly or if there was some other reasoning behind his actions. There is also the traditional debate over the Mona Lisa. Is she Lisa Gherardhini? Was she pregnant? Why didn't Leonardo hand over the commission to his patron? Why did he keep it and work on it until virtually the day he died?

4. There are modern myths which help to amplify the mysterious Leonardo. For example songs about the Mona Lisa, modern soundbites regarding the work, modern versions of the work and fiction novels such as The Da Vinci Code.

5. Normal Renaissance practices can be seen today as being mysterious. For example during Leonardo's time it was usual to place symbols within paintings as people then who couldn't read and write could understand them.Icons such as Jesus, Mary and the saints were also portrayed similarly by different artists and were given their own particular identifying symbols in order to give clarity to the tale being told within the painting. There were books available such as Cesare Ripa's Iconologia which was like a dictionary of symbols and was available to anyone who could afford the price of book and were educated enough to read.

I hope that this is of some help to you and once again I urge you not to be taken in by something that doesn't exist ie. conspiracy theories and a hidden agenda which simply is not a reality.

My answer may not be as interesting as some of the theories I see on here week in, week out but it is based on the evidence available and is reliable.

Answer 2

Leonardo da Vinci is not so much mysterious as are his works, and it's not just The Last Supper or the Mona Lisa that have kept people guessing about what this or that means.

Answer 3

He's only considered mysterious by modern people with active imaginations who give too much credit to the Da Vinci code and other claims of "secret messages" in his works. He is no more mysterious than any other famous person, who did certain things that aren't particularly easy to explain. And even if he did hide secret messages in his art, he wouldn't have been the only one. It was fashionable at the time.

Answer 4

I think the people who interpret Leonardo da Vinci just ASSUMED he's mysterious.
Maybe we shouldn't just read between the lines.
I mean, most paintings are interpreted by the one who sees it unless there is an interpretation ready below the painting right?
And people who sees something interpret it according to their own knowledge and wisdom.
People have different kinds of knowledge and wisdom due to different backgrounds.
The power of suggestion also helps alot in sparking curiosity and rumors, no?
Probably that's why people find him 'mysterious'.

Or maybe, I'm just wrong.

Good luck!!

Answer 5

His notebooks were written in "mirror writing"... this kept prying eyes from easily reading his notebooks...

that act alone lends a mystery to the man...

many of the inventions seem ordinary if not outdated today... BUT when you consider Leonardo's vision of the possibilities vs. his contemporaries you really have to admit he had an extraordinary vision of what could be made.

I have no doubt that he made contemporary references in his paintings... references that we cannot discern... whether there is some other type of "secret message" is yet to be discovered.

Answer 6

It's his mysterious paintings and his engineering ideas (wood tank as an example).

Answer 7

cuz up to now all we know about him is that he was a famous painter...
other than that his life is a mystery..

watch the movie the davinci code...
although messages on his paintings are not yet confirmed if its true or not..but..

Answer 8

Well that's all hearsay. Nobody knows for sure if he did put messages into his paintings or not.

Answer 9

there are alot of 'type' among people
he is only in the 'mysterious category' kind of people

Answer 10

He was a genius. If you were a genius you would hide the things you discovered like he did.