Leonardo Da Vinci Essays (1358 words) - Giftedness, Fiction

Leonardo Da Vinci Leonardo DA Vinci (1452-1519), Florentine artist, one of the great masters of high Renaissance, celebrated as a painter, sculptor, architect, engineer, and scientist. His profound love of knowledge and research was the keynote of both his scientific and artistic endeavors. His innovations in the field of painting influenced the course of Italian art for more than a century after his death, and his scientific studies, particularly in the fields of anatomy, optics, and hydraulics. He anticipated many of the developments of modern science. Leonardo was born in the small town of Vinci, in Tuscany, near Florence. He was the son of a wealthy Florentine notary and a peasant woman. In the mid- 1460s the family settled in Florence, where Leonardo was given the best education that Italy could offered. He rapidly advanced socially and intellectually. About 1466 he was the apprentice of Andrea del Verrocchio, the leading Florentine painter and sculptor of his day. In Verrocchio's workshop Leonardo was introduced to painting and sculpture in marble and bronze. In 1472 he was entered in the painters guild of Florence, and in 1476 he was still considered Verrocchios assistant. In 1478 Leonardo became an independent master. His first commission, to paint an altarpiece for the chapel of the plazzo vecchio, the Florentine town hall, was never executed. The period of Italian art in which Leonardo DA Vinci lived is called high Renaissance. In the course of the fifteenth century a long chain of early Renaissance artists, mainly of Florentine decent, had concentrated on a visual as well as theoretical conquest of nature. Their work formed the basis for a great idealistic style, which began to emerge from about 1490 onwards and was nearing its end at the time of Raphael?s death in 1520. It was given fullest expression during the decade 1500 to 1510, and the names of Leonardo, Michelangelou, Raphael, Bramante, Giorgone and Titian, round which legions of minor stars of considerable brilliance revolve, indicate its climax. Modern interpreters have excentially analyzed the truly classical qualities of this style which combine, like Greek art of the fifth and fourth centuries BC, a spiritual and formal dignity, harmony and equipoise never before or after equaled in the history of post-classical art. It is easier to describe this phenomenon t han to explained it. But while older writers regarded it mainly and too simply as a revival of the pagan art of antiquity, more recent studies have begun to throw light on the complexities of the style by investigating the intentions of its creators. In this essay I am going to focus on some aspects of Leonardo?s life in order to analyze the things that took him to invent and become one of the most famous artist in history. This was the period in history known as the Renaissance, when after hundreds of superstitions and slavery; finally appear the renovations of the study of the sciences. Europe had abandoned the dark ages and the feudal system was left behind. New schools were opened and the people were lefting the countryside in favor to the cities. For these changes was why the beautiful Florence City was full of artists and merchandisers. The Renaissance penetrated Verrochio?s work shop, were the painting and the sculpture were going hand by hand with the orfebry, the confection of delicated mechanical objects and musical instruments, and were all ready existent works were repaired. The elemental engineer was the basic part of an artist work. As an student of the work shop, Leonardo acquire this magnificent abilities with the paint art and the sculpture, familiarizaising with a wide range of tools like lifting, transporting and digging. Later on Leonardo would use this knowledge like a starting point for his numerous ideas and inventions. When he went to Milan that in that time was a city-state situated at the north of Florence, was being threatened by their enemies and Leonardo wanted to put in practice all his fantastic designs in benefit of the city. In a letter send to Francisco Sforza, Milan governor, Leonardo offered him his abilities to construct canons, catapults, war ships, digging tunnels under the enemy lines, grave drainages and methods for climbing castle brick walls. As well as for defending

Thirteen Rules of Basketball - James Naismith

Thirteen Rules of Basketball - James Naismith Basketball is an original American game invented by Dr. James Naismith in 1891. He designed it with rules of its own. These are the rules published in January 1892 in the school newspaper where he instituted the game. The rules set out a game that is a non-contact sport played indoors. They are familiar enough that those who enjoy basketball over 100 years later will recognize it as the same sport. While there are other, newer rules, these still form the heart of the game. Original 13 Rules of Basketball by James Naismith 1. The ball may be thrown in any direction with one or both hands.Current rule: This is still a current rule, except that now the team isnt allowed to pass it back over the midcourt line once they have taken it over that line. 2. The ball may be batted in any direction with one or both hands, but never with the fist.Current rule: This is still a current rule. 3. A player cannot run with the ball. The player must throw it from the spot on which he catches it, allowance to be made for a man running at good speed.Current rule: Players can dribble the ball with one hand as they run or pass, but they cant run with the ball when catching a pass. 4.  The ball must be held by the hands. The arms or body must not be used for holding it.Current rule: Still applies, it would be a traveling violation. 5.  No shouldering, holding, pushing, striking or tripping in any way of an opponent. The first infringement of this rule by any person shall count as a foul; the second shall disqualify him until the next goal is made or, if there was evident intent to injure the person, for the whole of the game. No substitution shall be allowed.Current rule: These actions are fouls and a player may be disqualified with five or six fouls or get an ejection or suspension with a flagrant foul. 6.  A foul is striking at the ball with the fist, violations of Rules 3 and 4 and such as described in Rule 5.Current rule: Still applies. 7.  If either side makes three consecutive fouls it shall count as a goal for the opponents (consecutive means without the opponents in the meantime making a foul).Current rule: Instead of an automatic goal, sufficient team fouls (five in a quarter for NBA play) now award bonus free throws attempts to the opposing team. 8.  A goal shall be made when the ball is thrown or batted from the grounds into the basket and stays there, providing those defending the goal do no touch or disturb the goal. If the ball rests on the edges, and the opponent moves the basket, it shall count as a goal.Current rule: In the original game, the basket was a basket and not a hoop with a net. This rule evolved into the goaltending and defense pass interference rules. Defenders cant touch the rim of the hoop once the ball has been shot. 9.  When the ball goes out of bounds, it shall be thrown into the field and played by the first person touching it. In case of dispute the umpire shall throw it straight into the field. The thrower-in is allowed five seconds. If he holds it longer, it shall go to the opponent. If any side persists in delaying the game, the umpire shall call a foul on them.Current rule: The ball is now thrown in by a player from the opposite team of the player who last touched it before it went out of bounds. The 5-second rule is still operative. 10. The umpire shall be the judge of the men and shall note the fouls and notify the referee when three consecutive fouls have been made. He shall have the power to disqualify men according to Rule 5.Current rule: In NBA basketball, there are three referees. 11.  The referee shall be the judge of the ball and shall decide when the ball is in play, in bounds, to which side it belongs, and shall keep the time. He shall decide when a goal has been made and keep account of the goals, with any other duties that are usually performed by a referee.Current rule: Timekeepers and scorekeepers now do some of these tasks, while the referee determines ball possession. 12. The time shall be two fifteen-minute halves, with five minutes rest between.Current rule: This varies by the level of play, such as high school and collegiate. In the NBA, there are four quarters, each 12 minutes long, with a 15-minute halftime break. 13. The side making the most goals in that time shall be declared the winner.  Current: The winner is now decided by points. In the NBA, five-minute overtime periods are played in case of a tie at the end of the fourth quarter, with the point total at the end determining the winner. If still tied, they play another overtime period. More: The History of Basketball and Dr. James Naismith