Art and science play a significant role in the development of society. Even though they may explore different skills and techniques, these two knowledge areas enable people to express themselves, explore the world, search for innovation, and directly impact their social and historical contexts. 

Many personalities made history due to the impact caused by their artistic and scientific legacy, and, among them, Leonardo da Vinci is probably one of the most acknowledged and admired ones.

Da Vinci is the master responsible for masterpieces such as The Last Supper and the Monalisa, which stood the test of time and remained some of the most - if not the most - iconic artwork ever produced. 

Have you ever wondered why these masterpieces are so historically relevant? To understand it, it is essential to take a few steps back and take a more in-depth look at some aspects of da Vinci’s story and the world in which he lived.

Leonardo da Vinci and his contributions to art and society 

Leonardo da Vinci is considered one of the biggest genii of all time. He was a central figure during Renascence, a cultural, artistic, and scientific movement the revolutionized Europe in the transition from the Medieval to the Modern Times.

Born in Italy in 1452, da Vinci had a mind ahead of his time and produced a body of work that deeply impacted mathematics, engineering, architecture, human anatomy studies, and art. 

Perhaps the best way to grasp the contributions he has made to society’s development is to point out some major works from his legacy that have remarkably influenced some of his expertise areas.

Mona Lisa

Among da Vinci’s numerous major contributions to the arts, the Mona Lisa is undoubtedly the most popular one. It has been described as "the best known, the most visited, the most written about, the most sung about, the most parodied work of art in the world" - no wonder why it is one of the most valuable paintings as well.

Her facial expression and enigmatic smile are some of the traits that have contributed to the continuing fascination and study of the work that has been on permanent display at the Louvre Museum in Paris since 1797.

Vitruvian Man

For math and human anatomy studies, one of da Vinci’s most significant contributions has been The Vitruvian Man, drawn by him around 1490. The drawing, which is in pen and ink on paper, depicts a man in two superimposed positions with his arms and legs apart and inscribed in a circle and square. 

This revolutionary work is based on the correlations of ideal human proportions with geometry described by the ancient Roman architect Vitruvius in Book III of his treatise De architectura. Vitruvius described the human figure as being the principal source of proportion among the classical orders of architecture and determined that the ideal body should be eight heads high.

Flying Machines

During his lifetime, Leonardo was also valued as an engineer. In a letter to Ludovico il Moro, he wrote that he could create all sorts of machines both for the protection of a city and for a siege. 

Leonardo was fascinated by the phenomenon of flight for much of his life, producing many studies, including Codex on the Flight of Birds (c. 1505), as well as plans for several flying machines such as a flapping ornithopter and a machine with a helical rotor. 

Alike these masterpieces many other Leonard da Vinci’s creations impacted society and left marks for future generations. His body of work’s relevance and influence can be easily seen when tracing connections among his productions, that historical context’s milestones and the creations from other essential figures from that moment. 

One of the most accurate ways of tracing this type of parallels, visually and chronologically organizing elements and connecting them to previous or concomitant events, are timelines. 

Do you know how these tools work?

Timelines as tools of presentation and learning

Timelines are graphic representations that visually display a sequence of chronological events.

Even though this may be one of the most used tools in various contexts where it’s necessary to organize information clearly and efficiently, timelines are a branch of a millennial methodology known as Data Visualization.  

Data Visualization is an even broader concept that embraces a series of methodologies that rely on visual resources to ease data comprehension. 

The many Data Visualization resources have evolved with the scientific and technological advancements made throughout history. We’ve lately been seeing significant growth in the creation and development of newer business intelligence and data analysis software programs.

But besides the scientific, technological, and corporate segments, many other areas also benefit from the possibility of organizing, learning, and analyzing data from a clear perspective. 

Here is the purpose of Timelinefy, an online platform that enables people to tell their stories through the creation of interactive and user-friendly timelines.

Explore and create interactive timelines with Timelinefy 

Here on Timelinefy, you can create your own timelines about history, art, science, or any other topic of your interest.

Besides that, it’s also possible to explore content created and provided by great cultural institutions.

With our tools, it is easy to create interactive content connecting the facts distributed through the timelines and exploring many different aspects of the same story. 

You can also integrate your Spotify and Instagram accounts to the platform, which allows you to attach songs and playlists to the events or even create timelines with pictures from your own social media feed.

Registering to Timelinefy is easy and free. All you need to do is create an account or even register through a Facebook or Google existing one.

What is your first timeline going to be about?

Time to explore: here’s Leonardo da Vinci’s life timeline 

Well, now it’s time to explore Leonardo da Vinci’s timeline, available here.

Due to its modern and interactive design, you can travel through different sides to da Vinci’s journey: personal facts of life Leonardo , main paintings, drawings, codex, and lost work archives. 

You’ll also be able to see the exact order our genius produced masterpieces as Last Supper (started around 1495 - 1496), Salvator Mundi (1500) e Monalisa (1503 - 1506).

Following historical events that took place during his historical context is another exciting feature on this timeline. It will help you understand what was happening in the world as he worked on each of his creations.

Da Vinci was alive during significant milestones as Constantinople’s fall, the first printed edition of Dante’s Divine Comedy, and America and Brazil’s discoveries. 

Isn’t it fascinating visualizing so easily how his creations are chained to one another and to significant events of his times?

May this experience serve as inspiration for you to find creativity to tell your own stories! What is your first timeline going to be about?

Conclusion

Understanding the world’s history becomes a much simpler - and enjoyable - endeavor once we can look up to our heroes’ journeys and work as references. 

Exploring Leonardo da Vinci’s legacy allows us to reflect on the importance of looking to our present time with creative eyes and critical sense, trying to trace ourselves a journey of pioneering and innovation. 

Now it’s your time to register your ideas and stories for the generations to come! Let’s start building the future right now!