Painter

Leonardo da Vinci

Leonardo da Vinci was an Italian High Renaissance painter whose portraits, subtle shadows, and carefully studied figures transformed European painting.

Leonardo da Vinci quick facts

Leonardo studied anatomy, optics, gesture, and light to build softly modeled figures and atmospheric depth; he also experimented with dry-wall painting.

Leonardo da Vinci quick facts
Born	1452 · Vinci, Republic of Florence (now Italy)
Died	1519 · Amboise, France
Nationality	Italian
Movements	High Renaissance
Paint types	Oil Paint · Traditional Tempera
Painting surfaces	Wood · Plaster
Painting methods	Layered translucent paint, soft sfumato transitions, detailed preparatory drawing, and experimental tempera painting on dry plaster
Common subjects	Portraits, biblical stories, human expression, anatomy, rocky landscapes, and idealized figures
Notable works	Mona Lisa · The Virgin of the Rocks · The Last Supper
Mural distinction	The Last Supper uses tempera-based painting on dry prepared plaster (a secco), not traditional wet-plaster fresco.

Sources: National Gallery: The Virgin of the Rocks, oil on poplar, Museo del Cenacolo Vinciano: The Last Supper, dry-wall painting, UNESCO: Santa Maria delle Grazie and The Last Supper.

Paint types used

The National Gallery records The Virgin of the Rocks as oil on poplar. The Last Supper museum documents a tempera-based dry-wall method, rather than true fresco.

Oil Paint

Oil paint is a slow-drying art medium made with pigment and a drying-oil binder that allows extended working time, smooth blending, and layered application.

Traditional tempera is an artist paint made by combining pigment with an emulsion binder. Egg yolk is the best-known traditional binder, but the broader tempera category can include other emulsion recipes, so a museum record that says only “tempera” does not always identify the exact binder.

Surface types used

Leonardo painted panels on wood and applied his experimental Last Supper composition to prepared, dry plaster.

Wood

Wood is a natural, porous material with grain patterns and absorbency that vary by species and cut. Its surface may also contain knots, resin, or an existing finish.

Plaster

Plaster is a porous mineral wall and ceiling finish that may be based on gypsum, lime, or other binders. Fresh plaster contains significant moisture and can be highly absorbent until fully dry and appropriately sealed.