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The Medici Dynasty was important for Leonardo, as their commissions helped him build his career as an apprentice.
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The Medici Family ruled in Florence, Italy. Their commissions led to many cultural, technological and architectural developments.
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Leonardo grew up in Florence, Italy.
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Florence Cathedral at WikipediaLeonardo began his apprenticeship at age 14. Verroccio's involvement in completing the Duomo at Santa Maria del Fiore exposed Leonardo to Brunalleschi's machines, designs and drawings which influenced him greatly. The role was also professionally visual (Misa 2011, p.3).
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Leonardo and Machavelli first met through service to Cesare Borgia. The two worked together on commissions such as a hydraulic-engineering scheme.
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Leonardo served as the court engineer from 1482 to 1499. His main duties included military technology, weapons, and defence development. He developed high-technology gunpowder weapons, cannons, and fortifications.
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Leonardo was also responsible to construct "court culture" as required by Sforza. For one particular wedding, he designed a heaven and earth theme equipt with costumes and moving stage platforms and settings (Misa 2011, p. 9).
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Leonardo recorded drawings of his "technological dreams" in his notebooks. These included inventions that he did not have the technological capabilities to build, such as a human flying machine (Misa 2011, p.7).
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Leonardo loses his appointment as court engineer when the French overthrew the Duke of Milan. He begins traveling all over Italy in search of defense comissions.
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"The Virgin and The Child" DrawingLeonardo returned to Florence in1500 and spent the year focused on art. This is due to not finding a defense commission.
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Leonardo began working for Borgia as a military engineer in 1502. It was during his commission that he met and collaborated with Machiavelli.
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He studied the human anatomy while experiencing a lul in military activity. Many drawings in his notebooks were devoted to various body parts and his theories about the body's relationship to geomety, geology, and the cosmos (Misa 2011, p. 11).
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Leonardo spent his last years from 1508 to 1513 serving the French King as a philosopher and designing courtly services and entertainments. This commission allowed him time to explore his theoretical interests.
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Leonardo died as a member of the royal vourt of France.
