El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-10-31
Da Yinci'e Work His Passion
II Great Painter Ever Loved, 1t Was
the Original Of His Mona Lisa" a
beautiful, Middle Aged Woman.
BY Madison c. Peters
EONARDO DA vINCI brings to .

= EONARDO DA VINCI brings to our
minds the Last Supper" and
Mona Lisa" and although it is as
painter and sculptor that he is best
known he also gained fame as engi-
neer. philosopher and scientist He was
the Legitimate son Of Piero Da Nincl,
a man Of much influence, and Caterinas
a peasant girl Da Vinci saw little Of
her after Leonard's birth and scarcely
anything is known Of her after life
The older Da N1ncl was married -FOUR
times and strange TO say. Leonard was
welcomed in his home and treated as
his other children Leonard never saw
his mother again until her last illness,
and in the zenith OF his fame, ne did
not forget her and was with her when
she died.
His birthplace was the little village
Of Ninci, near EmpOn, in Tuscany. The
year of his birth was 1852
At an early age Leonardo showed
that genius which distinguished him
throughout his life He was most
Drecocious student and his drawings
were so extraordinarily good that his
father took him to Florence. where he
became the pupil Of Andrea NerrochiO,
who seeing that Leonardo could paint
so much better than he, never touched
a brush again 1t is said that Leonardo
carried a sketch book fastened TO his
Eirdle so that he might sketch every
face that appealed TO him.
Pounds Milan Academy.
Dissatisfied with Florence. Leonardo /
in 1882 took up his abode in Milan. /
where he remained for 19 years, dur
ing which time he founded the Milan |
In 1895 lust four years after Column |
bus discovery Of america Leonard j
starded his immortal Last Supper"
which still hangs in the refectory Of /
the monastery Of Santa Maria dele 4
Of This raro HE Vr0wlr
has been under water for long periods i
1t time and has been restored so
many times that little remains Of the /
masterpiece as Leonardo painted it In /
1915 Francis ], was so impressed with
the picture that he wished TO take il
back TO France. but no one could /
guarantee the removal Of the great wall
picture without injury, so the project
was abandoned In 1896 when Napoleon !
entered italy, the refectory was used
as a stable
Leonardo returned to florence. where
he noticed many changes, for he was
now a man OF middle age, and had not
been in the city since early manhood
No Time For Women.
With life so filled with his expert
nents, inventions and art, Leonardo had
little time for the society Of women /
There is only one mentioned whom he l
may possibly have loved. and she was |
he subject Of his Mona Lisa Of which { ]
so Mlcn mas DeGu hI4LLtus par LlGu4dEAg 2
within the last few years when 1t was
stolen from the Louvre by an Italian
who thought IL should be in the land
II its birth.
The fair woman was the third wife
IF Francisco del GiacondO- Leonardo
was so impressed by the sweet express I
sion of his sitters face that he con- ,
SANITY had some one in attendance to
keep her amused, musicians, jugglers. {
esters and one biOgrapher hints thar [
Ehol these become monOtOnOus, Leon ;
lrdc was always ready TO make love TO
Ter. in which art he was probably very
proficient He was at that age most {
fascinating TO women, between 20 and 4
o. while Francisco had passed middle
ife.
Leonardo was undoubtedly loved BY ]
many women, for besides being one of a
he lions Of the day, he was hand :
ONE, eloquent Intelligent and a most I r
OUrteOus man Many people have ! n
cund resemblance 10 Mona Lisa in
ono Of his later paintings, so she was ! L
robably his Inspiration. 2
The painter died in 1915, in his 67th / O
ear and was buried under the flag e
tone Of the church Of St Florentine in { c
.mbOise- His devotion TO his art alone I Q
xplains his bachelorhood. He wouli Z
ralk across Milan 10 change a single h
int or the slightest detail in his Last ! q
upper. He often went TO work at d
ay bI eak and did not come down from o
he scsffoiding TO eat or drink until L
he light had left him. Besides his
eviction to painting and sculpture. he Z Il
Xceled IN architecture, engineering { Il
nd mechanics generally. botany. anat- L
my. mathematics and astronomy. He / Il
-as also poet and a splendid per 1t
ormer on the Tyre. Al