Leonardo da Vinci - Polymath Who Contributed in Both Arts and Science

Science and arts are supposed to be the opposite dimensions in the recent times by a number of people. But, do you know that there were a number of people in history, who mastered in both dimensions at the same time? Today also, we can find some people who have more than one skill. Leonardo da Vinci was one such polymath in the history whose name is known for mastering both the fields at the same time.

He was one of the greatest painters of his period. His famous portrait Mona Lisa is popular across the globe even today also. This wonderful painting has gained the attention of masses, and a lot of new versions of this painting have been developed by the modern artists. Moreover, “The Baptism of Christ”, is his another famous portrait, which he made in association with Verrocchio – Leonardo’s master. Many other paintings of this great painter have gained popularity.

In the field of science and technology, he provided the studies on many of the subjects, which were not developed during his era. It will not be wrong to say that Leonardo was centuries forward from his own time. Geometry, mechanics, nature, flying machines, municipal construction, canals and architecture are some on the subjects on which he researched. On the other hand, he also beautifully combined the technology and arts. For instance, he made the portrait of flying machine centuries ago from the invention of airplane by Wright Brothers. Moreover, he was recognized as a sculptor and a musician also.

So, there is no doubt that Leonardo was a genius, who worked in different dimensions. This multidimensional personality was born in the renaissance age, when art, culture and science in Europe were flourished up to a great extent. New styles of painting, sculpture and renaissance clothing came in the limelight. On the other hand, scientific revolution had also begun. As a polymath, there is no doubt that Leonardo played a significant role in both arts and science.

Apart from his dynamic ability, he was a kind man, who loved humans as well as animals. His clear view was that one should be vegetarian and keep mercy on animals if meat is not necessary for health. Moreover, he was always ready to help others. We can take the instance of incidence in this regard. Once, a local peasant in simple renaissance dresses requested him to paint a shield for him.  Leonardo first made a painting of a demon spitting the fire. He sold the painting, made the profit and then decorated the shield with heart pierced by an arrow, and gave it to the peasant.

His ability and kindheartedness gave him so much fame that Francis I, king of Milan, took his head in his hands, when he (Leonardo) was on the deathbed. This great man left this world in the year 1547.

Henry VII and Foundation of Tudor Era in England

Tudor clan was one of the long-lasting dynasties in the history of England. The emperors of this dynasty were known for their positive and negative traits. The kingdom of this dynasty was founded in the late medieval era in Europe by Henry VII, which ended in renaissance age with Elizabeth I. The age of Henry was the era of elegance, and the famous cultural and artistic movement was going to occur. So, a lot of growth was witnessed in various trends of art during this period. Today also, the medieval costumes of this era have become part of the fashion world.

Henry VII was born on 28th January 1457 and was crowned on 22nd August 1485. He became the monarch after giving defeat to Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field. Henry was the last king of England who won the throne in the battlefield. There was a great upheaval in England after the Battle of the Roses. He successfully restored the stability and power of English monarchy.

Henry was born at Pembroke Castle in the west of Wales. The name of his father was Edmund Tudor who was the first Earl of Richmond. His mother Margaret Beaufort was Countess of Richmond and Derby. He father was died shortly before his birth. On the other hand, his mother was only 13 years old at the time of his birth. So, his paternal uncle, Jasper Tudor, Earl of Pembroke, was his formal guardian. Despite being a Welshman of Welsh royal lineage, his father was not so important for his claim to the English throne. His heritage was important from the side of his mother who was the descendent of Edward III. Because of the deaths of his Royal cousins, Henry got the claim of throne. He won the throne at the age of 27, although he was not trained.

The policy of Henry VII was to create peace and prosperity. He was not a military person, so he had no interest in regaining the French territories which were lost during periods of his predecessors. He was an economically competent emperor, and his most successful achievement was Magnus Intercursus, which means “greet agreement” in 1496 with Philip IV, Duke of Burgundy. After the successful kingdom of 24 years, he died on 21st April 1509, after nine years of the commencement of the renaissance era. This was the era of flamboyance, and the popular renaissance clothing, belongs to this era. After his death, his son Henry VIII was succeeded to throne.

The Tudor dynasty ruled England for a long duration of around 118 years. It commenced in 1485 with the enthronement of Henry VI and ended with the death of Elizabeth I in 1603. The reign of this dynasty is remembered today also in England. The successful foreign and economic policies and barbaric killings of innocent Protestants – both took place during the reign of this dynasty.

Peasant Women – Real Heroines of the Middle Ages

The medieval society has various classes such as royals, nobles, farmers, peasants and many others. Among them, the lives of the peasants were hardest, as they had to do the tough labors in the fields of others. Several other hard works were also assigned to these peasants, also known as serfs. Earning their livelihood was the major focus of lives of the serfs, so they had no scope of the artistic activities. The medieval costumes of these peasants used to have very simple and basic.

As a matter of the fact, the lives of peasant women were much harder than men. They had to help their husbands in their works, plus they had to manage the household works such as cooking the meal. The daily life of a woman in a peasant family would start at 3 A.M. First, she had to prepare breakfast in the morning for the family. In the day time, she had to go the fields with her husband for harvesting and other works of the farms. Moreover, she also had to make arrangements for the daily lunch and dinner.

Besides, it was also expected from women to take care of the small animal such as geese and chicken. Moreover, mending the clothes, weaving and spinning were also part of the life of the females. Collecting the berries and herbs was also under their responsibility. Moreover, they were also required to have knowledge of basic herbs for the nursing the family. Similar to most of the cultures, taking care of the children of the family was also the responsibility of the women.

Working hours in the summer days used to have longer as compared to the winter season. Most of the time of the women was spent in fields, household works and children, so they had very little leisure time. The medieval dresses of the women would be made up of wool, and the lifestyle used to be simple.

The abovementioned facts state that the role of peasant women was much important than men. They were in the center of households, and life for men was almost impossible for them. Therefore, it will not be wrong to say that females had much significant role in the uplift of the society in the medieval era.

Moreover, the role of women in the other sections of the society apart from peasants can also not be denied. Still, there was discrimination with women – it is really shocking.

Glance of Pirate Lifestyle in Arabian Nights

The treasure hunt of the pirate lifestyle is the subject of fascination among a large number of people across Europe and America. On the other hand, the funky clothing of the raiders also became a prominent allure. Pirate clothing, shirts, skirts, corsets and many other outfits for both men and women are the fashion-statements in the recent times. Besides, the glimpse of the raiders’ lifestyle can be witnessed in a number of films and video games.

As a matter of the surprise, you can witness this lifestyle in a number of conventional stories of distinct nations also. “Arabian Nights”, otherwise known as “One Thousand and One Nights”, can be taken as an example, which is the collection of stories of West and South Asia. These stories take us to the Islamic golden era, but we find a lot of fiction in the form of magic and supernatural events. These interesting tales comprise of voyages of some great fictional personalities. Quite obviously, the pirate lifestyle can also be witnessed occasionally in these tales. The characters in the Arabian Nights have to face the robbers across the sea occasionally. Especially in the modern versions of these tales, this lifestyle can be witnessed more vividly.

The story of Sinbad can be taken as an instance in this respect. Sinbad is a sailor who goes for the voyages, and he has to face different enemies. He himself is not raiders, but surprisingly he has been shown as a pirate in some of the modern version of stories. The famous animated film “Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas”, is a perfect instance in this respect. In the film, Sinbad is a sea rover and has a crew. But, he is not like typical rovers who loot the ships of wealthy people. He and his crew attempt to steal a magical and mystical book named “Book of Peace”. The pirate boots of Sinbad is also different from the typical raider’s costumes. The costume looks beautiful, but it unquestionably reflects the sea rovers’ lifestyle. In the traditional stories also, Sinbad is a sailor. We all know that the sailor-like attitude of the freebooters is one of the prominent things, which are liked by the people of today. So, the character of Sinbad can also be a subject of allure for them.

These stories provide the wonderful stuff for people with variant interests. The tales are interesting and will take you to another world.

Celebrating the Essence of Renaissance Through Renaissance Festivals

The renaissance festival is a once a year event that is celebrated in the memory of the period. People participate in this festival dressed in bright medieval clothing and they make merry by preparing delicious dishes and also take part in other fun activities. Since this festival is connected with thehistory you will witness many interesting facets of that era. However, stress is given on the fashion and dresses that was prevalent during that time.
During that period Elizabeth I was the Queen of England and hence the period is also known as the Elizabethan Period. It was she who popularized the costumes that are still a rage today. Therefore the festival is basically a celebration of her reign. The trend of celebrating this festival started towards the latter part of period and is still continuing till today. The renaissance period was preceded by the Dark Ages and people decided to hold this festival as a mark of celebration for emerging from that period. All about art and color and therefore you will find people putting on colorful medieval dresses during the event.
In those bygone days this festival used to have themes and activities for the enjoyment of the participants. Today there are contests and games for both grown-ups as well as children. There are contests and games like wordplay, singing and dancing, music, juggling and a lot of other fun activities.
Although Europeans celebrate this festival in a more subtle way giving stress on the educational and historical value of that period, it is the Americans who through their unique way make this festival a truly lively event. The Europeans by celebrating this festival try to delve into the rich history of the period when Queen Elizabeth I ruled over England. On the other hand the Americans try to portray the essence of that period by dressing up like the people of that era. So you will find gents sporting pirate shirts to experience how pirates of the past lived and felt. Similarly ladies dress up in different like princess dress, peasant dress etc.
Thousands of visitors attend this festival wearing medieval dresses. Some of the costumes are based on fantasy characters like pirates, Vikings etc. So you will find men and women dressed in costumes like pirate shirts along with matching accessories. There are shows, games, food and drink as well as other activities which used to be a part of the period. Art and handicraft items based on the theme of renaissance are put up for sale. Even Shakespearean plays are held on elaborate stages and performers enact performances based on characters from the past.
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