Apr 5, 20236 min read

6 Artworks by Leonardo da Vinci reimagined with AI

Leonardo da Vinci is considered one of the most celebrated figures in Western history due to his vast range of skills and accomplishments across multiple fields, including art, science, engineering, and invention.

As an artist, da Vinci is renowned for his masterpieces such as the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, which are widely recognized for their technical mastery, emotional depth, and innovative use of perspective and composition. He is also known for his pioneering work in anatomical drawing, which was instrumental in advancing the understanding of human anatomy during his time.

This is an experiment with MidJourney to reimagine the artworks of Leonardo da Vinci.

Leonardo's Self Portrait - Portrait of a Man in Red Chalk

The Self Portrait - Portrait of a Man in Red Chalk created sometime around 1512. It is considered to be one of the most significant and revealing portraits of the artist, and it offers a rare glimpse into his physical appearance and personal life.

The portrait depicts an older Leonardo da Vinci with long hair and a beard, looking off to the side with a contemplative expression. The portrait is notable for its use of red chalk, a medium that was rarely used by Renaissance artists for portraits. It is believed that the drawing was created as a study for a larger painting that was never completed.

Reimaged with AI :

Last Supper

The Last Supper is a painting by Leonardo da Vinci created in the late 15th century, and it is one of the most famous and iconic artworks in Western history. The painting depicts the last supper of Jesus Christ with his disciples, as described in the Gospel of John.

The Last Supper is significant for a number of reasons. First and foremost, it is considered to be a masterpiece of Renaissance art, showcasing Leonardo's technical mastery and innovative use of perspective and composition.

In addition to its artistic significance, The Last Supper is also significant for its religious and historical content. The painting depicts a key moment in the Christian story, as Jesus announces to his disciples that one of them will betray him. This moment is significant because it marks the beginning of Jesus' final journey to the cross, and it foreshadows the events that will unfold in the days to come.

The painting is also notable for its depiction of the disciples, each of whom is shown with a distinct expression and posture, reflecting their individual personalities and reactions to Jesus' announcement. This attention to detail and psychological complexity was groundbreaking for its time, and it set a new standard for religious art.

Reimaged with AI :

Head of a Warrior

Head of a Warrior is a sketch by Leonardo da Vinci that is believed to have been created around 1470 when he was still a young artist. The sketch is a highly detailed portrait of a helmeted warrior, and it is notable for its technical skill, anatomical accuracy, and attention to detail.

The significance of Head of a Warrior lies in its importance as an early example of Leonardo's artistic development and his interest in the study of human anatomy. It is considered to be one of his most important early works and offers valuable insights into his artistic development and intellectual pursuits.

Reimaged with AI :

The Vitruvian Man

The Vitruvian Man is a drawing created by Leonardo da Vinci around 1490. The drawing depicts a nude male figure in two superimposed positions with his arms and legs apart and inscribed in a circle and square. The drawing is based on the writings of the ancient Roman architect Vitruvius, who believed that the proportions of the human body could be used to create harmonious and aesthetically pleasing architecture.

The significance of The Vitruvian Man lies in its representation of the ideal human form, as well as its connection to Leonardo's interest in human anatomy and his broader artistic and scientific pursuits. The drawing is notable for its intricate details and precise measurements, which reflect Leonardo's obsession with accuracy and his desire to understand the underlying principles of the natural world.

The Vitruvian Man is also significant for its enduring cultural significance and its status as an iconic image of Western art and culture. The image has been reproduced in countless forms and has been used to symbolize everything from the perfection of the human form to the universality of human experience.

Reimaged with AI :

Lady with an Ermine

From an artistic perspective, Lady with an Ermine is considered to be a masterpiece of Renaissance portraiture, with its intricate details, use of light and shadow, and the sense of psychological depth conveyed in the sitter's expression and posture.

From a historical perspective, Lady with an Ermine is significant as a reflection of the political and cultural context of Renaissance Italy. The painting was created during a time of great cultural and intellectual flourishing in Milan, and it reflects the courtly ideals and aristocratic values of the era.

In terms of the sitter's identity and character, Lady with an Ermine is notable for its portrayal of Cecilia Gallerani as an intelligent, independent woman with her own agency and interests. The ermine, which was a symbol of purity and chastity in Renaissance art, is held in a way that suggests a mutual sense of curiosity and engagement between the sitter and the animal, rather than a passive or submissive pose.

Reimaged with AI :

I just had to add this one, as it's the most famous painting in the world.

Mona Lisa

The Mona Lisa is a portrait painting created by Leonardo da Vinci in the early 16th century. It depicts a half-length figure of a seated woman, believed to be Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a Florentine merchant.

From an artistic perspective, the Mona Lisa is considered to be a masterpiece of Renaissance art, with its use of light, shadow, and perspective, as well as its sense of psychological depth and enigmatic expression. The painting demonstrates Leonardo's mastery of the medium of oil painting, as well as his ability to capture the subtleties of the human form and character.

From a cultural perspective, the Mona Lisa is significant as a reflection of the values, ideals, and interests of Renaissance Italy. The painting was created during a time of great intellectual and cultural flourishing in Florence, and it reflects the humanist ideals, interest in science and mathematics, and fascination with the natural world that were hallmarks of the era.

In addition to its artistic and cultural significance, the Mona Lisa is also notable for its enduring popularity and status as one of the world's most famous and iconic works of art. The painting has been the subject of countless reproductions, parodies, and adaptations, and it continues to captivate and inspire audiences around the world.

Takeaways from the experiment :

Impressed by the AI's understanding of human anatomy with The Vitruvian Man.
Large groups of human faces, like the Last Supper, lose emotion, thus the meaning of the picture.
Fingers,ears, noses are often oddly shaped in generative art.
AI Art is still to create nuances of human body language.
With AI art, the artist has control over the algorithm or model used to generate the art, but the specific details of the resulting artwork are often unpredictable and can be difficult to control.

Leonardo da Vinci's ability to capture the subtleties of the human form and character, as well as his use of light and shadow, set him apart from his contemporaries and established him as one of the greatest artists of all time.

He was constantly pushing the boundaries of what was possible in art, science, and technology, and he developed numerous inventions and innovations that were far ahead of their time.

From flying machines to hydraulic pumps to military weapons, his designs and inventions continue to inspire and influence engineers and inventors to this day. With help of AI we can unlock secret codes to understanding and creating our world.

I asked, CHAT GPT4 :

What would Leonardo Da Vinci think of AI ?

Given his interest in science and technology, it is likely that Leonardo would have been fascinated by the potential of AI to transform the way we live and work. He may have seen AI as a natural evolution of the human mind and a way to ehance our ability to understand and interact with the world around us.

At the same time, however, Leonardo was also a deeply humanistic thinker who believed in the value of human creativity and imagination. He may have been concerned about the potential of AI to replace human beings in certain areas of work or to diminish the importance of human ingenuity and creativity.