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Leonardo's full name at birth was simply Leonardo. As an illegitimate child, he was fortunate that his father, Ser Piero, acknowledged him and let him be known
by hammock 4y ago
Leonardo's full name at birth was simply Leonardo. As an illegitimate child, he was fortunate that his father, Ser Piero, acknowledged him and let him be known as Leonardo di ser Piero.
Leonardo was born in Anchiano, a tiny hamlet near the slightly-larger hamlet of Vinci. Ser Piero's family, however, were big fish in the little Vinci pond, and so tagged "da Vinci" ("of" or "from Vinci") after their names.
When he became an apprentice, in order to distinguish himself from other various Tuscan Leonardos in 15th-century Florence, and because he had his father's blessing to do so, Leonardo was known as "Leonardo da Vinci."
When he traveled beyond the Republic of Florence to Milan, he often referred to himself as "Leonardo the Florentine."
Eventually, Leonardo became very famous. He became so famous, in fact, that for the past 500 years he has had no need of a last name (as with "Cher" or "Madonna"), let alone any indication of his father's home town.
In art historic circles he is simply, as he started out in this world, Leonardo.
"Da Vinci" as in "The Da Vinci Code" is kind of cringeworthy for anyone who traffics in Leonardo.
- Karellen 4y ago> "Da Vinci" as in "The Da Vinci Code" I seem to recall him being referred to primarily as "da Vinci" in my childhood, long before that book was ever written. > for anyone who traffics in Leonardo. Interesting. That choice of phrasing makes "Leonardo" sound, to me, like a constructed shibboleth intended to gatekeep those who aren't "in the know". That's probably a slightly uncharitable take (sorry) but it was the first implication that just slapped me in the face. > In art historic circles he is simply, as he started out in this world, Leonardo. I wasn't aware that Ars Technica was aiming at the art historic circle crowd. ;-)
- hammock 4y agoNot trying to gatekeep. The fact is there are subcultures in which Leonardo da Vinci comes up in conversation far more than others. In those (particularly art history), Leonardo is most common
- subroutine 4y agoSocialites who "trafficked in Leonardo" back in the 90s likely pulled the reverse stunt (anyone in the know calls him Da Vinci) after a famous giant rat gave the name Leonardo to a mutant turtle ninja, as Leo was among the rats four favorite artists. TMNT was so popular in the 90s that if you said "I like Leonardo more than Michelangelo", and were not currently standing inside an art gallery, everyone would assume you were talking about Ninja Turtles. If you said "I like Da Vinci more than Michelangelo" people would understand you were saying I like the artist Leonardo Da Vinci more than the ninja turtle Michelangelo ;)
- stolen_biscuit 4y ago> "Da Vinci" as in "The Da Vinci Code" is kind of cringeworthy for anyone who traffics in Leonardo. "Traffics in Leonardo" might be the most pretentious thing I've ever seen written down in my entire life, especially when saying that referring to Leonardo Da Vinci as "Da Vinci" is somehow cringeworthy