The Tears of Di Vinci By Eric Buechel

"The Tears of Di Vinci" By Eric Buechel

"The Tears of Di Vinci" framed with solid oak wood

When I began this painting, I focused intently on Leonardo's life and purpose, delving deep into the complexities of his character and the myriad of pursuits that defined him. In his later years, did he ever experience a sense of regret for not dedicating more time to his art, or was he ultimately content with the diverse achievements he amassed throughout his lifetime? As I immersed myself in his work and meticulously read numerous books about him, I found myself frequently pondering how he might have perceived his own legacy. Perhaps he was indifferent to the notion of regret, viewing his life through the lens of a polymath who embraced the vastness of human knowledge. However, if he did care about his artistic contributions, which I firmly believe he did, might he have reflected on his youth with a sense of longing, wishing he had devoted more of those formative years to the canvas/panel

and the brush?

We know that his contemporary, Michelangelo, dedicated every waking moment to his art, pouring his soul into each chisel mark and brushstroke. I'm sure da Vinci was acutely aware of this relentless dedication, and it is intriguing to consider how he reconciled his own multifaceted interests with the singular focus that characterized Michelangelo's approach. With this contemplation in mind, I set out to create a painting that reflects on Leonardo's final years in France, a period stretching from 1516 until his death in 1519. In this artwork, I sought to capture the essence of a man who, despite his extraordinary intellect and creativity, might have wrestled with the question of whether he regretted not producing more masterpieces during his lifetime.

To convey this internal struggle, I depicted a tearful Mona Lisa, her enigmatic smile tinged with sorrow, perhaps reflecting the artist's own feelings about the time he invested in engineering drawings, scientific studies, and the myriad of ideas that remained hidden within the closed books on a shelf, rather than being displayed prominently on a wall for the world to admire. While there was undoubtedly genius embedded within those hidden works, the natural order of things, both then and now, suggests that a painting—or a picture—is worth a thousand words. The God-given talent that resided in da Vinci's hands and mind—was it squandered on pursuits that, while intellectually stimulating, did not yield the visual masterpieces that could have immortalized his name in the annals of art history?

We may never know the full extent of his feelings regarding this dilemma, but it is undeniable that another of his paintings would surely have been a treasure, a testament to his unparalleled ability to capture the human experience. As I painted, I imagined the weight of his thoughts, the burden of unrealized potential, and the brilliance that could have been unleashed had he chosen a different path. Each stroke of my brush was an homage to the complexity of his legacy, a reflection on the balance between ambition and artistic fulfillment, and a tribute to the timeless question of what it means to leave one's mark on the world.

The Tears of Di Vinci

By Eric Buechel

In shadows deep where genius lay, a master’s heart in disarray, there existed a profound struggle within the soul of the artist. With brush in hand and canvas bare, he sought to capture beauty rare, to immortalize fleeting moments of grace that often eluded the grasp of mere mortals. The whispers of the ages past, echoing through the corridors of time, inspired him, filling his mind with visions of grandeur and poignant reflections. In every stroke, his soul amassed, pouring forth his innermost thoughts and feelings onto the canvas, creating a tapestry of color and emotion that transcended the ordinary. Yet burdens weighed upon his brow, heavy with the expectations of greatness and the relentless pursuit of perfection, a silent scream, a furrowed vow that he would not rest until his vision was realized.

Oh, tear of art, so bittersweet, in every line, his heart’s retreat was palpable. For in the light of brilliance shone, illuminating the beauty he created, there lay a darker truth he called his own, a truth steeped in the complexities of human experience. The Mona Lisa’s gaze, so sly and enigmatic, hides secrets deep beneath the sky, a reflection of the artist's own concealed struggles and aspirations. Her smile that dances, yet it weeps, tells a story of dreams unfulfilled, the artist keeps locked away within the confines of his heart, a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made in the name of art.

In twilight hours, when shadows blend and the world outside fades into obscurity, he pondered life, the means, the end, contemplating the very essence of existence and the role of the artist within it. With every masterpiece he wrought, he infused a piece of himself, forever sought by those who would come after him, yearning to understand the depths of his genius. So let the world in reverent homage stand, before the works of his skilled hand, recognizing not just the beauty before them but the struggle and passion that birthed it. For in the tears of Da Vinci’s plight lies the essence of art's pure light, a light that continues to inspire, provoke, and resonate through the ages, illuminating the path for future generations of artists who dare to dream and create.

Eric Buechel Fine Art

P. O. Box 277

Pleasant Hill, Tennessee 38578

931-881-7806

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