Posted on 12/26/2017 2:47:04 PM PST by SunkenCiv
An Oxford University researcher... an art historian at Britain's Oxford University has claimed that the full name of Leonardo da Vinci's mother was Caterina di Meo Lippi. Professor Martin Kemp said Caterina was a poor peasant, probably an orphan, living with her grandmother in a decrepit farmhouse about a mile from Vinci in the Italian Tuscan hills, The Times reported.
The name emerged from previously overlooked archives in Florence and Vinci, including property tax records, Mr Kemp said. Caterina's father disappeared when she was young, leaving her to be brought up by her grandmother.
In 1451, when Caterina was 15, she became pregnant by Ser Piero da Vinci, 25, a lawyer working in Florence, Mr Kemp said...
Ser Piero da Vinci was anyway due to get married, and Caterina was married off to Antonio di Piero Buti, a farmer.
Leonardo da Vinci was born on April 14, 1452, and brought up in the house of Ser Piero da Vinci's father. Mr Kemp said he believes Leonardo da Vinci was not born in Casa Natale in Anchiano, but in the house of his paternal grandfather in Vinci.
(Excerpt) Read more at ndtv.com ...
The most magical trip imaginable. If I’d ever been willing to cross an ocean by air or boat, it’s the trip I would have dreamed of taking.
It’s the Stapuft marshmallow woman.
And future generations will thank her.
Unfortunately, the Internet hasn’t completely caught up with the available data in church basements and city halls. Still a lot of field work and tromping through graveyards.
The technology might be available some day to remove the layers without damaging the picture. Probably a lot like a CT scan?
Well my mother was apparently descended from La Duchessa Spagna, from Lucca.
So that and a dollar will get me a cup of coffee.
I’m impressed! That has to be worth something. :)
I remember coming around a corner in the National Gallery and seeing Salvadore Dali's The Last Supperi. It was unlike any painting I had seen. It seemed to glow or be somehow be illuminated. How he did that - it was amazing.
We live in Spain so it is easy to catch a cheap flight from Malaga to many places in Europe. We flew in to Milan for about 30 Euros each way, then went to Florence, Pisa and the walled town of Lucca. Very nice. In September they will be starting direct flights to Naples, which is going to open up the entire Amalfi coast to us. Last time I was in that part of Italy they had an earthquake so Pompei was closed for about 10 years and we never got to see it. That’s a bucket list item for me.
are you donating the cup of coffee?
My son just finished his class on the history of the Roman Empire. He enjoyed it immensely. He said he would love to travel to Italy some day. He would be a fun person to have on a trip to Europe. Especially, while it is still fresh in his head.
I think that’s what has been done... great, now I’ve got some webbing to do...
Dali is (IMHO of course) the only great surrealist, probably the only worthwhile one, and of the various 20th century school painters, clearly the best. His countryman Picasso is easily the most overrated.
http://www.google.com/search?q=xray+of+leonardo+painting
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/3293799/X-ray-reveals-secret-of-Leonardos-Magi.html
Lol. Reminds me of my visit to Agrate. Right before beginning of the day, the locals (my coworkers) would line up in front of the coffee machine, which was in the basement, to get their dose of caffeine from the little paper cup of espresso. The line was out the door and down the hallway but it moved very efficiently.
At lunch, they probably thought that I was a weird American because I only grabbed sliced meat of all types from the deli while they mixed tomato sauce and poured it over their pasta.
Bergamo was absolutely beautiful. We caught the tram from the lower part of the city to the upper city. A cobble stone alleyway lined with premium shops opened up to a massive courtyard. We had dinner at the restaurant just off of the courtyard — I order the pizza. :)
Interesting. Thank you!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.