Naomi Watts, one of Hollywood’s greatest
Leonardo Da Vinci was a genius: wildly imaginative, passionately curious and creative across multiple disciplines—painting, architecture, aeronautics, and engineering. Yet oddly the word “genius” minimizes him by making it seem as if he were touched by lightning.His early biographer made this mistake: “Sometimes, in a supernatural fashion, a single person is gifted by heaven with beauty, grace, and talent in such abundance that seems that his every act is divine(天赐的)”. In fact, the self-taught Leonardo’s genius was shaped by his own will and ambition. It did not come from being the divine recipient, like Newton or Einstein.
Part of what made Leonardo a genius, what set him apart from people who are merely extraordinarily smart, was creativity. His talent for combining observation with fantasy allowed him to make unexpected leaps that related things seen to things unseen.
Leonardo was also a very human genius. He made mistakes. He left a trail of unfinished projects, flying machines that never flew, tanks that never rolled. “Tell me if ever I did a thing…Tell me if anything was ever made.”
His flawed humanity makes Leonardo more accessible. Even though we may never be able to match his talents, we can learn from him and try to be more like him. His life offers a wealth of lessons.
Seek knowledge for its own sake. Not all knowledge needs to be useful. Sometimes it should be pursued for pure pleasure. Leonardo did not need to know how heart valves work to paint the Mona Lisa, nor did he need to figure out how fossils got to the top of mountains to produce Virgin of the Rocks. By allowing himself to be driven by pure curiosity, he got to explore more horizons and see more connections.
Keep a childlike sense of wonder. At a certain point in life, most of us quit puzzling over everyday phenomena. We might savor the beauty of a blue sky, but we no longer bother to wonder why it is that color. Leonardo did.
Be curious, observe things, see things unseen, respect facts, be open to mystery...We can never learn enough from Leonardo.
1. What set Da Vinci apart from people who are merely extraordinarily smart?2. Why was Da Vinci regarded as a very human genius?
3. Please paraphrase the underlined sentence in Paragraph 1
4. Which quality of Da Vinci’s do you appreciate most? How can it benefit you in your life?(In about 40 words)