Leonardo da Vinci's "Ginevra de' Benci".

Juxtaposed to the dark ages, is an age of light, an era of new discoveries and new ambitions. It is the age of the Renaissance: "this century, like a golden age, restored light to the liberal arts" (Cornell 188), as well as sciences and humanity. Leonardo da Vinci is the supreme example of a Renaissance genius; therefore, it is through the window of his art that we will discover the stylistic conventions and manifestations of this …

…McLanathan 32). Leonardo da Vinci represents the true essence of the Renaissance because in an era of light, he moved forward, while so many looked into the past for inspiration. In doing so, he created Ginevra de' Benci, a revolutionary painting in Italy, putting forth new ideals for women, new conventions in art, and new understandings amongst humanity. One piece at a time, he shaped the magnificent era of the High Renaissance, thus changing European history.