Work Like Leonardo da Vinci - Seven Principles to Help You Become an Outstanding Worker

Author: Gao Peng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-09-01
Features: Leonardo da Vinci created many immortal works in his lifetime, and his works were the gem of the European Renaissance. At the age of 20, under the guidance of his teacher, he made creations: He painted a kneeling angel in The Baptism of Christ, so skillfully that his mentor was greatly amazed, to the point where he vowed to lay down his brush forever and never paint again; his The Virgin of the Rocks merged landscape and figures seamlessly, creating a harmonious whole; The Last Supper made him famous across Europe, to the extent that two generations of French kings wanted to move the wall of the fresco back to their homeland; his Mona Lisa reached the pinnacle, captivating everyone with its enchantment. Perhaps many people would sigh that Leonardo was a born artist, but Leonardo himself did not think so: Like many painters, painting was just my profession, a means of livelihood in the early days. But when I was actually painting, I didn’t think that way—I just wanted to make it a valuable work of art, regardless of how much effort or energy it cost. As Leonardo once wrote in his notes. In Leonardo’s view, painting was his work, but when he was actually doing it, he treated it as an artwork to be completed. Of course, the result was an immortal work of art. Indeed, many of Leonardo’s creative inspirations were not his own ideas conceived in his studio but were commissioned by others for payment: The Last Supper was commissioned by the Pope, and Mona Lisa was a portrait commissioned by a banker for his wife. To put it bluntly, in terms of job nature, Leonardo was no different from those street painters who painted portraits for others. But in terms of work attitude, there was a world of difference: When creating The Last Supper, the Pope urged Leonardo many times, and each time Leonardo would say, “Haste makes waste—I will finish it well, don’t keep urging me.” For Leonardo, although he was paid to work for others, if the creation was subpar, it would be an insult to himself and a complete lack of responsibility for the work. If other painters had been in his place, it would have been a different story: “After all, you’ve paid me so much—why wouldn’t I want to finish it quickly?” This is the reason why Leonardo could become a great artist, while ordinary painters could only remain mere craftsmen! Among the masses, some work for a living, some for money, some for others’ recognition, and some for the value of the work itself! Of course, no matter what your purpose for working is, it is perfectly reasonable in principle. But for a working person, in addition to earning money, they should also take the time to think about the true value of their work. P2-3