Monday, September 24, 2012

Sign Language in Renaissance Arts


Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519)painted this portrait,
Madonna of the Rocks,
in the honor of his deaf apprentices--
Ambrosio and Christoforo de Predis.
He was inspired by their sign language
and painted his initials, LDV. 
Find them!

 
 
 
In 1485, in his work,
Ghirlandaio included
four signs made by three men
(from right to left):
YOU,
WILL,
BE, and
GET.
 
 
 

Bulwer, 1649. 
Let's examine this picture
and discuss a sign
by the middle man,
and manuals 
by the man on the right,
if you can.



18 comments:

  1. This is very interesting. I would never have known that sign language was recognized by Leonardo Da Vinci.

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  2. I had to show my family, this is great, now they want to see more og his work and see if they can find all the signs.

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  3. I think it is amazing that they work ASL into artwork. ASL is an amazing art, and to incorporate it into paintings like these is just plain gorgeous.

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  4. i've seen these pictures many times and never realized they had signs. How did I not see that? they are beautiful.

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  5. Da Vinci had a reson for everything he painted down to the littlest things like this.....love it

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  6. I posted all these beautiful paintings on my facebook, to see if my family could find it. Only my aunt did. I am still in awe with that.

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  7. It's so funny how he put his initials in his painting Madonna of the Rocks, but it's so cool how he did it.

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  8. How fun that he put his initials in there somewhere!

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  9. What is the sign that the man in the third painting is doing?

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  10. I found that information to be fascinating! I always loved his work, now I have another reason to be impressed with his talents.

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  11. I found it very interesting that he painted his intials into the painting. That was such a touching jesture.

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  12. Its so crazy and amazing to me that I have seen these pictures many times before and had no idea, really never even thought about what the hands were doing or what it meant. It is quit fascinating and I find it intriguing as well. I always knew Leonardo da Vinci was amazing but now he is even more incredible to me for having ASL in his paintings! :]

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  13. I think the man on the right is making an "L" But I cant tell what the man in the middle is signing.

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  14. To incorporate signs into the artwork shows how beautiful the act of signing can be.

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  15. I love Renaissance era. I am wondering since art is so therapeutic and those who did not have the ability to hear or speak would be drawn to it for a sense of normality and relation to the general public.

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  16. This is really awesome! I would have never thought to look for sign language in pictures and art!

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  17. I think it is amazing and so cool how these painters have incorporated sign language to the paintings. Truly beautiful art!

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