Transcript Leonardo da Vinci

Dear friends,
To let you know better our beautiful Italy, we have decided to
introduce you some of our wellknown pioneers.
LEONARDO DA VINCI
Italian artist, inventor, scientist,
painter, writer, engineer
Leonardo was born in Vinci near Florence on 15 April 1452.
When he was seventeen he became the apprentice of a painter in
Florence thanks to his ability.
Stayed in Florence unti
he was thirty where he
studied all the human
knowledge
as
an
autodidact; he knew
engineering, hydraulic
anatomy and the arts
he also studied Latin by
himself.
Da Vinci’s house
For many years Leonardo worked at the court of Ludovico Sforza in
Milan, where he painted some of his major works: “Lady with an
Ermine” and “The Last Supper”.
He was also at Rome
(where he renovated
the dock and made a
plane for drying up
the Pontine Marshes),
in Venice and in
France, where he
completed his most
famous picture,
“Monna Lisa”.
Da Vinci in his way of making searches and
projects was a forerunner of the scientific method
by Galilei and his artistic techniques anticipated the
style of artists like Caravaggio, one of the greater
painters of the Italian Renaissance. His
engineering studies made him design an airplane,
even if he couldn’t succeed in making him fly
because of the heavy material he could use and
through his optical studies he built the first
darkroom of the history. Between his projects also
there was a modern-like city with sewers,
waterworks and walkways and stairs that support
pedestrian movements. Leonardo was a fable
writer, too.
Personal information
Born
(1952-06-28)28 June
1952
Barletta, Puglia, Italy
Died
21 March 2013(2013-0321) (aged 60)
Rome, Italy
Height
Weight
1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
73 kg (160 lb)
Sport
Italy
Country
Athletics
Sport
100 m, 200 m
Event(s)
Fiat Iveco
Club
1988
Retired
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)
•100 m: 10.01 (1979,
NR)
•200 m: 19.72 (1979,
ER)
Mennea, who was born in
Barletta, started his long
international athletic career
in 1971, when he won the first
of his 14 Italian outdoor
titles in the 100/200. He
went on to win 2 indoor titles
at 60/400, along with 5
Mediterranean Games gold
medals in 100/200. He
competed at the European
Championships with a third
place in the 4 x 100 m relay.
He made his Olympic debut at
the 1972 Summer Olympics in
Munich, where he made the
final of the 200 m, his
strongest event. He crossed
the line in third place. Three
more Olympic 200 metre
finals would follow later in his
career.
In 1979, Mennea placed first in the 100 metres and second in the 200 behind Allan Wellsof Great
Britain in the European Cup. Later in the year, he took part in the World University Games, which
were held on the high-altitude track of Mexico City. On 12 September 1979, he won the 200 metres
with a time of 1972. His time set a new world record, beating Tommie Smiths's time of 19.83 set on
the same track in the 1968 Summer Olympics. The record held for seventeen years before Michael
Jonson broke it at the 1996 U.S. Olympic Trials. As of 1 April 2013, only eight athletes have
recorded a better time over 200 metres than Mennea. His time stands as the current European
record. He also held the low-altitude world record, 19.96, from 1980 to 1983, set in his home town of
Barletta. On 17 August 1980, Mennea became the first sprinter to break 20 seconds for the 200
metres for the third time.
Entering the 1980 Summer
Olympics in Moscow , Mennea
was a favourite for the
Olympic gold, in part because
of the American boycott of the
event. In the 200 metre final,
Mennea faced reigning
champion Don Quarrie, and
100 metre champion Allan
Wells. Wells got out to a fast
start, but Mennea drew closer
on the straight, and pasted
him at the very end of the
race, winning the gold by 0.02
seconds. Later in the games,
he was the anchor man on the
Italian bronze medal winning 4
× 400 relay team. He also
competed in the 100 metres
during the games, reaching
the semi-finals.
On 24 May 2012, the Mayor of Durres, Vangjush Dako, bestowed upon Mennea the title
of honorary citizen of Durrës to Pietro Mennea.[Furthermore, President oF Albania Bamir
Topi awarded Pietro Mennea with the "Medal of Gratitude" with citation:
"For value and contribution as the former World record holder in
Athletics and major figure in the Foundation "Pietro Mennea",
created to help sport and research".
JULIUS CAESAR
Julius Caesar was one of the
most important Roman
general and statesman, he
played a key role in the rise
of the Roman Empire. Born
in 100 BC he started his
political career in 68 BC and
in the next years he became
the most influencing person
of the Roman Senate. He
had a very important role in
the events concerning the fall
of the Roman Republic.
At the time in Rome there was a
very critical situation, the
dictatorship of Sulla had just
ended. Caesar decided to
support the political faction
which helped poor people,
increasing the hate of the other
aristocrats. After a lucky military
campaign in the Gaul his power
quickly increased, for this
reason and because of
senators’ hate he was killed on
15 March 44 BC.
Vincenzo Camuccini, Julius
Caesar’s death, 1798
During his domination
Caesar gave a very
important contribute to
History. With his
campaign in Gaul he
extended Rome’s
territories, he reformed
the Roman calendar (the
month of July takes his
name from Caesar’s
second name), he
explored for the first
time England, giving
chance to his
successors to colonize
this isle, he gave the
senators a cause to start
a civil war in Italy, which
finally ended with the
formation of the Roman
Empire.
Lionel Noel Royer,
Vercingetorix deposes his
weapons in front of Caesar
winner, 1899
The pioneer of
humor in the
cinema
His real name is Antonio De Curtis and he was born in Naples on
15 February 1898.
In 1922, he moved to Rome to perform in bigger theatres. He
performed in the genre of avanspettacolo (“before show”), a
mixture of music, ballet and comedy preceding the main act. He
became adept at these shows and in the 1930s he had his own
company, with which he travelled across Italy.
In 1937, he appeared in his first movie “Fermo con le mani” many
of his films are still frequently broadcasted on Italian television.
Totò's inimitable figure, with his
peculiarly irregular face, and his unique
ability to disarticulate his body like a
marionette, soon became very popular
and his comic gags became part of the
Italian culture. His typical character is
uneducated, poor, vain, snobbish,
selfish, naive, opportunist, hedonist,
lascivious and generally immoral,
although fundamentally good-hearted.
He died on 15 April 1967 in Rome.
Totò was called the “The Prince of
the laugh”, in fact he is considered
one of the best performers in Italy.
He acted in more than 40 plays for
the theatre, and in 97 films like
protagonist.
He carried the laugh among
people and a lot of his
sentences are now
periphrasis used in the
common speeches.
There are a lot of comics,
but nobody can imitate or
beat him ! He is particular
for his sole interpretation
and way to be.