It pays to be an Early Bird: see below.
I am what the Italians call a mancino, a left-hander. The word also means dishonest or underhand, a reflection of an age when left-handedness was regarded with the greatest suspicion, and associated with the devil, heresy and witchcraft. Indeed, until comparatively recently, left-handed children were forced to use their right hands to write, to conform to contemporary mores. King Charles III’s grandfather, George VI’s stammer was blamed on his being made do so.
So it was with great delight that I read a recent story in the online DailyArt Magazine, which suggests some of the most famous artists, Michelangelo, Leonardo and Vincent van Gogh amongst them, could have been left-handed too.
Camilla di Laurentis writes: “The stigma of being left-handed, very present during the Middle Ages, remained alive throughout the Renaissance. Michelangelo Buonorotti (1475–1564) probably forced himself to learn to use his right hand when painting, but some sources report him as left-handed. One of the first biographies of the artist describes this detail.â€
A recent study of three paintings of Michelangelo later in his life show his left hand affected by degenerative arthritis. Camilla writes: “This is a disease that maybe accelerated by prolonged hammering and chiseling. We cannot be sure, but these images may effectively suggest the artist’s left-handedness.“
As for Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), it has long been suggested he was left-handed, not least because of his use of mirror handwriting, not just a ruse to disguise his discoveries but also a ‘comfortable habit.’ Camilla writes that anew hypothesis suggests that Leonardo was left-handed in writing and sketching, but used his right hand when painting. She adds: “This hypothesis seems to find confirmation in his later life and work. In fact, in older age, he suffered from a paresis [weak or impaired muscle movement; partial paralysis] in his right arm, and although his production continued to flourish, it was mainly composed of sketches and drawings rather than paintings.â€
Recent analyses of Vincent van Gogh’s later self-portraits also suggest he was left-handed. The one at the top of this blog shows his palette and brushes in his right hand, so we might assume that he was painting with his left hand.
Camilla’s investigations are not only confined to painters, but also to musicians, and she discusses whether Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven also had left-handed tendencies. Fascinating stuff, but I’ll leave you to read the whole article, by clicking here
But whether you are sinisterly left-handed or more conventionally dexterous, you will be more than welcome on one of our creative courses, in painting, creative writing, knitting and Italian language. You can find more details about all by clicking here.
If you book before the end of this year you can enjoy our Early Bird Discount of £75 (British Pounds) on any one of our.2023 creative courses.