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Photo: Leonardo’s Mona Lisa vs. Michelangelo’s David

Who was the greatest artist of the Renaissance, Leonardo da Vinci or Michelangelo Buonarroti? Jonathan Jones weighs in.

Here’s the simple visceral test. Go to the Louvre and check out the Mona Lisa (La Gioconda). Inevitably the room is full of Dan Brown devotees scrutinizing her famous smile; from where you stand she is still postcard-sized. You squeeze your way to the front for a closer look. Okay, very nice, but in the back of your head there’s a little voice saying, “That’s it?!” Being the most famous painting on earth raises expectations that are just about impossible to meet.

Then go to the Accademia in Florence, where the original David of Michelangelo stands. Inevitably the room is full of tourists scrutinizing his famous muscles, but from where you stand, he’s huge. Pictures and videos do not prepare you for just how massive he is, but at the same time, how light he seems. He’s alive! The voice in the back of your head says, “Holy crap the cosmos really loved this guy.” Despite being the most famous sculpture on earth, Michelangelo’s David surpasses expectations.

If the question were “Who is the greatest Renaissance man?” it would be Leonardo, no contest. His writing, drawing, scientific inquiry, feats of engineering, drafts of machines that haven’t been invented yet; centuries on, we’re still trying to catch up with Leonardo.