Leonardo da Vinci is universally recognized as one of the greatest geniuses in history. Painter, scientist, engineer and inventor, he left an unparalleled cultural and artistic legacy. But there are some aspects of his life that not everyone knows. Here are seven curiosities that might surprise you!
1. He was an illegitimate child
Leonardo was born on April 15, 1452 in Anchiano, near Vinci, in Tuscany. He was the illegitimate son of Ser Piero, a Florentine notary, and Caterina, a woman of humble origins. This status did not prevent him from receiving an excellent education and from establishing himself as an extraordinary talent.
2. He wrote backwards
One of the most fascinating aspects of Leonardo was his way of writing: he used a mirror script, that is, from right to left, readable only with the aid of a mirror. It is not known for sure whether it was a method to protect his ideas or simply a natural habit of being left-handed.
3. He was a vegetarian in an age of carnivores
Leonardo had a deep respect for animals and, according to some sources, avoided eating meat. He was also known to buy caged birds and then set them free. This compassionate side was in stark contrast to his interest in human and animal anatomy, which led him to dissect bodies to study their structure.
4. He painted very few works
Despite his fame as a painter, Leonardo completed only about twenty works, including the Mona Lisa , The Last Supper , and The Virgin of the Rocks . His perfectionism and interest in multiple disciplines often led him to begin works without finishing them.
5. He was a forerunner of aviation engineering
Leonardo was obsessed with the idea of flight and carefully studied the behavior of birds. In his notebooks he designed flying machines, including an ornithopter, an ancestor of the modern helicopter. Although none of his designs were realized during his lifetime, his intuitions proved to be incredibly advanced.
6. The mystery of his mirror writing
In addition to reverse writing, Leonardo also used codes and symbols to write down his ideas. Some historians believe it was a method to protect his discoveries from prying eyes, while others suggest it was simply a habit related to his laterality.
7. His body was never found
Leonardo died on May 2, 1519 in France, at the Château du Clos-Lucé. He was buried in the church of Saint-Florentin in Amboise, but during the French Revolution the church was destroyed and his remains were lost. Today a memorial tomb is located in the Château d'Amboise, but the true location of his remains remains a mystery.
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