The Greatest Genius in our long human history
If I had to choose the greatest genius in human history, Leonardo da Vinci would be at the top of my list. He makes a great case and I am not the only one who thinks so! I recently visited his museum in Venice (https://g.co/kgs/PAAU2xu), that made me so intrigued that I dig deep into his life, spending time researching the legend. Here’s what I found!
Universal Genius: Leonardo da Vinci is universally considered a genius. Icon of the Renaissance, he brought a vision of the world that was romantic and poetic but at the same time rational and sometimes cynical.
Curious mind and sharp intellect: Da Vinci studied the laws of science and nature, drawing significant influence from them for his work as a painter, sculptor, architect, inventor, military engineer, scenographer, anatomist, philosopher and man of science.
Leonardo was self-taught: his mind was not limited by the elitist knowledge of Renaissance humanism but was formed through experimentation and the empirical observation of reality. It is for this reason that Leonardo can be considered the first modern scientist in history.
Painting: Leonardo Da Vinci was fascinated by colour, the thing that struck him most was the atmosphere and its effect on the colours of distant objects. One of the pictorial theories refined by Da Vinci is the aerial perspective technique, effect created by the overlapping of the various layers of the atmosphere as the human eye moves away from the subjects in the foreground.
Science: Leonardo's contribution to almost all scientific disciplines was significant: from the study of mathematics, physics, geometry to geology, astronomy and botany. According to Leonardo, a first truth is derived from direct experience with nature and the observation of phenomena, as the laws governing nature are expressed through mathematics.
Anatomy: An insatiable desire for knowledge led Leonardo to explore everything. Even the human body fascinated him, as a perfect machine and much more complicated than one made of gears. Leonardo wanted to understand what was inside, how it worked and what happened when it stopped once and for all by death. He was the first to represent the inside of the human body with a series of drawings; he invented anatomical illustration and a way of illustrating that is still used today by modern designers: the so-called "exploded view."
Inventions: During his lifetime, Leonardo invented many concepts, some of which were real prototypes. His notes contain numerous inventions in the military field, studies on the possibility of human flight, and even projects that come close to the bicycle and helicopter. Some of these projects you can see in his interactive museums like the one I visited.
Architecture: Leonardo's genius was also instrumental in engineering and architecture. Thanks to his personal friendship with Sienese architect Francesco di Giorgio Martini, Leonardo was able to significantly expand his engineering and architectural knowledge. Well known are his designs for both the dome of the Milan cathedral and stately buildings, for which he created hanging gardens and innovative interior solutions, in a quest to imagine an ideal city.
Ambidextrous Marvel: Leonardo could write forwards and backwards simultaneously, using mirror writing not just for secrecy but as a mental exercise.
Flight and Art: His studies of bird flight not only inspired flying machines but also influenced how he painted drapery, showing art imitating nature.
The Mona Lisa: The Mona Lisa's smile isn't just enigmatic—it's a neuroscience puzzle! Studies suggest the smile appears and disappears due to how our peripheral vision processes shadows. Da Vinci was playing mind games centuries before we understood why! Da Vinci's left-handedness might explain why Mona Lisa faces left, contrary to most portraits of the time. He painted himself into history, quite literally!
What to Watch or Read for More on Leonardo da Vinci:
YouTube:
Credit: Inspiration drawn from Thoughty2's video on Leonardo da Vinci. https://youtu.be/-6kQ51gGPVU?si=5O5firh8EZTZVqqw
Documentaries: "Decoding da Vinci" by NOVA, available on PBS
Books: "Leonardo da Vinci" by Walter Isaacson
What do you think? Who else would you consider a contender for the title of "greatest genius"?