32: Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci
Part I: The Inner Life of Genius
At this moment, strewn across the world, there exist over 7,200 pages of Leonardo da Vinci’s notes. These pages are not only echoes of a distant past–embodying the inquisitive spirit of the Renaissance–according to scholars and historians, they represent the ‘greatest record of curiosity ever created’.
Join me for this special two part series, as we dive into the thoughts, artwork, and paradoxes of Leonardo da Vinci’s mind. A mind whose brilliance is exteriorized for us on the pages of these manuscripts.
The Death of Leonardo (by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, 1818)
The art historian, Giorgio Vasari, gives us the first and only known account of Leonardo da Vinci’s death. In his book, The Lives of the Most Excellent, Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, he writes:
“When Leonardo finally became old, he lay ill for many months; and seeing himself near death, he wished to be carefully informed about the Catholic faith and about the path of goodness and the holy Christian religion, and then, with much lamenting, having confessed and repented, he devoutly desired to take the most Holy Sacrament out of bed, even though he could not stand upon his feet and had to be supported by his friends and servants.
The King, who was in the habit of paying him frequent and affectionate visits, arrived, and, out of respect, Leonardo sat up in bed to tell him about his illness and its symptoms, declaring, all the same, how much he had offended God and the men of the world by not having worked at his art as he should have.
He was then seized by a paroxysm, the harbinger of death.
Because of this, the king arose and held his head to help him and to show him favor, so as to ease his pain,
and Leonardo’s most divine spirit, aware that he could receive no greater honor, expired in the arms of that king at the age of seventy-five.”
In a rare first edition of the same book, Vasari seems to contradict the deathbed conversion of Leonardo by writing: “Leonardo formed in his mind a doctrine so heretical that he depended no more on any religion, perhaps placing scientific knowledge higher than Christian faith.”
The Last Supper
“The truth is in the hands…”
In one page from the Codex Forster we find Leonardo visualizing the poses of The Last Supper:
“One who was drinking and left the cup in its place and turned his head towards the speaker. Another twists the fingers of his hands together and turns with stern brows to his companion.
Another with hands opened showing their palms raises his shoulders towards his ears and gapes in astonishment. Another speaks in the ear of his neighbor, and he who listens turns towards him and gives him his ear, holding a knife in one hand and in the other the bread half divided by this knife.
Another as he turns holding a knife in his hand overturns with this hand a glass over the table. Another rests his hands upon the table and stares. Another breathes heavily with open mouth.
Another leans forward to look at the speaker and shades his eyes with his hand. Another draws himself back behind the one who is leaning forward and watches the speaker between the wall and the one who is leaning.”
Leonardo da Vinci's Notebooks
After his death, Leonardo’s countless notes and illustrations, passed into the possession of his assistant and heir: Francesco Melzi.
After 500 years, these thousands of pages have been compiled into 12 codices, each arranged under a certain category or theme of inquiry.
Here is a brief list of resources online which you can use to explore these rare manuscripts yourself.
These museums and organizations have made flawless scanned copies of several codices in their collection available for online appreciation. Enjoy!
Codex Forster: Virginia & Albert Museum.
Codex Arundel: The British Library.
Codex Atlanticus: The Visual Agency.
Selected Leaves
PATREON
Become a patron of the show, and gain access to all the exclusive Creativity Tip episodes, as well as episode exclusives. Just click the button or head over to: https://www.patreon.com/mjdorian
Wanna buy me a coffee?
This show runs on Arabica beans. You can buy me my next cup or drop me a tip on the Creative Codex Venmo Page: https://venmo.com/code?user_id=3235189073379328069&created=1629912019.203193&printed=1
VENMO
