His foray into these fields was driven by his art. To create such detailed and realistic paintings he studied the natural world around him in great depth, recording his thoughts and findings in an extensive collection of over 7000 notebooks. His research was built upon careful observation, asking questions and taking notes, which bridged the gap between the unscientific methods of the medieval times and the way we approach science today.
Human anatomy was one of the topics he devoted the most time to. Artists, scientists and medics take for granted the ability to pull up an anatomical image from the internet or a textbook today, but in Da Vinci’s time this wasn’t possible. Instead, he was given permission to study it first-hand by dissecting human corpses at hospitals throughout Italy. This allowed him to better understand things like musculature, which was important for his paintings of the human form.
[Da Vinci’s] research [...] bridged the gap between the unscientific methods of the medieval times and the way we approach science today
To help create the Mona Lisa’s famous smile, he peeled the skin from cadavers and traced every muscle and nerve that moved the lips. However, he also made some amazing scientific observations throughout his research. He was the first person to draw the human appendix, lungs, mesentery, urinary tract and cervix. His detailed descriptions of the circulatory system were made centuries before they were included in any medical textbooks. In 2005, a UK heart surgeon called Francis Wells pioneered repair to damaged heart valves using information taken from one of Da Vinci’s notebooks. He said “Leonardo had a depth of appreciation of the anatomy and physiology of the body – its structure and function – that perhaps has been overlooked by some”.
Another aspect of his art that required scientific study was optics and light. The study of light is important to a working artist. The effect of light falling on a surface and the shadows it creates allows a three-dimensional appearance to be achieved in the two-dimensional medium of a painting. During Da Vinci’s time this was generally achieved by trial and error, however, he studied this in-depth using observation and experimentation instead. Through this, he realised that what the eye sees is subjective and heavily depends on the location and intensity of a light source.
Da Vinci’s studies forever changed the way in which light was perceived and used by artists in their paintings
These studies in light made him an expert in the artistic technique of chiaroscuro, which is the use of contrasting light and dark shades to create depth and structure in a painting. Extreme contrast between light and dark was unusual for paintings at the time, and Da Vinci’s studies forever changed the way in which light was perceived and used by artists in their paintings.
In addition to this, he imagined and sketched all kinds of inventions. Some of his more practical ideas included designs for mills, bridges, diving suits and war machines. On the less practical side, Da Vinci was fascinated by the idea of flight writing that "a man with wings large enough and duly connected might learn to overcome the resistance of the air". He recorded detailed studies of birds in flight, bat wings and many designs for a flying machine.
Da Vinci was fascinated by the idea of flight writing that "a man with wings large enough and duly connected might learn to overcome the resistance of the air"
Although the modern parachute wasn't created until 1783, it had already been thought up by Da Vinci in the 15th century. His design consisted of a pyramid of wooden poles draped in a sealed linen cloth, which he said would allow any man "to throw himself down from any great height without suffering injury". However, like many of his inventions, they were ahead of their time. The available materials and technology were not able to sustain his futuristic ideas and his creations remained as drawings on a page.
Leonardo Da Vinci’s huge collection of notes and sketches covered many different fields of scientific study. His discoveries and observations were ground-breaking and varied – covering topics from how fossils form to the movement of planets. One thing that unites his work is the use of an early scientific method: careful observation, repeated testing of the observation and detailed recordings of the subject matter. Everything he did was driven by his own curiosity and the goal of creating better art, and this is a real testament to how the fields of art and science can overlap and support one another.
