The mechanics of Leonardo

The theme to which the museum is dedicated—Leonardo as a technologist, scientist, and engineer—is introduced in the entrance hall of the Palazzina Uzielli through an immersive video projection.

“Force is nothing but a spiritual virtue, an invisible power, which is created and infused by accidental violence from sentient bodies into insentient ones, giving these bodies a semblance of life; a life capable of marvelous operations […]”

As these words from the Codex Atlanticus remind us, for Leonardo motion is the key element that gives both natural and artificial bodies a “semblance of life.” In the projection, some of the mechanical elements from Leonardo’s projects are brought to life with graphic and sound effects that evoke their movement.

Leonardo’s multifaceted activity finds its primary tool in drawing—as a means of investigation, reflection, invention, and design. No other contemporary of his achieved anything comparable. His machine drawings, so modern, relevant, and effective, still astonish and captivate to this day.