War machines

In his notebooks, alongside drawings of powerful projectile weapons and systems designed to overcome obstacles during sieges, we find the development of new procedures for casting modular artillery, studies of multi-barrel guns, aiming and recoil-reduction systems, and even an innovative design for a steam-powered cannon.

In 1482 Leonardo left Florence for Milan. It was at the court of Ludovico il Moro that he showed a keen interest in war techniques and weaponry, focusing on researching solutions to enhance shooting accuracy, firepower, and the speed of loading firearms.

In his notebooks, alongside drawings of powerful projectile weapons and systems to overcome obstacles during sieges, we find the development of new procedures for casting modular artillery, studies of multi-barrel guns, aiming and recoil-control systems, and even the innovative design of a steam-powered cannon.

The war machines section, presenting Leonardo’s military inventions, bears witness to the transformation at the end of the 15th century of warfare techniques compared to the still medieval military tradition, in parallel with the evolution of fortification systems.