Studies of the cranium

2016

Sculture in ceroplastica rappresentanti il cranio.

Leonardo studied the bone structure of the cranium, drawing it with extreme care and precision. Inside the window, the wax models reproduce exactly the marvelous drawings Leonardo made, allowing us to appreciate the morphology of the cranium, both internally and externally.

In the cranium to the right, two small, crossed metal segments identify the exact point where Leonardo positions the so-called “common sense”. This is the point at which the emotions (sensorial impressions) deriving from all the senses were believed to converge. Here resides the “soul”, and here is the seat of judgment, assisted by imagination and memory.

In the cranium to the left, cut in half and separated, we see the frontal part where the ocular orbits and nasal cavity stand out. In particular, we can observe the structure of the bone tissue in the jaw and distinguish some teeth and their roots.