Because he came from a land where cultivation of the vine and the olive tree was—as it still is today—of fundamental importance, Leonardo designed a particular press for mechanizing the work of pressing olives. The machine is made up of a sturdy structure supporting simple mechanical elements including a pinion, a toothed wheel, and an endless screw.
The mechanisms are activated by means of a long, curved lever that is made to rotate around the clamp, being turned by a horse. The large toothed wheel drives the screw toward the bottom, where a pressing body is fixed. As it proceeds downward, it exerts pressure on the disks of vegetable fibers containing the olives. The oil thus obtained is then collected in the container positioned underneath.
Technical informations
Type of exhibit
Model
Collection
Material
Partially turned carved wood, stone, braided cotton rope
Measures
Width: 68.5 cm; Length: 115 cm; Depth: 45.5 cm.
Storage location
Relationship with the original work
Source: Leonardo da Vinci, Codex Atlanticus, f. 47 r
Inventory number
Record n. OA: 00000016
Location
Museo Leonardiano, Counts Guidi's castle, ground floor
Last update: 11 November 2025, 11:28