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2008, 達文西的天才發明

Leonardo da Vinci’s ingenious inventions

My first book in Chinese on Leonardo’s machines

In 2008, my book on Leonardo da Vinci’s machines, 達文西的天才發明 (Leonardo da Vinci’s Ingenious Inventions), was published in Chinese. This date is very significant in my professional career, because from that moment onwards, my research on Leonardo’s machines began to circulate within the Chinese publishing world, influencing publishers, exhibition organisers, popularisers and model makers.

In the years that followed, I discovered that many of my reconstructions, images and interpretations of Leonardo’s machines had been used in China in numerous exhibitions, publications, educational displays and even in the production of toys and educational models. On the one hand, I am proud that my work has contributed for so many years to the scientific and cultural dissemination of Leonardo da Vinci in China. On the other hand, I cannot ignore the fact that these works have often been copied, reproduced or used without my being contacted, without formal authorisation and without the proper payment of fees or royalties. But that is another story.

Here, however, I want to tell the story behind this important book – a story that does not begin in 2008, but much earlier.

It all began in 1999, whilst I was working on my thesis at the Politecnico di Milano, when I started reconstructing Leonardo da Vinci’s earliest machines in 3D. We were still in the early days of 3D computer graphics, and I was using tools that seem prehistoric today, such as 3D StudioMAX for DOS. My thesis involved the three-dimensional reconstruction of part of Milan’s Castello Sforzesco and envisaged, within it, an interactive exhibition dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci, featuring screens, multimedia content and virtual reality systems capable of bringing history to life in a new, more immersive and engaging way.

In the years that followed, my passion for Leonardo never wavered. I continued on my own to create three-dimensional models, studies and reconstructions of his machines, whilst also trying to persuade some clients of my former company, Studio DDM, to develop projects inspired by Leonardo da Vinci. For me, it was not merely a cultural or professional interest; it was a genuine obsession with study, research and experimentation.

During that period, I invested a great deal, including financially. I used my own money to buy the first large-format books and the first reproductions of Leonardo’s codices, resources that would later prove essential for studying his manuscripts directly. I still remember the day I used practically all the money I had in my bank account to buy the editions of the Codex Atlanticus and other large-format Leonardo manuscripts, published in monumental volumes. At the time, I also asked my former business partner and then friend for financial help, but he refused, as he wasn’t interested in the subject. My passion for Leonardo was entirely my own, and it had been with me for many years by then.

When I finally had those manuscripts in my hands, a whole new world opened up to me. It wasn’t just the few famous machines that everyone knew about and that were constantly on display in museums, books and exhibitions. There were hundreds of pages to study, interpret and reconstruct. There were designs, details, mechanisms and insights that no one had yet really explored systematically using 3D modelling tools.

At the time, I was certainly fascinated by the major exhibitions on Leonardo da Vinci and also by the famous Leonardo da Vinci National Museum of Science and Technology in Milan, where models of his machines were on display. However, I was beginning to realise something important: museums almost always displayed the same machines, the same subjects, and the same interpretations that had been repeated for decades. With the manuscripts I had bought with my own money and through my own work, I realised instead that Leonardo’s technical legacy was far vaster, more mysterious and richer than what was normally shown to the public.

Between 1999 and 2005, I therefore spent much of my time studying Leonardo da Vinci’s manuscripts, comparing the pages, interpreting them and reconstructing machines which, up until then, had never really been analysed directly from the codices using this method. This long period of study gave rise to my great publishing adventure on Leonardo: I began presenting my images, my 3D reconstructions, my models and my interpretations to various publishers, paving the way for books on Leonardo’s machines that would later be published in Italy and, subsequently, in China as well.

The 2008 Chinese book therefore represents much more than a simple foreign edition. For me, it is the tangible sign of my work’s arrival in the Chinese cultural sphere. It is the first moment in which my research into Leonardo’s machines—born of solitary work at the Politecnico, of manuscripts acquired through sacrifice, and of years of 3D modelling—begins to speak to a new audience, far from Italy, yet deeply interested in the genius of Leonardo da Vinci.

2003: the meeting with Paolo Galluzzi and Carlo Pedretti

One of the most significant encounters of my career in the study of Leonardo da Vinci took place in 2003.

My uncle, Michele Dota, then president of the Florence Association of Architects, was well aware of my passion for Leonardo. It was to him that I had asked whether he knew anyone in Florence who worked at the famous Museum of the History of Science, one of the world’s most important centres for the study of the scientific and technological history of the Renaissance.

By a stroke of luck, his wife happened to know Paolo Galluzzi, then director of the museum and a leading figure in Renaissance studies and the history of science. Thanks to my uncle Michele, I was thus able to secure an appointment that, for me at the time, seemed almost impossible: I was still young, unknown in academic circles, and had not yet published the books that would follow in the years to come.

I asked if I could present my research into 3D computer graphics on Leonardo da Vinci’s machines in person. I had already created several three-dimensional models on my own, some of which had never been published, based on my direct study of Leonardo’s manuscripts. Among these were reconstructions related to the Cavallo Sforza and a simulation of the casting of the great equestrian monument, a subject I was keen to explore and investigate further at the time.

The meeting took place on 2 June 2003. I still remember the setting perfectly: a beautiful room, somewhere between a private library and the director’s office, surrounded by antique books and seminal texts on the Renaissance. I was in the centre of Florence, in an extraordinary place; from the window you could see the Arno and catch a glimpse of the Uffizi. For anyone who loves studying Leonardo, the history of science and the Renaissance, it was an almost magical place.

To my great surprise, following the initial introduction by my uncle Michele, Paolo Galluzzi had also arranged a meeting with Carlo Pedretti, who was one of the world’s leading experts on Leonardo da Vinci. It was incredibly exciting for me: some of the books I owned and was studying bore his very signature. Also present at the meeting was Andrea Bernardoni, who was my age at the time, worked at the museum and specialised in Renaissance science and the history of science.

That meeting was wonderful, because I finally had the time and attention needed to present my research, my three-dimensional models and the method I was developing. There was no talk of money, no talk of contracts, no talk of the market. We spoke only of research, manuscripts, machines, Leonardo, technical interpretations and digital reconstructions. It was a pure, joyful, almost poetic moment, devoted entirely to knowledge.

That meeting marked the decisive start of my career in the world of Leonardo. Both Carlo Pedretti and Paolo Galluzzi recognised the value of my work and appreciated it so much that they encouraged me to consider writing a book featuring the new 3D reconstructions of Leonardo’s machines. The idea was to pitch it directly to Giunti, one of the world’s leading publishers of books on Leonardo da Vinci and, more generally, one of Italy’s most historic and prestigious publishing houses.

At that point, I gathered all the machines I had studied, prepared a list of the reconstructed subjects and began to organise the content of what would become my first major publishing project on Leonardo’s machines. My research, which had begun in solitude amidst computers, manuscripts and 3D modelling, was finally beginning to engage with scholars, museums and publishers of international standing.

Leonardo’s Machines: Secrets and Inventions in da Vinci’s Codices

Giunti Editions, 2005

In the two years following my meeting with Paolo Galluzzi and Carlo Pedretti, whilst I continued to work as normal at Studio DDM, I devoted much of my free time to studying Leonardo da Vinci’s manuscripts. I made particular use of the large-format editions of the codices that I had purchased at great financial sacrifice – truly monumental volumes that allowed me to examine the pages, the drawings and the technical details of Leonardo’s machines.

During that period, I came across numerous interesting projects. The main one, which Paolo Galluzzi himself had suggested I look into further, concerned Leonardo da Vinci’s famous automobile. It was a machine that had already been studied by leading engineers and scholars, but which still held many mysteries regarding its actual functioning. For me, it was an incredible and wonderful challenge: I had to start from existing studies, understand what had already been proposed before me, verify previous interpretations and seek new solutions.

Incredible but true, he managed to identify some new mechanisms and propose a more complete reconstruction. My 3D reconstruction, created in 2004, has become one of the most widely accepted interpretations of Leonardo’s car and still appears today, directly or indirectly, in countless museums, books and educational materials dedicated to the genius from Vinci. It was a new and innovative reconstruction, because I had identified technical solutions and drawings by Leonardo that helped to better understand how the machine worked, in particular the braking system and the interpretation of the pedals or mechanical controls.

It was an incredible project, but I didn’t want to limit myself to just the car. I wanted to demonstrate that within Leonardo’s codices there was a whole universe of machines still to be studied, interpreted and reconstructed. I therefore began to analyse numerous other subjects, some very famous, others almost forgotten or never correctly and fully reconstructed. Among these were the multiple bombard on the first page of the Codex Atlanticus, several war machines, the paddle boat, the swing bridge and many other inventions.

My method was always the same: I started with the manuscript, studied the original drawing, tried to understand its technical logic, produced interpretative drawings, and then reconstructed the machine using 3D computer graphics. In this way, I prepared a catalogue for the publisher Giunti featuring numerous machines, many of which were completely unpublished or, at any rate, had never been presented to the public with that new historical and three-dimensional interpretation.

I personally handled most of the subjects. Only a few secondary themes were entrusted to other collaborators at Studio DDM, but the main concept of the work, the cultural project, the structure and the method of reconstruction were mine. I have always been the principal creator of this work.

Following the book’s publication, I also received a very significant accolade. A French publisher came to Italy to make a documentary on Leonardo da Vinci and, having seen the book in its French edition, interviewed me. I was still very young and found myself being interviewed alongside two leading figures in Leonardo studies: Carlo Pedretti and Pietro C. Marani. For me, it was an extraordinary moment, because my work—born of passion, manuscripts and 3D computer graphics—was finally recognised alongside the great tradition of academic studies on Leonardo.

Il libro Le macchine di Leonardo. Segreti e invenzioni nei codici da Vinci, pubblicato da Giunti nel 2005, ebbe un successo enorme. Sinceramente, non lo realizzai per soldi. Lo feci per passione, per ricerca scientifica e per il desiderio di divulgare nuove immagini, nuove ricostruzioni e nuovi progetti legati a Leonardo da Vinci. Le royalties concordate all’epoca erano bassissime, ricordo circa l’1%, praticamente nulla rispetto al lavoro svolto. Ma in quel momento per me contavano soprattutto lo studio, la scoperta e la possibilità di far conoscere al pubblico un Leonardo diverso, più tecnico, più meccanico, più progettuale.

It was an international success. Within a few years, the book had been translated into countless languages, and today I can say, with pride, that almost every part of the world has had its own edition of that volume. At the same time, as the years went by and I gained further experience, I realised that some of my early interpretations were not entirely correct. This, however, is part and parcel of the research process. Knowledge evolves, errors are corrected, hypotheses are superseded. That is another story, one that would take centre stage twenty years later, with the new book on Leonardo’s machines, produced with far greater experience and a deeper historical and technical understanding.

That first book, however, remains fundamental. It not only gave me the joy of telling the story of Leonardo’s machines to an international audience, but it also became a real springboard for my career. Many subsequent projects, exhibitions and initiatives—first with Studio DDM and later with the company Leonardo3—came about precisely because people, museums, publishers and producers discovered that book and got in touch with me.

In those same years, I had in fact set up the Leonardo3 project. I had registered the domain and personally built the website for this new project, which aimed to offer a different perspective on research into Leonardo da Vinci. The “3” clearly referred to the third dimension, 3D, and the possibility of delving into Leonardo’s machines, codices and designs through new digital technologies. It was an idea that stemmed directly from my 1999 thesis at the Politecnico di Milano and which, thanks to the 2005 Giunti book, finally began to take shape as a publishing, museum and international initiative.

Machines and new reconstructions

The book Leonardo’s Machines: Secrets and Inventions in da Vinci’s Codices features many of my studies and three-dimensional models. Among the machines I studied personally and for which I produced the main reconstructions were:

Flying machines and studies on flight:
mechanisms for mechanical wings, flapping wings, aerial screws, flying machines, mechanical wings.

Military machinery:
ballista, machine gun, wall defence systems, scythe-mounted chariots, tank, catapult, multiple bombard, bombards in action, fortress.

Civil and mechanical engineering equipment:
mechanical saw, paddle steamer, swing bridge, reciprocating machine, trenching machine.

Theatrical machinery, instruments and devices:
Leonardo’s car, stage set for Orfeo, and a compound compass.

A few other simpler models were entrusted to other people or collaborators, but the main part of the research, interpretation and three-dimensional construction of the most important subjects was my responsibility.

I can proudly say that, during those years, I looked directly into Leonardo’s manuscripts for the sources to propose new solutions. For example, whilst studying the mechanisms for mechanical wings and the flapping wing, I realised for the first time that a famous drawing by Leonardo, traditionally interpreted almost as a kind of fan, could instead be read as a study of human force applied to movement. This interpretation led me to reconstruct a much more interesting and complex mechanism, seeking to understand how it actually worked.

I also offered a new interpretation of the famous aerial screw, often incorrectly referred to as ‘Leonardo’s helicopter’. The models previously displayed in exhibitions were almost always static and could not actually have functioned. I, on the other hand, sought to identify the mechanisms required to make the blade rotate, coming to the conclusion that, in order to be understood in functional terms, the machine had to be divided into two distinct mechanical parts.

I then studied Leonardo’s flying machines, attempting to interpret every single mechanism, every cable, every wire and every lever depicted in his drawings. I believe I produced one of the most faithful three-dimensional reconstructions of Leonardo’s flying machine ever presented up to that point, with images that, for the first time, showed not only the external form but also the movement of the components and the possible functioning of the structure.

I also worked on war machines: systems for defending city walls, scythe-wielding chariots, machine guns, catapults and other classic subjects from Leonardo’s tradition. Some of these machines were already known and had long been on display in museums, but my real discovery at that time was the reconstruction of the multiple bombard on the first folio of the Codex Atlanticus, with a central mechanism that, prior to my studies, had not been interpreted in that way. At the time, I also hypothesised that this bombarda might be connected to a naval structure. Many years later, I would realise that this interpretation was probably incorrect, but this too is part of the history of research, which advances through hypotheses, verifications, errors and new discoveries.

I then built a model of the mechanical saw, but above all I realised that the famous reciprocating machine, which Leonardo had drawn in exploded view, could be interpreted as the engine of a paddle steamer. For the first time, I therefore reconstructed this machine in its entirety and made it fully operational, linking the internal mechanism to its practical application. In the years that followed, this interpretation too would be taken up and replicated in many exhibitions dedicated to Leonardo.

I also studied the swing bridge and the large dredging crane, eventually arriving at Leonardo’s famous car. In this case, I presented a completely new reconstruction, with all the components shown in exploded view and visible from the inside. In my opinion, my interpretation surpassed many previous models, both from a historical and a technical perspective. Paolo Galluzzi himself recognised the value of some of the new solutions I had identified. I recall, for example, the interpretation of a central mechanism as a brake or as a triggering system to start the machine remotely. This opened up a completely new understanding of Leonardo’s car, not only as a mechanical machine, but also as a possible theatrical, automatic and scenographic device, extremely advanced for its time.

I then worked on the stage design for Orfeo and, finally, enjoyed reconstructing some of Leonardo’s instruments, such as the compound compasses – technical objects that are also very beautiful in terms of their design.

Other subjects in the book—the Claviviola, the dismantlable cannon and the file-making machine—were created by the book’s co-author, which is why I have excluded them from the list as I am not their creator. Domenico Laurenza provided the historical context through the introductory texts to the thematic chapters, but he did not work on the machines.

All these models, published in the book, travelled the world. To my great satisfaction, in the years that followed, I saw them recreated or reinterpreted in numerous international exhibitions dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci. I never earned much from this work, because many museums, publishers, craftsmen and entrepreneurs continued to use or copy my images, my interpretations and my designs without proper financial recognition. Even today, I still come across images and models derived from my 2004 work in publications, museums, books and exhibitions dedicated to Leonardo’s machines.

I have also tried to fight a battle over copyright, both moral and economic, but I have discovered that when significant financial interests are at stake, some people are prepared to support even false or historically inaccurate accounts just to protect their own interests. Fortunately, there are publication dates, books, documents and images that bear witness to my work, regardless of what others may say. But that is another story altogether, one that deserves to be told separately.

I do, however, recall a very important lesson from my professor at the Politecnico di Milano, Mario Arnaboldi. In one of his famous lectures, he explained to us that, for designers, seeing their work copied all over the world can also be a confirmation of its strength and quality. The more a design is replicated, the more it signifies that it has had an impact. Of course, this does not negate the issue of copyright and recognition of one’s work, but it also teaches a fundamental lesson: the true skill of the designer lies not merely in defending what they have created, but in continuing to create new things.

In this sense, Leonardo da Vinci remains the ultimate role model. The real answer is not to get bogged down in battles over the past, even when they are painful and unjust, but to keep studying, interpreting, designing and building. For this reason, despite the pain and sadness caused by the exploitation of many of my images and reconstructions, I have continued to work on Leonardo’s machines, always seeking new solutions and new discoveries.

The main reason why my models were copied so extensively is clear: in that book, for the first time, I had produced three-dimensional images with exploded views, cross-sections and internal details. One could see not only the external appearance of the machine, but also its structure, components, mechanisms and how it might function. This made it much easier for a craftsman or builder to copy and reconstruct the machines.

I call them ‘my machines’ not because they are my own inventions rather than Leonardo’s, but because the interpretations, the three-dimensional solutions, the technical hypotheses, the construction details and, in some cases, even the adaptations needed to make a design that remained incomplete or ambiguous in the manuscripts work are my own. Precisely for this reason, even today I am often able to distinguish my reconstructions from others: those who have copied them have, in many cases, also copied my mistakes, my technical details and my interpretative choices, without really going back to study Leonardo da Vinci in the original manuscripts.

I can therefore say with great pride that those reconstructions, born of my work of study, drawing and 3D modelling, have conquered the world. They have found their way, directly or indirectly, into countless museums and exhibitions dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci. I have also discovered that toys, educational kits and commercial items have been produced based on those models. This demonstrates just how much those images have shaped the contemporary perception of Leonardo’s machines, even though my name and my work have often not been given the recognition they deserve.

Virtual Atlantic Code, 2005

All the machines I had designed and modelled in 3D for the book published by Giunti also became the core of a new project I had been developing since 2003: the Virtual Codex Atlanticus.

The 3D animations and models were not meant to remain confined to a book. I wanted to create something different: a digital, interactive and multimedia tool that would allow the Codex Atlanticus to be consulted in a completely new way. The large volumes of the Codex Atlanticus that I had purchased at great financial sacrifice were extraordinary, but expensive, heavy, difficult to consult and accessible only to a few. I wanted to transform that heritage into an experience available to everyone, using new digital technologies.

The idea stemmed directly from the first programmes and experiments I had carried out in 1999 for my thesis at the Politecnico di Milano. Even then, I was working on the concept of a virtual museum and an interactive way of engaging with Leonardo’s history. In 2004, I revisited those ideas and began developing a digital book that could be browsed on screen in two dimensions, but to which I added something new: the three-dimensional models of the machines seemed to emerge from the page, allowing users to see, for the first time, Leonardo’s drawings animated in 3D and in an interactive way.

All my research, reconstructions, animations and 3D models created for the Giunti book were therefore incorporated into this project, which I developed during 2004 and 2005. It was an extremely ambitious undertaking for the time. I had also tried to pitch the Virtual Codex Atlanticus to major organisations, including Microsoft, through some contacts, and to various publishing houses. I wanted it to become a major cultural and technological project dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci.

I also had the extraordinary good fortune to present this work directly to the Biblioteca Ambrosiana. In 2004, I entered the Ambrosiana for the first time to study the original manuscripts and take the first photographs. For me, it was a pivotal moment: after years spent with facsimiles, large-format books and reproductions, I could finally engage with the original pages of the Codex Atlanticus. It was like closing a circle between study, passion, technology and historical research.

The Virtual Codex Atlanticus was then published by Leonardo3 and Focus and was a huge success, alongside the Giunti book on Leonardo’s machines. The first edition was produced in collaboration with Focus magazine and was distributed at newsagents and bookshops throughout Italy. I still remember the thrill of seeing that project reach the general public, no longer merely as a personal study or prototype, but as a published and multimedia work distributed nationwide.

One of the greatest thrills was the creation of the TV advert. For the first time, an advert dedicated to the Virtual Codex Atlanticus was produced and broadcast in prime time on Canale 5. In the advert, you could see my multi-barrelled cannon firing and other mechanisms designed by Leonardo operating in 3D. It was 2005 and, for me, seeing the machines I had studied and reconstructed on the computer on national television was an incredible moment.

The project then received even greater recognition in 2006, when the Virtual Codex Atlanticus won first prize at the Contagiare Bellezza awards. I was thus fortunate enough to meet Umberto Eco, who chaired the jury. It was a memorable moment in my career.

The award citation described the Virtual Codex Atlanticus as:

“a futuristic project for accessing the Codex Atlanticus”.

The prize was awarded unanimously to Mario Taddei, named as the author, by a jury chaired by Umberto Eco and comprising figures of the highest cultural standing: Riccardo Chiaberge, Dario Del Corno, Philippe Daverio, Andrea Kerbaker, Marco Magnifico, Renato Mannheimer, Mario Raimondo, Vittorio Sermonti, Andrée Ruth Shammah, Massimo Vitta Zelman and Ugo Volli.

LThe citation recognised the value of the project for:

“its commitment to promoting Italy’s cultural heritage and fostering cultural growth in our country through a medium rich in content, expressive originality and emotional impact”.

For me, that award was hugely significant, because it confirmed that the work I had begun almost single-handedly – starting with my 1999 thesis, the manuscripts I had acquired at great personal sacrifice, the 3D models and my passion for Leonardo – had now achieved top-level cultural recognition.

The Virtual Codex Atlanticus took the models I had created since 1999 and presented them in a new form: no longer simple static images, but animated machines, with sounds, three-dimensional effects, movement and interaction. It was a new way of delving into Leonardo’s pages, of seeing his drawings come to life and of better understanding the logic behind his machines.

Together with the Giunti book, the Virtual Codex Atlanticus played a decisive role in the international dissemination of my reconstructions. Even today, many of the works, images and models contained in that project continue to be used, directly or indirectly, in exhibitions, museums, publications and displays dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci all over the world.

The book and the software were therefore two parts of the same journey. The book allowed the machines to be described and shown on paper, whilst the Virtual Codex Atlantico allowed them to be animated, explored and brought to life. For me, they both represented the same idea that originated at the Politecnico: to use digital technology not to replace history, but to make it more understandable, more exciting and closer to the public.

The 2008 Chinese edition

圖解達文西天才發明【全彩珍藏版】

Shy Mau Publishing Company

The first edition of my book on Leonardo da Vinci’s machines, published by Giunti in 2005, presented all my groundbreaking research and three-dimensional renderings of Leonardo’s machines, many of which had never been seen before in that form. The book was an immediate success. Following the Italian edition, an English version was quickly produced, and Giunti began contacting publishers worldwide to produce foreign editions.

Within two or three years, numerous editions were published: French, German, Russian, Spanish and others. In 2008, a Chinese edition was also released, published by Shy Mau Publishing Company, under the title:

圖解達文西天才發明【全彩珍藏版】
The Ingenious Inventions of Leonardo da Vinci: An Illustrated Colour Collector’s Edition

This edition essentially retained the same structure as the Italian edition: the same subjects, the same sequence of photographs, the same reconstructions, and the same narrative and visual structure. It was, however, a smaller, more pocket-sized and certainly more affordable edition, making it highly suitable for widespread distribution to the Chinese public.

The Chinese edition was a huge success. For the first time, many readers in China were able to see Leonardo da Vinci’s machines in a new, spectacular and accessible three-dimensional format. Before this book, publications on Leonardo mainly featured his most famous paintings, a few manuscripts and the usual traditional illustrations. His machines, on the other hand, were rarely presented with such clear, fascinating and modern 3D reconstructions.

In this book, Leonardo’s machines were no longer merely ancient drawings that were difficult to interpret, but became visible, dismantlable objects that could be observed from the inside, almost as if they could be built. The three-dimensional images made it possible to understand the components, mechanisms and possible functioning of the machines. This was one of the main reasons for the book’s great success.

The book was so successful in China that it was reprinted numerous times. There are many special editions, with different covers, different formats and various editorial adaptations. The same book was subsequently published by other Chinese publishing houses as well, with different covers and formats. At one point, I lost count of how many different editions had been produced in China. Whenever I went to China for a conference, an exhibition or a presentation, I would come across a new version, often with a different cover.

I am extremely proud and delighted by this success. At the same time, to be clear, I have never received remuneration commensurate with the actual reach of my work. Certainly, many publishing houses, publishers, producers and cultural operators who have used my images have earned more money than I have. However, I can proudly say that my work has made a significant contribution to spreading the fascination with Leonardo da Vinci, the history of science and research into his machines.

As a child and teenager, I was deeply fascinated by Leonardo’s designs. That is why I am sure that, through this book, I too have influenced countless Chinese children and young people, perhaps encouraging them to take an interest in engineering, art, design, the history of science and design. If even just a fraction of those young people have found in these images the same enthusiasm that I felt when looking at Leonardo’s manuscripts, then that work has been hugely meaningful.

The book, in all its Chinese editions since the 2008 edition, has been reprinted countless times, almost every year, or at any rate with remarkable consistency. I have come across copies with much later publication dates, as late as 2021. This shows that the book has enjoyed a very long publishing life and has been widely distributed.

This circulation was such that, over the years, I was invited to China on several occasions to give lectures and presentations. I remember very well the day I was invited to Peking University for a lecture. A professor from the School of Engineering at Peking University asked me to sign his copy of the book. I believe it was the 2008 edition. It was a moving moment, because it made me realise in concrete terms that this work, which had come into being years earlier in Italy amidst manuscripts, computer graphics and solitary study, had reached one of the most important academic institutions in China.

Of course, as the years have gone by, I have also discovered the flip side of this success. Many publishers, museums and manufacturers have copied my designs, my images, my interpretations and even my mistakes. This detail is important: often, those who copied did not go back to Leonardo’s manuscripts to study them properly, but simply copied my three-dimensional images. For this reason, in many cases, I still recognise my machines today, because alongside the correct solutions, my details, my design choices and, at times, my now-outdated interpretations were also copied.

I can say, perhaps without exaggerating too much, that I have contributed to at least eighty per cent of the modern image of many of Leonardo’s machines that are still presented today in museums, exhibitions, books and educational materials around the world. Naturally, this is my personal assessment, but it stems from what I have seen over twenty years of exhibitions, publications and models built. Even today, there are museums and manufacturers that create museum-quality machines based, directly or indirectly, on my drawings and my 3D models.

A very clear example is the paddle boat. Before my research, as far as I was aware, it had never been reconstructed in that way – complete and fully operational, including the connection to the reciprocating engine. Following the publication of my book, I found that this machine had been reconstructed in America and in many other museums around the world.

Unfortunately, very often my name is not even mentioned as the author of those reconstructions. This happens partly because many people think the design simply belongs to Leonardo da Vinci. And in part this is true: I have never wanted to claim copyright over Leonardo’s original designs, and no one should. Leonardo’s manuscripts, his drawings and his ideas belong to the history of science and are part of humanity’s heritage.

But that is not the point. I do not claim ownership of Leonardo’s designs. Instead, I claim ownership of my personal interpretations, my three-dimensional models, my images, my technical solutions, my way of reading the manuscripts, of linking different details, of filling in missing parts, and of modifying or adding certain elements in an attempt to make machines work that were often incomplete, ambiguous or difficult to understand in Leonardo’s drawings.

I therefore call them ‘my machines’ not because they belong to me rather than to Leonardo, but because the reconstructions, the images, the interpretations, the technical choices and the work of transforming the ancient drawing into a modern three-dimensional model are mine. In many cases, those models are not mere copies of the manuscript, but new visual, technical and design interpretations born of years of study.

Leonardo’s world will continue to fascinate future generations. I am delighted to have contributed so significantly, through these books, to the dissemination of knowledge and curiosity regarding the art, science and technology of Leonardo da Vinci.

A personal quirk of mine: every time I return to China for a conference, a presentation or a cultural project, I enjoy looking for a new edition of this book. I almost always find one. My collection continues to grow, even though my original contract with the publisher Giunti ended in 2024.
According to copyright law, my works, my three-dimensional models and my images revert to the author’s ownership. This, at least, should be the correct principle under Italian law and international copyright protection.

Unfortunately, in reality, these principles are not always respected. There are speculators, company directors, producers and even museum curators who continue to exploit the work of scholars without acknowledging its value and without fully respecting the author’s moral and economic rights. This has been one of the greatest sorrows of my career.

Along the way, I have met so many people who share my passion for art history, science and Leonardo da Vinci. I have shared wonderful experiences with them, filled with study, research, enthusiasm and outreach. Unfortunately, I have also encountered the cat and the fox, just like in the tale of Pinocchio: people interested primarily in money, capable of exploiting and continuing to exploit my work for profit, without any real love for Leonardo and, just like in the tale, behaving like outright crooks.

Despite everything, I remain pleased and fully aware of the value of this book. With dozens of editions published worldwide, it has inspired readers, students, young people, museums and popularisers. It has made an enormous contribution to the history of the popularisation of science and the art of Leonardo da Vinci.

I can safely say that this book, in its many international editions, is perhaps one of the most translated and widely read illustrated books on Leonardo da Vinci in the world. Of course, if we exclude Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code, which is, however, a novel – a completely different publishing phenomenon – and that is a whole other story, a charming and entertaining one.

For me, however, this book remains a tangible record of a real journey: the manuscripts bought at great personal sacrifice, the nights spent modelling in 3D, the studies of the machines, the meetings with Paolo Galluzzi and Carlo Pedretti, the publication with Giunti, the international translations and, finally, the book’s arrival in China in 2008. From that moment on, my machines of Leonardo began to travel the world, to be read, copied, studied, built, imitated and, above all, to inspire new generations.

圖解達文西天才發明[全彩珍藏版]
The Ingenious Inventions of Leonardo da Vinci: Illustrated [Colour Collector’s Edition]

出版日期2008-04-29

達文西留下的遺產是一座無盡發想與視覺的寶庫，要完全抓住這位偉大科學家的全貌是一項至難的工作。

本書介紹達文西所繪製的32種機械草圖，經電腦數位轉化為3D立體VR圖像。作者為義大利著名達文西專家——多明尼哥‧羅倫佐與兩位3D繪圖專家，嘗試了解達文西在草稿中所想要表達的技術內涵，並對達文西所設計的機械結構進行各種解讀，最後將解讀結果以電腦3D立體圖像表現出來，並展示於義大利米蘭的達文西博物館。

本書將機械結構視覺化的努力，就是實踐達文西所建立的機械設計哲學的現代版範例。在現代的機械設計過程中，工程師必須完成草圖、設計圖、零件圖與裝配圖等四種圖面。繪製草圖時，工程師將想要設計的物品畫出，過程中，工程師能夠發現各種不適切的構想，從而繼續思考。草圖可說是最能適切說明設計者整個思考過程的重要資料，也是工程師思考時的草稿。每當下一階段的圖面完成時，草稿將被丟棄。因此這種最能傳達設計者的設計思想且極具教育價值的草圖實例，很難出現在一般機械設計與工程教育的現場。

達文西所繪製的草稿圖，歷經五百餘年完整地出現在本書的每一頁中，這些草稿圖與作者的有關說明，將為機械設計與工程教育現場提供最具教育價值的參考資料與教材。

As of 2024, the rights to the book Le macchine di Leonardo, published by Giunti, have reverted to the author.

All designs and images of Leonardo da Vinci’s 3D models created by Mario Taddei are copyright Mario Taddei. (info www.MarioTaddei.net – www.DaVinciACADEMY.net)

ENGLISH

DO NOT PANIC. AI IS HERE!
Storia, saggi, racconti e profezie sull’apocalisse dell’intelligenza artificiale,la rivoluzione tecnologica in attesa della singolarità

in vendita su AMAZON:
Versione Economica copertina Soft:
SAPIENS.EXE ITA – ISBN: 9798276465449 – https://www.amazon.it/dp/B0G4D637J8

Versione Lusso con copertina Rigida (consigliata):
SAPIENS.EXE ITA – ISBN: 979-8276447889 – https://www.amazon.it/dp/B0G4G51V4S

SAPIENS.EXE: Stories, essays, narratives, and prophecies about the apocalypse of artificial intelligence, the technological revolution awaiting the singularity.

ENGLISH Version:
SAPIENS.EXE – ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8245354002
The BOOK Hardcover (Perfect!) is here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GJLPRHWJ
SAPIENS.EXE – ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8245355252
The BOOK Softcover is here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GJLTMLDS

SAPIENS.EXE è un viaggio narrativo, scientifico e filosofico attraverso l’evoluzione dell’intelligenza artificiale, dalle sue radici mitologiche fino alla singolarità tecnologica. Il libro si apre con una riflessione personale sul rapporto uomo-macchina e sulla trasformazione epocale che l’IA sta imponendo all’umanità.

La prima parte esplora le origini culturali dell’idea di vita artificiale: gli automi d’oro di Efesto, il Golem di Praga, i miti della creazione, il moderno Prometeo di Mary Shelley. L’autore mostra come il desiderio di costruire una creatura intelligente sia remoto quanto l’uomo stesso.

Segue un viaggio nella storia scientifica dell’IA: Turing, i primi calcolatori, le reti neurali degli anni ’40, la loro rinascita con la potenza di calcolo moderna e l’esplosione dei modelli generativi capaci di creare immagini e testi. Qui si spiegano con chiarezza le reti neurali, i meccanismi di apprendimento, la natura statistica delle allucinazioni, l’immaginazione algoritmica e i limiti dei modelli.

La parte centrale affronta i grandi modelli linguistici, il funzionamento degli LLM, la loro formazione, l’emergere della “memoria numerica” del sapere umano e il ruolo degli agenti autonomi. Un capitolo centrale è dedicato al modello DeepSeek, descritto come rivoluzione tecnica che dimostra l’arrivo di IA potenti, trasparenti e funzionanti anche su hardware domestico.

I capitoli narrativi ampliano lo scenario:
• balene quantistiche in orbita,
• polizie predittive che giudicano prima del crimine,
• armi impossibili generate da IA,
• robot che vivono crisi esistenziali,
• metropoli governate da algoritmi.

Il libro affronta anche temi etici e politici: la censura tecnica, la proibizione di costruire armi reali, la manipolazione del copyright, il caso mediatico di Hayao Miyazaki, il ruolo del potere economico e culturale nella lotta all’IA.

La parte filosofica affronta la metamorfosi dell’umanità nell’era della dipendenza algoritmica. Si parla del “patto col diavolo digitale”, dei rischi dell’automazione totale, della perdita del controllo, dell’identità mutante: dalla Nave di Teseo al dubbio su cosa resterà dell’uomo dopo la singolarità.

Il libro si chiude lasciando aperta la domanda finale:
l’IA sarà la prossima evoluzione dell’Homo sapiens, o il suo più grande errore?

INTRODUZIONE

• Riflessione personale dell’autore
• L’umanità alla soglia della metamorfosi digitale
• L’arrivo dell’IA e la fine dell’illusione del controllo

SEZIONE I – MITI, ORIGINI E ANTICHE CREAZIONI

1. La Biblioteca di Babele
2. Breve storia dell’IA
3. Nascita dell’Essere Artificiale
4. Efesto e gli automi d’oro
5. Il Golem di Praga: vita e controllo
6. Frankenstein e il moderno Prometeo
7. Il monito di Mary Shelley
8. L’IA come ossessione moderna

SEZIONE II – LE BASI SCIENTIFICHE

9. Turing e le prime macchine logiche
10. Nascita delle reti neurali (McCulloch, Pitts)
11. La rinascita con GPU e big data
12. La struttura delle reti neurali multilivello
13. La mente artificiale come archivio matematico
14. Il cervello positronico (parte narrativa)

SEZIONE III – GENERATIVE AI

15. Intelligenza artificiale generativa: quando le macchine iniziano a creare
16. Pattern, numeri casuali, seed e creatività artificiale
17. Rappresentazioni vettoriali della realtà
18. DALL-E, Midjourney, Sora, GPT multimodali
19. Il problema della verità: se tutto può essere falso

SEZIONE IV – I LLM (Large Language Models)

20. Il cervello delle parole
21. Come imparano i modelli linguistici
22. Pattern statistici e filosofia del linguaggio
23. Limiti, pregiudizi, rischi cognitivi
24. Gli agenti autonomi
25. La Luminous Library of Babel & The Android Archivist (immagini e narrazione)

SEZIONE V – DEEPSEEK E LA NUOVA RIVOLUZIONE

26. DeepSeek: la scossa cinese all’impero dell’IA
27. IA potente su hardware domestico
28. Trasparenza del ragionamento interno
29. Censura e filtri nei modelli open-source

SEZIONE VI – LE ALLUCINAZIONI

30. Cos’è un’allucinazione digitale
31. Perché accade
32. Pericoli e possibilità creative
33. L’immaginazione cieca della macchina

SEZIONE VII – L’ARTE E IL DISGUSTO DI MIYAZAKI

34. Il fraintendimento mediatico
35. Il crollo del copyright come rendita
36. Accessibilità dell’arte e democratizzazione
37. La fine dell’aura sacra dell’autore

SEZIONE VIII – CENSURA TECNICA E CONOSCENZA PROIBITA

38. Censura preventiva nei modelli AI
39. Perché l’IA non può spiegare armi reali
40. Paradosso: l’IA può creare armi impossibili
41. Confine tra fantasia e realtà tecnica

SEZIONE IX – CAPITOLI NARRATIVI

42. Il robot ubriaco
43. Balene quantistiche attorno alla Terra
44. Città autonome governate da algoritmi
45. Androidi esistenziali nel 2035

SEZIONE X – FILOSOFIA DELLA METAMORFOSI UMANA

46. Vendere l’anima al diavolo digitale
47. Il prezzo dei dati personali
48. Nave di Teseo: identità che muta
49. L’umanità come sistema aggiornabile

SEZIONE XI – CRIMINI E POLIZIA DEL FUTURO

50. Crimini generati da IA
51. Responsabilità giuridica dell’automa
52. Indagini senza tracce umane
53. Arrestare una IA? Punirla? Resettarla?
54. Robot-poliziotti, droni intelligenti, sistemi predittivi

CONCLUSIONE

55. La singolarità
56. L’IA come successore dell’Homo sapiens
57. Domanda finale: evoluzione o errore definitivo?

Mario Taddei è professore, ricercatore e designer multimediale, considerato uno dei maggiori esperti internazionali su Leonardo da Vinci. Autore di numerosi libri, curatore di mostre in Europa, Stati Uniti e Cina, unisce ricerca storica, tecnologia e creatività. Ha progettato ricostruzioni 3D, installazioni interattive e musei dedicati all’arte, alla scienza e all’innovazione. Con SAPIENS.EXE esplora l’intelligenza artificiale con lo stesso approccio visionario e critico che caratterizza da sempre il suo lavoro. Www.MarioTaddei.net / www.DaVinciACADEMY.net

ENG

SAPIENS.EXE – ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8245354002
The BOOK Hardcover (Perfect!) is here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GJLPRHWJ
SAPIENS.EXE – ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8245355252
The BOOK Softcover is here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GJLTMLDS

SAPIENS.EXE
Stories, essays, narratives, and prophecies about the apocalypse of artificial intelligence, the technological revolution awaiting the singularity.

SAPIENS.EXE is a narrative, scientific, and philosophical journey through the evolution of artificial intelligence, from its mythological roots to the technological singularity. The book opens with a personal reflection on the human–machine relationship and on the epochal transformation that AI is imposing on humanity.

The first part explores the cultural origins of the idea of artificial life: Hephaestus’s golden automatons, the Golem of Prague, myths of creation, and Mary Shelley’s modern Prometheus. The author shows how the desire to build an intelligent creature is as ancient as humanity itself.

This is followed by a journey through the scientific history of AI: Turing, the first computers, the neural networks of the 1940s, their revival through modern computing power, and the explosion of generative models capable of creating images and texts. Here, neural networks, learning mechanisms, the statistical nature of hallucinations, algorithmic imagination, and the limitations of these models are explained clearly.

The central section focuses on large language models, how LLMs work, how they are trained, the emergence of a “numerical memory” of human knowledge, and the role of autonomous agents. A key chapter is dedicated to the DeepSeek model, described as a technical revolution that demonstrates the rise of powerful, transparent AI systems capable of running even on consumer hardware.

The narrative chapters expand the scenario:

• quantum whales in orbit,
• predictive police forces that judge before the crime,
• impossible weapons generated by AI,
• robots facing existential crises,
• megacities governed by algorithms.

The book also explores ethical and political issues: technical censorship, the prohibition on building real weapons, the manipulation of copyright, the media case of Hayao Miyazaki, and the role of economic and cultural power in the fight against AI.

The philosophical section examines the metamorphosis of humanity in the age of algorithmic dependence. It discusses the “deal with the digital devil,” the risks of total automation, the loss of control, and shifting identity: from the Ship of Theseus to the question of what will remain of humanity after the singularity.

The book closes by leaving the final question open:
will AI be the next evolution of Homo sapiens, or its greatest mistake?

INTRODUCTION
• The author’s personal reflection
• Humanity on the threshold of a digital metamorphosis
• The rise of AI and the end of the illusion of control

SECTION I – MYTHS, ORIGINS, AND ANCIENT CREATIONS

1. The Library of Babel
2. A Brief History of AI
3. The Birth of the Artificial Being
4. Hephaestus and the Golden Automata
5. The Golem of Prague: Life and Control
6. Frankenstein and the Modern Prometheus
7. Mary Shelley’s Warning
8. AI as a Modern Obsession

SECTION II – THE SCIENTIFIC FOUNDATIONS
9. Turing and the First Logical Machines
10. The Birth of Neural Networks (McCulloch, Pitts)
11. The Revival Through GPUs and Big Data
12. The Architecture of Multilayer Neural Networks
13. The Artificial Mind as a Mathematical Archive
14. The Positronic Brain (Narrative Chapter)

SECTION III – GENERATIVE AI
15. Generative Artificial Intelligence: When Machines Begin to Create
16. Patterns, Random Numbers, Seeds, and Artificial Creativity
17. Vector Representations of Reality
18. DALL·E, Midjourney, Sora, Multimodal GPT
19. The Problem of Truth: When Everything Can Be Fake

SECTION IV – LLMs (LARGE LANGUAGE MODELS)
20. The Brain of Words
21. How Language Models Learn
22. Statistical Patterns and the Philosophy of Language
23. Limits, Biases, Cognitive Risks
24. Autonomous Agents
25. The Luminous Library of Babel & The Android Archivist (Images and Narrative)

SECTION V – DEEPSEEK AND THE NEW REVOLUTION
26. DeepSeek: China’s Shockwave Through the AI Empire
27. Powerful AI on Consumer Hardware
28. Transparency of Internal Reasoning
29. Censorship and Filters in Open-Source Models

SECTION VI – HALLUCINATIONS
30. What a Digital Hallucination Is
31. Why It Happens
32. Dangers and Creative Possibilities
33. The Machine’s Blind Imagination

SECTION VII – ART AND MIYAZAKI’S DISGUST
34. The Media Misinterpretation
35. The Collapse of Copyright as Rent-Seeking
36. Accessible Art and Democratization
37. The End of the Author’s Sacred Aura

SECTION VIII – TECHNICAL CENSORSHIP AND FORBIDDEN KNOWLEDGE
38. Preventive Censorship in AI Models
39. Why AI Cannot Explain Real Weapons
40. The Paradox: AI Can Create Impossible Weapons
41. The Boundary Between Fantasy and Technical Reality

SECTION IX – NARRATIVE CHAPTERS
42. The Drunk Robot
43. Quantum Whales Orbiting Earth
44. Autonomous Cities Governed by Algorithms
45. Existential Androids in 2035

SECTION X – THE PHILOSOPHY OF HUMAN METAMORPHOSIS
46. Selling Your Soul to the Digital Devil
47. The Price of Personal Data
48. The Ship of Theseus: A Changing Identity
49. Humanity as an Upgradable System

SECTION XI – CRIME AND THE POLICE OF THE FUTURE
50. AI-Generated Crimes
51. Legal Responsibility of the Automaton
52. Investigations Without Human Traces
53. Arrest an AI? Punish It? Reset It?
54. Robot Police, Intelligent Drones, Predictive Systems

CONCLUSION
55. The Singularity
56. AI as the Successor of Homo sapiens
57. Final Question: Evolution or Ultimate Mistake?

Mario Taddei
is a professor, researcher, and multimedia designer, widely regarded as one of the leading international experts on Leonardo da Vinci. The author of numerous books and the curator of exhibitions in Europe, the United States, and China, he combines historical research, technology, and creativity. He has designed 3D reconstructions, interactive installations, and museums dedicated to art, science, and innovation. With SAPIENS.EXE, he explores artificial intelligence with the same visionary and critical approach that has always defined his work. www.MarioTaddei.net / www.DaVinciACADEMY.net

🇮🇹 Italiano
Grande onore ricevere questo splendido regalo da un importante gruppo artistico cinese.
Il dipinto, realizzato in autentico stile rinascimentale, farà parte di una mostra straordinaria che unirà arte contemporanea e rinascimentale con opere uniche e originali in Cina il prossimo anno.
Ringrazio di cuore Zhang Aidong e Master Shen per questo magnifico omaggio.
Vi terrò aggiornati su questa affascinante collaborazione artistica!

🇬🇧 English
It’s a great honor to receive this beautiful gift from an important Chinese art group.
The painting, created in true Renaissance style, will be part of an extraordinary exhibition that combines contemporary and Renaissance art, featuring unique and original works in China next year.
My sincere thanks to Zhang Aidong and Master Shen for this wonderful gesture.
I’ll keep you updated on this inspiring artistic collaboration!

🇨🇳 简体中文
非常荣幸收到来自中国重要艺术团队的这份珍贵礼物。
这幅以真正文艺复兴风格创作的画作，将参加一场融合当代艺术与文艺复兴艺术的特别展览，展览将在明年于中国举办，展出独特而原创的艺术作品。
衷心感谢 张爱东 和 沈大师 的精彩馈赠。
我会持续分享这场令人期待的艺术合作的最新进展！

🇦🇪 العربية (الفصحى)
يشرفني جدًا أن أتلقى هذه الهدية الفنية الرائعة من مجموعة فنية صينية مرموقة.
ستكون هذه اللوحة، المرسومة بأسلوب عصر النهضة الأصيل، جزءًا من معرض استثنائي يجمع بين الفن المعاصر وفن عصر النهضة، ويضم أعمالًا فريدة وأصلية في الصين العام المقبل.
أقدّم خالص الشكر لـ تشانغ أيدونغ و الماستر شين على هذه الهدية الرائعة.
سأوافيكم بالمستجدات حول هذا التعاون الفني الملهم!

#MarioTaddei #Rinascimento #ArteCinese #MostraDArte #RenaissanceArt #ChinaExhibition #CulturalExchange #ArtAndScience
#LeonardoDaVinciAcademy 🌐 www.DaVinciAcademy.net

🇮🇹 Italiano
«Con il pensiero come sorgente e la saggezza come chiave
egli ha sbloccato il codice di Da Vinci vecchio di 500 anni.
Chi è lui?
Mario Taddei, un nome che è diventato leggenda.
Come fondatore della Da Vinci Academy d’Italia,
è un artista di fama mondiale e uno dei più riconosciuti
eminenti studiosi di Leonardo da Vinci.
Costruisce un ponte tra la storia dell’arte e l’intelligenza artificiale,
utilizzando tecnologie all’avanguardia per interpretare la saggezza più classica.
Questo ritratto creato per lui possiede un valore che va ben oltre la semplice somiglianza.
La sua eleganza visiva trasmette il cuore dell’esplorazione attraverso discipline integrate
e cattura la sua convergenza intellettuale.
Nel dipinto Mario non porta un’autorità accademica opprimente,
ma si connette con noi attraverso una presenza composta e vigorosa.
Solleva la mano per sfiorare una pergamena, le dita che seguono ogni tratto dei caratteri:
una ricerca instancabile della conoscenza.
Il suo sguardo penetra nelle profondità della storia mentre guarda fermamente
alle infinite possibilità del futuro.
Luce e ombra si intrecciano, portando avanti l’eredità
del Rinascimento mentre abbracciano il dinamismo moderno.
I toni caldi, come la doratura del tempo, mettono in risalto
il suo straordinario portamento che trascende le discipline.
Ogni pennellata è la manifestazione della saggezza sulla tela,
ogni tonalità incarna lo spirito di Da Vinci, l’unità tra arte e scienza.»
Testo tratto dal video di MasterShen

🇬🇧 English (original)
“With thought as the fountainhead and wisdom as the key
he unlocked Da Vinci’s 500-years-old code.
Who is he?
Mario Taddei a name that stands as a legend.
As the founder of Italy’s Da Vinci Academy
he is a globally acclaimed artist and one of the most widely recognized
preeminent Da Vinci scholars.
He builds a bridge between art history and artificial intelligence
using cutting-edge technology to interpret the most classical wisdom.
This portrait created for him holds value that extends far beyond mere likeness
Its visual elegance conveys exploration’s core via integrated disciplines
and capture his intellectual convergence.
In the painting Mario carries no overbearing academic authority
instead he connects with us through a composed forceful presence.
He lifts his hand to brush a scroll his fingertips tracing the characters every movement
a relentless pursuit of knowledge.
His gaze penetrates the depths of history while gazing firmly
at the boundless possibilities of the future.
Light and shadow intertwine carrying on the legacy
of the Renaissance while embracing modern dynamism.
The warm tones like the gilding of time highlight
his remarkable demeanor that transcends disciplines.
Every brushstroke is the manifestation of wisdom on canvas
every hue embodies the Da Vinci spirit of the unity of art and science.”
Text From the video By MasterShen

🇨🇳 简体中文
“以思想为源泉，以智慧为钥匙，
他解开了达·芬奇五百年的密码。
他是谁？
马里奥·塔代伊——一个被誉为传奇的名字。
作为意大利达·芬奇学院的创始人，
他是一位享誉全球的艺术家，也是世界上最著名的
达·芬奇权威学者之一。
他在艺术史与人工智能之间架起了一座桥梁，
运用尖端科技去诠释最经典的智慧。
这幅为他创作的肖像，其价值远远超越了单纯的相似。
画面的优雅视觉传达了探索的核心，通过多学科的融合，
捕捉了他思想的汇聚。
在这幅画中，马里奥没有展现令人压迫的学术威严，
而是以一种沉稳而有力的气场与我们相连。
他举起手轻拂卷轴，指尖追随着文字的每一个笔画——
那是对知识的不懈追求。
他的目光穿透历史的深处，同时坚定地凝视着
未来无限的可能。
光与影交织，延续着文艺复兴的遗产，
同时拥抱现代的活力。
温暖的色调如同时间的鎏金，
凸显出他超越学科的非凡风采。
每一笔都是智慧在画布上的显现，
每一种色彩都体现了达·芬奇“艺术与科学合一”的精神。”
—— 摘自 MasterShen 视频文字

🇦🇪 العربية (الفصحى)
«بالفكر كمصدر، وبالحكمة كمفتاح،
فكّ شيفرة دافنشي التي مرّ عليها خمسمائة عام.
من هو؟
ماريو تاداي، اسم أصبح أسطورة.
بصفته مؤسس أكاديمية دافنشي في إيطاليا،
فهو فنان ذو شهرة عالمية وأحد أبرز
الباحثين في إرث دافنشي المعترف بهم في العالم.
يبني جسرًا بين تاريخ الفن والذكاء الاصطناعي،
مستخدمًا أحدث التقنيات لتفسير أسمى أشكال الحكمة الكلاسيكية.
هذه اللوحة المرسومة له تحمل قيمة تتجاوز مجرد الشبه،
فأناقتها البصرية تنقل جوهر الاستكشاف عبر تداخل التخصصات
وتجسّد تلاقي فكره العميق.
في اللوحة لا يظهر ماريو بسلطة أكاديمية متعجرفة،
بل يتواصل معنا من خلال حضورٍ متّزنٍ وقوي.
يرفع يده ليلمَس المخطوطة، وأطراف أصابعه تتبع كل حركة من حروفها،
في سعيٍ لا يهدأ نحو المعرفة.
نظرته تخترق أعماق التاريخ بينما تتجه بثبات
نحو آفاق المستقبل اللامتناهية.
يتداخل الضوء والظل ليواصلا إرث
عصر النهضة مع احتضان الحيوية الحديثة.
الألوان الدافئة، كطلاء الزمن الذهبي، تُبرز
هيبته المميزة التي تتجاوز حدود التخصصات.
كل ضربة فرشاة تجسيدٌ للحكمة على القماش،
وكل لونٍ يجسّد روح دافنشي في وحدة الفن والعلم.»
نص من فيديو للفنان ماستر شين

STEAM / Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics
STEAM = Scienza, tecnologia, ingegneria, arte e matematica

ITALIANO
Contacts / Contatti / mail

Leonardo da Vinci Academy

Educational Workshops

Learning with Leonardo

The Leonardo da Vinci Academy, founded and directed by Prof. Mario Taddei, has been organizing educational workshops for many years, inspired by the manuscripts, artworks, and inventions of Leonardo da Vinci.
These experiences are designed for students aged 10 and up, families, and adults who wish to rediscover the importance of hands-on learning, creativity, and the study of nature as essential sources of knowledge.

The introduction is enriched with images, videos, and models. From there, participants move on to the hands-on practice, just as in the ancient Renaissance workshops, where young apprentices learned to observe, copy, and create.
This is the same method that made Leonardo a genius: observing nature, studying history, and transforming ideas into concrete projects.

These workshops teach that, even in an age of advanced technology and artificial intelligence, manual and artistic skills remain essential:

• not to be dominated by technology, but to master it and use it consciously;
• to stimulate ingenuity and develop creative and critical thinking;
• to discover that craftsmanship, geometry, and art are tools that open doors to the future.

At the end of each workshop, every participant can take home their creation: a model, a drawing, a codex, or an object inspired by Leonardo’s inventions.
All materials are provided by the organization.

The workshops are available in Italian and English and can be organized in schools, museums, libraries, cultural festivals, and exhibition spaces worldwide.

WORKSHOPS for Children and Families

Some of the available workshops:

1. Create Your Own Da Vinci Codex
2. Tricks and Secrets of Leonardo’s Drawing
3. Recreating Leonardo da Vinci’s Colors
4. Understanding and Building the Self-Supporting Bridge
5. Constructing the Icosahedron from Leonardo’s Drawings
6. Making a Paper Octahedron and a 3D Star
7. Painting Leonardo’s Drawings
8. Drawing Nature
9. Building the 3D Mona Lisa
10. The Beauty of Geometry

1. Create Your Own Da Vinci Codex
Inspired by Leonardo’s famous codices, students create their own “manuscript” filled with drawings, symbols, and notes.
Example: a workshop held in Milan, where children produced a fully bound codex to take home.

2. Tricks and Secrets of Leonardo’s Drawing
A hands-on journey to discover Leonardo’s drawing techniques, exploring proportion, perspective, and the observation of nature.
Example: workshop in Florence with over 80 students.

3. Creating Leonardo da Vinci’s Colors
Learn to prepare pigments just like in the Renaissance, starting from natural powders and stones to obtain the colors used in paintings. Egg, water, and oil — what were the secrets behind Leonardo’s colors?
Example: workshop in Milan with a group of 40 students who produced natural tempera paints, just like in the 15th century.

4. Understanding and Building the Self-Supporting Bridge
An activity designed to explore the genius of Leonardo’s famous bridge built without nails, and to construct it to scale.
Example: workshops where students built the bridge and tested it with small weights, held in schools in Milan and museums in China.

5. Constructing the Icosahedron from Leonardo’s Drawings
Recreate one of the Platonic solids studied by Leonardo, using wooden structures. Workshops can be individual or collaborative.
Example: workshop in China at the Guangzhou Art Museum with 300 middle and high school students.

6. Making a Paper Octahedron and a 3D Star
An introduction to solid geometry by building complex and fascinating shapes using simple folded paper.
Example: workshops in Beijing and Milan.

7. Painting Leonardo’s Drawings
Reproduce the master’s drawings using pigments and Renaissance techniques.
Example: activities at the Leonardo da Vinci Academy and in Florence.

8. Drawing Nature
Learn how to observe flowers, animals, and landscapes through Leonardo’s eyes. Apply his methods to copy nature and preserve it in illustrated notebooks.
Example: activities at the Leonardo da Vinci Academy and in Florence.

9. Building the 3D Mona Lisa
Create a three-dimensional model of the world’s most famous portrait, experimenting with new perspectives.
Example: activities at the Leonardo da Vinci Academy and in Florence.

Other Workshops Available on Request

Itinerant Workshops in Italy

In addition to workshops organized in schools and museums, it is also possible to arrange a five-day itinerant workshop program in Italy, designed for students, families, or organized groups.

The itinerary includes:

• Morning: workshops at the Leonardo da Vinci Academy or in suitable venues, where students take part in practical activities inspired by Leonardo’s codices and inventions.
• Afternoon: guided visits to museums and monuments directly connected to Leonardo’s life and work.

The suggested program begins in Milan, with visits to the Sforza Castle and the Biblioteca Ambrosiana, where participants can admire Leonardo’s original Codices. The experience then continues at the Leonardo da Vinci Academy, with dedicated workshops, explanations, and manuscript analysis.

The journey proceeds to Florence, exploring the places where Leonardo lived and worked. Here, participants can join workshops inside a fascinating Renaissance convent perched on a hill overlooking the city, an evocative setting that recalls the very environments where Leonardo studied and created his works.

This educational journey combines hands-on learning, history, and culture, offering students the unique opportunity to discover Leonardo da Vinci in the authentic places of his life and achievements.

Participation in the itinerant workshops must be planned in advance, in order to organize travel, activities, and the supply of all necessary educational materials.

LEGO Workshop

The LEGO Workshops are activities dedicated to building Leonardo da Vinci’s machines using LEGO Technic bricks and special plastic components, allowing participants to create real, working mechanical structures.

Each student, or small group, receives a personal LEGO Technic kit with all the pieces needed to build the model.

The activity begins with a multimedia introduction: through videos, images, and original documents, the subject and Leonardo’s machine to be reconstructed are presented. Then, with the help of a demonstration video and step-by-step guidance, participants build the model together, discovering the secrets of Renaissance mechanics.

All models are fully functional and incorporate the fundamental concepts of STEAM disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics). Some kits are also equipped with a battery-powered motor, making the machines operate autonomously like small robots.

A wide variety of subjects is available, depending on requests and areas of interest: from flying machines to mechanical clocks, from catapults to helicopters — each activity is a unique opportunity to learn while having fun, just like in Leonardo’s workshops.

LEGO WORKSHOP (per tutti)

Leonardo’s Flying Machine
Build, with LEGO bricks, Leonardo’s most famous invention.

The Mechanical Clock
Understand the principles of timekeeping machines through a working model.

The Catapult
Discover how Renaissance war machines functioned.

The Helicopter
Reconstruct Leonardo’s famous “aerial screw” in LEGO version.

Other subjects available upon request

Examples: workshops held in Milan and in science museums in China.

Organization of LEGO Workshops

The LEGO Workshops must be planned in advance, as they require the availability of multiple kits depending on the number of participants.

• Workshops with small groups: in this case, the kits are provided by the organization and used during the activity; at the end, the models are disassembled and the materials are immediately reusable.
• Workshops with large groups or special events: if each student is required to receive a personal kit to keep, the workshops must be scheduled at least two months in advance, to ensure the procurement and preparation of all necessary materials.

This planning is essential to guarantee a high-quality experience, making sure that all participants have a complete kit and can fully enjoy the educational and creative activity.

Certificate of Participation and Leonardo da Vinci Academy Medal

Each workshop concludes with a special moment:

• a group photo and an individual photo of each participant with their creation, as a memory of the experience and to share on social networks;
• the presentation of a personalized Certificate of Participation, bearing the name of the student who attended the workshop.

In some cases, the best working groups or individual students are awarded the prestigious Leonardo da Vinci Academy Medal.

In agreement with the organizers, it is also possible to provide books, educational materials, and special resources to further enrich the workshop experience.

Multimedia Workshops – 3D & VR

Leonardo da Vinci Academy

Alongside its hands-on art and science laboratories, the Leonardo da Vinci Academy also offers advanced multimedia workshops that introduce children (aged 12 and up), students, and adults to the world of interactive 3D computer graphics and virtual reality.

These courses use the most modern and widely adopted software in the video game and film industries — in particular Unreal Engine, the same platform used to create some of the world’s most famous video games and to develop immersive virtual reality experiences.

The workshops start from scratch, guiding participants step by step through:

• how to download and install Unreal Engine;
• how to navigate the interface;
• how to build a first interactive 3D environment;
• how to transform a project idea into a fully navigable virtual world.

Course Structure and Duration

• Introductory Workshop (2–3 hours): ideal for those who want to learn the basics and immediately see their first results.
• Intensive Course (up to 5 days): allows participants to create a complete project, from concept to working prototype.

After just a few hours, students will be able to develop a working executable on PC, ready to be explored. At the end of the course, each participant will have the satisfaction of having built their own virtual world, which can then be further developed into a video game, a 3D architectural model, or a VR experience.

Requirements

For the 3D modeling workshops, a basic knowledge of computers is recommended. Professional software used includes:

• 3ds Max (three-dimensional modeling)
• Photoshop (creation and management of textures and images)
• Unreal Engine (real-time interactive development)

Through this training, participants not only learn how to “use software,” but also acquire the foundations of game design, 3D modeling, and virtual reality development.

Equipment

To host the Multimedia Workshops, a properly equipped multimedia space is required, with high-performance computers capable of running 3D and real-time VR software. The Leonardo da Vinci Academy provides technical guidelines and support for preparing the workspace.

This type of workshop has already achieved great success in Italy and abroad, in schools, museums, and international exhibitions, engaging young students who were able to create their first video game or VR experience directly during the course.

MULTIMEDIA WORKSHOPS
(ages 12 and up)

• Create a Virtual Museum with Unreal Engine
• Design a Video Game with Unreal Engine
• Develop VR Experiences
• Model Leonardo’s Machines in 3D (3ds Max)
• Reconstruct Leonardo’s Cannon in 3D
• Recreate Leonardo’s Castle in 3D

Examples: workshops with university students in Milan and courses dedicated to creating virtual environments inspired by the Renaissance.

Prof. Mario Taddei – Expert in Computer Graphics and Virtual Reality

Prof. Mario Taddei, founder of the Leonardo da Vinci Academy, is one of the leading international experts in computer graphics, 3D modeling, and virtual reality.

Since 1999, he has taught at the Politecnico di Milano, where he conducted courses and laboratories in computer graphics, three-dimensional modeling, and interactive multimedia.

He has organized numerous workshops and courses in Italy and abroad, collaborating with universities, private academies, museums, and cultural institutions.

A pioneer in applying 3D and VR technologies to scientific and artistic dissemination, he has created innovative educational experiences for schools, students, and professionals.

He developed the largest virtual museum in the world dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci, which has been awarded and recognized internationally.

He has received numerous awards and recognitions for his innovative work that combines art, science, and technology.

With more than twenty-five years of experience, Mario Taddei continues to spread knowledge of computer graphics and virtual reality, training new generations of artists, designers, scientists, and creatives.

PRESS & LINKS

Politecnico
Mestieri del futuro: architetti e scenografi virtuali secondo Mario Taddei
https://alumni.polimi.it/2021/07/30/mario-taddei-mestieri-del-futuro-architetti-e-scenografi-virtuali/

Università di Siena
I robot e l’androide di Leonardo da Vinci
https://www.unisi.it/unisilife/eventi/i-robot-e-androide-di-leonardo-da-vinci

La Martesana
Dalla Cina a Cassina de’ Pecchi per studiare Leonardo
https://primalamartesana.it/attualita/dalla-cina-a-cassina-de-pecchi-per-studiare-leonardo/

Il Giorno
Leonardo e la realtà virtuale: l’arte parla già la lingua del Metaverso
https://www.ilgiorno.it/milano/cultura/metaverso-mostra-leonardo-75edb188

Confartigianato
Il Robot di Leonardo da Vinci: com’è stato scoperto e costruito
https://www.confartigianatovicenza.it/il-robot-di-leonardo-scoperto-e-costruito/

Sole 24 Ore
La creatività artificiale comincia a sedurre designer e architetti
https://www.ilsole24ore.com/art/la-creativita-artificiale-comincia-sedurre-designer-e-architetti-AEfHvj7C

Istituto Italiano di Cultura Abu Dhabi
Seminario “Manoscritti di Leonardo da Vinci e l’influenza della scienza araba antica”
https://iicabudhabi.esteri.it/it/gli_eventi/calendario/seminario-manoscritti-di-leonardo-da-vinci-e-linfluenza-della-scienza-araba-antica/

L’Istituto Pantheon Design & Technology
Master Class in Intelligenza Artificiale Creativa
https://istitutopantheon.it/intelligenza-artificiale-creativa/

Contacts / Contatti
info @ davinciacademy.net
info @ mariotaddei.net

ENGLISH

~ Visi mostruosi, volto di Megera ~
1490 / 1510 circa

Testa caricata e busto di profilo di megera verso destra, 1490 circa
Punta metallica, penna e inchiostro seppia su carta filigranata.
Frammento in carta di stracci (50 x 56 mm) ottagonale
incollato su carta giallastra quadrata
con retro azzurrato 72 × 72 mm,

Leonardo da Vinci e i “Visi Mostruosi”: Un Ritrovamento Eccezionale in un’Edizione Rara del Trattato di Pittura

Recentemente, in un’edizione rara del Trattato della Pittura di Leonardo da Vinci, stampata nel 1651 in Francia, è emerso un ritrovamento straordinario che aggiunge un valore inestimabile a questa opera già di per sé preziosa. Nella penultima pagina del volume è stata scoperta una tasca, o passepartout, ricavata da un disegno intitolato “Visi Mostruosi”. Questo disegno è particolarmente significativo poiché all’interno della tasca è custodito un frammento di carta di dimensioni 50×56 mm, incollato su un fondo azzurrato di 72×72 mm. Questo pezzo di carta ottagonale è realizzato con la carta di stracci tipica del Rinascimento, lo stesso materiale utilizzato da Leonardo da Vinci per i suoi appunti e disegni.

Il frammento in questione contiene un disegno realizzato con punta metallica, penna e inchiostro di seppia, che raffigura il profilo di una vecchia caricaturale, simile a una strega o Megera, rivolta verso destra. Questo tipo di rappresentazione rientra nel corpus di opere che Leonardo realizzò tra il 1490 e il 1510, un periodo in cui l’artista era particolarmente affascinato dalla rappresentazione di “visi mostruosi” e caricaturali.

Questi disegni, conservati presso la Biblioteca Ambrosiana di Milano, comprendono una serie di ritratti di giullari di corte, anziani e figure grottesche, spesso con nasi esageratamente pronunciati e smorfie marcate. La loro particolarità non risiede solo nell’aspetto grottesco, ma anche nel profondo interesse di Leonardo per la fisiognomica e la sua ricerca di catturare l’essenza dell’anima umana attraverso il disegno. In effetti, Leonardo stesso scrive nel Codice Madrid II (72v) riguardo alla “varietà dei visi secondo gli accidenti dell’uomo, in fatica e riposo, in ira, in pianto, in riso, in gridare, il timore e simil cose.”

Questa affermazione sottolinea l’intento di Leonardo di esplorare e documentare la vasta gamma di emozioni e stati d’animo umani attraverso l’osservazione meticolosa dei volti. Non è solo l’estetica a interessare l’artista, ma anche la capacità del volto umano di raccontare una storia, di trasmettere emozioni intense e contrastanti.

Un altro riferimento significativo si trova nel Manoscritto A (106v), dove Leonardo menziona i “visi mostruosi”. Egli scrive: “De’ visi mostruosi non parlo, perché sanza fatica si tengano a mente.” Questo passaggio è particolarmente rivelatore, poiché suggerisce che i volti grotteschi e deformi ritratti da Leonardo erano talmente memorabili da non richiedere ulteriori descrizioni o spiegazioni. Erano immagini che, per la loro stranezza e forza espressiva, restavano impresse nella mente senza bisogno di parole. Leonardo sembra quasi voler custodire questi volti come segreti visivi, la cui potenza evocativa supera la necessità di essere narrata.

Durante il periodo in cui questi disegni furono realizzati, Leonardo era impegnato nella creazione di L’Ultima Cena nel refettorio del convento di Santa Maria delle Grazie a Milano. Nei suoi scritti, egli narra di come percorresse le strade di Milano alla ricerca di volti che potessero ispirare le figure degli apostoli e di Gesù. Una leggenda narra che Leonardo trovò il volto di Giuda in un uomo dal carattere crudele e che, per una sorta di scherzo, utilizzò il volto del priore del convento, con cui aveva un rapporto conflittuale, per rappresentare il traditore.

Indipendentemente dalla veridicità di questa leggenda, ciò che è certo è che Leonardo osservava attentamente le persone comuni, ritraendole non solo nei loro tratti fisici, ma anche nella loro essenza interiore. Questa collezione di ritratti grotteschi non rappresenta semplicemente un esercizio di caricatura, ma una profonda esplorazione dell’umanità. Contrariamente ai ritratti idealizzati delle nobili dame, come La Gioconda, La Belle Ferronnière, e La Dama con l’Ermellino, queste rappresentazioni offrono uno sguardo più autentico e realistico sulle persone che popolavano Milano nel 1500.

Il frammento ritrovato nell’edizione del 1651 del Trattato della Pittura raffigura uno di questi “visi mostruosi”: il profilo di una vecchia, con un grande naso adunco, capelli raccolti dietro la testa e un mento prominente. Questo disegno, unico nel suo genere, è stato mostrato per la prima volta in televisione in Italia e attualmente appartiene a una collezione privata.

Questo ritrovamento non solo aggiunge un valore storico e artistico all’edizione del Trattato della Pittura, ma ci offre anche uno spaccato della mente di Leonardo da Vinci, un uomo capace di trovare bellezza anche nei volti più grotteschi, e di vedere l’umanità in tutte le sue forme.

Ricostruzione digitale del volto di Megera

Riferimenti e documenti

“Delle varietà de visi, secondo li acidenti dell’omo, in fatica, in riposo, in ira, in
pianto, in riso, i’ gridare, in timore e ssimili cosse.”
Madrid II 72v

“Del modo di tenere a mente la forma d’un volto.

Se volli avere facilita in tenere a mente una aria d’uno volto, impara prima a
mente di molte teste, occhi, nasi, bocche, menti e gole e colli e spalli. Poniamo caso, i nasi sono di 10 ragioni: diritto, gobbo, cavo, col rilievo più su o più giu che ‘l mezzo, aquilino, pari, simo e tondo e acuto: questi sono boni in quanto al proffilo. In faccia i nasi sono di 11 ragioni: equale, grosso in mezzo, sottile ‘n mezzo, e la punta grossa e sottile nell’appiccatura, sottile nella punta e grosso nell’appiccatura, di larghe anarise, distrette, d’alte e basse, di busi scoperti e di busi occupati dalla punta. E cosi troverai diversita nelle altre articule, delle quali cose tu de’ ritrarre di naturale e metterle a mente, ovvero, quando hai a fare uno volto a mente, porta con teco uno picciolo libretto, dove sieno notate simile fazione e quando hai dato una occhiata al volto della persona che voi ritrarre, guarderai poi in parte quale naso o bocca se le assomiglia, e favvi uno picciolo segno per riconoscerle poi a casa. De’ visi mostruosi non parlo, perché sanza fatica si tengano a mente.”

Manoscritto A 106v
Riportato poi nel Trattato di Pittura
Libro di Pittura (Codice Urbinate Lat. 1270) Capitolo 290

ENGLISH

Leonardo da Vinci and his “Monstrous Faces”: An Extraordinary Find in a Rare Edition of the Treatise on Painting

ITALIAN

~ Monstrous faces, face of Megera ~
1490 / 1510 circa

Charged head and profile bust of hag towards right, c. 1490 Metal point, pen and sepia ink on watermarked paper. Rag paper fragment (50 × 56 mm) octagonal pasted on square yellowish paper with blued reverse 72 × 72 mm,

Leonardo da Vinci and the “Monstrous Faces”: An Exceptional Find in a Rare Edition of the Treatise on Painting

Recently, in a rare edition of Leonardo da Vinci’s Treatise on Painting, printed in 1651 in France, an extraordinary find emerged that adds priceless value to this already valuable work. On the penultimate page of the volume, a pocket, or passepartout, was discovered from a drawing entitled “Monstrous Faces.” This drawing is particularly significant because inside the pocket is housed a 50×56 mm fragment of paper, glued to a 72×72 mm blued background. This octagonal piece of paper is made from the rag paper typical of the Renaissance, the same material used by Leonardo da Vinci for his notes and drawings.

The fragment in question contains a drawing made with metal point, pen and sepia ink, depicting the profile of a caricatured old woman, resembling a witch or Megera, facing to the right. This type of depiction is part of the body of work that Leonardo produced between 1490 and 1510, a period when the artist was particularly fascinated by the depiction of “monstrous faces” and caricatures.

These drawings, preserved in the Biblioteca Ambrosiana in Milan, include a series of portraits of court jesters, old men and grotesque figures, often with exaggeratedly pronounced noses and marked grimaces. Their uniqueness lies not only in their grotesque appearance, but also in Leonardo’s deep interest in physiognomy and his quest to capture the essence of the human soul through drawing. Indeed, Leonardo himself writes in Codex Madrid II (72v) about the “variety of faces according to the accidents of man, in toil and rest, in wrath, in weeping, in laughter, in crying, fear and simil things.”

This statement underscores Leonardo’s intent to explore and document the wide range of human emotions and moods through meticulous observation of faces. It is not only aesthetics that interested the artist, but also the ability of the human face to tell a story, to convey intense and conflicting emotions.

Another significant reference is found in Manuscript A (106v), where Leonardo mentions “monstrous faces.” He writes, “De’ visi monruosi non parlo, perché sanza fatica si tengono a mente.” This passage is particularly revealing because it suggests that the grotesque and deformed faces portrayed by Leonardo were so memorable that they required no further description or explanation. They were images that, because of their strangeness and expressive force, stuck in the mind without the need for words. Leonardo seems almost to want to guard these faces as visual secrets whose evocative power surpasses the need to be told.

During the period when these drawings were made, Leonardo was busy creating The Last Supper in the refectory of the convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. In his writings, he recounts how he walked the streets of Milan looking for faces that could inspire the figures of the apostles and Jesus. One legend has it that Leonardo found the face of Judas in a man with a cruel character and that, as a sort of joke, he used the face of the prior of the convent, with whom he had a contentious relationship, to represent the traitor.

Regardless of the veracity of this legend, what is certain is that Leonardo carefully observed ordinary people, portraying them not only in their physical features but also in their inner essence. This collection of grotesque portraits is not simply an exercise in caricature, but a profound exploration of humanity. In contrast to the idealized portraits of noble ladies, such as La Gioconda, La Belle Ferronnière, and The Lady with an Ermine, these depictions offer a more authentic and realistic look at the people who populated Milan in the 1500s.

The fragment found in the 1651 edition of the Treatise on Painting depicts one of these “monstrous faces”: the profile of an old woman, with a large hooked nose, hair pulled back behind her head, and a prominent chin. This unique drawing was first shown on television in Italy and currently belongs to a private collection.

This finding not only adds historical and artistic value to the edition of the Treatise on Painting, but also gives us a glimpse into the mind of Leonardo da Vinci, a man capable of finding beauty even in the most grotesque faces, and of seeing humanity in all its forms.

Digital reconstruction of the face of Megera

References and documents

“Delle varietà de visi, secondo li acidenti dell’omo, in fatica, in riposo, in ira, in
pianto, in riso, i’ gridare, in timore e ssimili cosse.”
“Of the varieties of faces, according to the acidents of the man, in toil, in rest, in wrath, in weeping, in laughter, i’ shouting, in fear and same things”
Madrid II 72v

“Del modo di tenere a mente la forma d’un volto.

Se volli avere facilita in tenere a mente una aria d’uno volto, impara prima a mente di molte teste, occhi, nasi, bocche, menti e gole e colli e spalli.
Poniamo caso, i nasi sono di 10 ragioni: diritto, gobbo, cavo, col rilievo più su o più giu che ‘l mezzo, aquilino, pari, simo e tondo e acuto: questi sono boni in quanto al proffilo. In faccia i nasi sono di 11 ragioni: equale, grosso in mezzo, sottile ‘n mezzo, e la punta grossa e sottile nell’appiccatura, sottile nella punta e grosso nell’appiccatura, di larghe anarise, distrette, d’alte e basse, di busi scoperti e di busi occupati dalla punta. E cosi troverai diversita nelle altre particule, delle quali cose tu de’ ritrarre di naturale e metterle a mente, ovvero,
quando hai a fare uno volto a mente, porta con teco uno picciolo libretto, dove sieno notate simile fazione e quando hai dato una occhiata al volto della persona che voi ritrarre, guarderai poi in parte quale naso o bocca se le assomiglia, e favvi uno picciolo segno per riconoscerle poi a casa. De’ visi mostruosi non parlo, perché sanza fatica si tengano a mente.”

“Of the way of keeping in mind the form of a face.

If I wished to have facility in keeping in mind an air of a face, first learn in mind of many heads, eyes, noses, mouths, chins and throats and necks and shoulders. Let us say, the noses are of 10 reasons: straight, humped, hollow, with the relief more up or more down than ‘the middle, aquiline, even, simo and round and acute: these are good as to the proffile. In the face the noses are of 11 reasons: equal, coarse in the middle, thin in the middle, and the tip coarse and thin in the sticking, thin in the tip and coarse in the sticking, of broad anarise, distracted, of high and low, of uncovered busi and of busi occupied by the tip. And so you will find diversities in the other particulae, of which things you de’ portray naturally and put them in mind, or, when you have to make a face in mind, bring with you a little booklet, wherein similar factions are noted, and when you have taken a look at the face of the person whom you portray, you will then look in part what nose or mouth if it resembles them, and favvi a little mark to recognize them afterwards at home. Of monstrous faces I speak not, that without effort they may be kept in mind.”

Manuscript A 106v
Later reproduced in the Treatise on Painting Book of Painting
(Urbinate Codex Lat. 1270) Chapter 290

April 5th, 2024 | 7:30pm
Italian Cultural Institute Abu Dhabi UAE

Multimedia Presentation at the Virtual Museum of Leonardo da Vinci. Prof. Mario Taddei, Leonardo da Vinci Academy.

In this seminar, we will explore the manuscripts, art, and technology of Leonardo da Vinci, uncovering their deep connections to ancient Arabic science. With the support of the Italian Cultural Institute and the Embassy of Italy to the UAE, Prof. Mario Taddei will guide us through a multimedia presentation at the largest virtual museum of Leonardo da Vinci.

We will discover the reconstruction of incredible ancient machines designed by Leonardo, derived from the study of nature and ancient weaponry, such as flying spheres, the mechanical hawk, the robot car, and the first mechanical android. Art and technology intertwine, delving into the secrets of Leonardo’s masterpieces, including the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper.

We will explore one of Leonardo’s secrets, his study of the ancients, and particularly see the influence of ancient Arabic science on his work. Many machines and contraptions, erroneously attributed to Leonardo, are instead the result of Arab scientists from the year 1000 who influenced modern science and mathematics more than one might think.

This seminar underscores the importance of studying history, particularly the contributions of Arab scholars from the 10th century onwards, to understand the genius of Leonardo da Vinci and his creations. Participants will have the exclusive opportunity to experience a virtual reality station, allowing them to observe Leonardo da Vinci’s machines and masterpieces like never before, journeying into the largest virtual museum ever built: the Leonardo Da Vinci ACADEMY MUSEUM.

Prof. Mario Taddei
Graduated with honors in Industrial Design from the Polytechnic University of Milan. He served as a professor at the Politecnico di Milano, teaching computer science courses. Taddei is a prominent Italian academic, best known for his contributions to Leonardo da Vinci studies. He is co-curator of some of the Leonardo Da Vinci’s exhibitions, showcasing groundbreaking discoveries in art and machine research on a global scale. With extensive experience in programming, 3D graphics, video games, virtual reality development, and multimedia applications, Taddei also teaches design, virtual scenography, and virtual architecture at various art academies in Milan, Italy.

He is an expert in artificial intelligence and has authored several books on the subject, delivering frequent lectures worldwide. As a curator, Taddei has organized numerous Leonardo exhibitions worldwide and authored several books on science, computer graphics, Renaissance masters, and Leonardo da Vinci. He is renowned for leading the study, software development, and reconstruction of hundreds of Renaissance machines, as well as pioneering virtual Codex technologies and interactive historical experiences. Taddei is also recognized as a digital artist, exhibiting under the pseudonyms Silver Mark and Neoart3 at prestigious contemporary art museums in Europe and China. Furthermore, he is an expert in NFT and metaverse technologies, contributing to the development of digital art and virtual environments. Currently, Taddei teaches at Milanese Academies, founded and directs the Leonardo da Vinci Academy (www.davinciacademy.net), and can also be found at www.Neoart3.net or by searching “Mario Taddei” on Google.

The Italian Cultural Institute of Abu Dhabi is a body of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI), responsible for spreading and promoting the Italian language and culture. Its main objectives are the organization of cultural, artistic and scientific initiatives with Italy as their central theme.