The science in art: Leonardo da Vinci

Leonard da Vinci gone in Louvre and among hundreds tourist he waited the night after the closure of museum, and after that the last tourist was gone out he turned to Gioconda(Fig.1), and asked: “Can you explain what is the art of Leonard da Vinci?”, and the painting answer: “It is very strange because you are Leonardo da Vinci”, and Leonardo: “Yes but I want know what is your think around my art”, and the Gioconda: “You are a scientist that has worked the painting, in fact in the Virgin of stones(Fig.2), is the representation of your interest in geology, because you have painted those stones with scientific precision(Figs.3-4); and you interest to science is evident above all in human expressions(Fig.5), that you have took to your fresco with The fight of Anghiari(Fig.6); the faces are very interesting for you, and it are…”, Leonardo interrupted and: “It are the true manifestation of wit, of the behavior and reactions in front of different contests, and I can study the human gender both in everybody and in single man; the expression that I have used again, to show the human nature; it is for me important”, and the Gioconda: “Certainly it is motive, but for the merely artistic and stylistic what is your address?”, and Leonardo: “I am one and every address; because I have took the reality and used it but to angel in Virgin of stones(Figs.7-8), isn’t realistic or naturalistic but it is Leonardo alone, in my face when I must imagine it I think and took from every face that I meet, but for angel it is very imagination, that hasn’t character of classic or real, as other my drawing; I have imagined a face and I have drawn it”, and Gioconda: “Your interests are very multiple because you have also designed the armies”, and Leonardo: “Yes, when I was called by Ludovico the Moro to Milan, I have presented also armies, because he was lord of Milan and I was an artist and I have to entice his interest, but I have to consider also what were his needs and preferences; hence the drawings for armies were necessary to defense of Milan. We must consider that also the invention of armies is science, therefore you is right, I am a scientist that uses also the art”, and Gioconda: “In fact to my face you have took from reality; because your widows you have took from reality, actually in your Treatise on painting, you describe the nature of widow and its characteristic”, and Leonardo: “I haven’t never written a treatise on painting; it is a book for collection of my personal notes that Francesco Melzi around 1540 has pooled, and stop”. The Gioconda: “Dear Leonardo you have considered the science and the art; every science because everything has interested you, and you drawings are the evident representation of these interest, but I must interrupt here my discourse because the museum is opening the doors, thereupon we are going to next closure”. The tourists gone in and asked soon to Gioconda: “What has said Leonardo?”, and she hinted a light smile.

Alessandro Lusana  

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