Quick Overview of Leonardo da Vinci’s Masterpieces in Italy
Painter, scientist, architect, and Renaissance man, Leonardo da Vinci left his mark all over Italy in frescoes, buildings, drawings, and even prototypes and blueprints for many of the world’s technological milestones.
While quite a few of da Vinci’s masterpieces reside in museums outside of Italy, there are many notable examples of the master’s works in his native land. You can follow the “Leonardo Trail” with this list of places in Italy where you can appreciate his extraordinary contributions. They are listed in alphabetical order by city name.
Leonardo da Vinci and Mona Lisa in Florence
There are places you can see today where the lives of da Vinci and Lisa Gherardini del Giocondo (believed to be the model for the Mona Lisa) might have intersected. Gherardini del Giocondo was a real Florentine woman, born and raised in Florence. Centuries later, the painting, Mona Lisa, became the world’s most famous and recognizable work of da Vinci’s.
As you wander through art-filled Florence, many areas offer a glimpse into the era when da Vinci painted there and engaged Lisa to be the subject of his renowned painting.
Palazzo Vecchio in Florence
The legend of da Vinci’s massive painting, “The Battle of Anghiari,” lives on in the Palazzo Vecchio’s Salone dei Cinquecento, although the painting is thought to be obscured by a wall or another fresco. The location of this monumental artwork, at times referred to as “The Lost Leonardo,” remains a mystery.
Moreover, on the exterior of the Palazzo Vecchio is a cornerstone imprinted with the silhouette of a man’s face, which is thought to be Leonardo’s unofficial signature.
The Uffizi Gallery in Florence
Italy’s most important art museum, the Uffizi Gallery, features several of da Vinci’s works. Notable paintings include the “Annunciation,” “Adoration of the Magi,” and a self-portrait. Furthermore, da Vinci is represented by numerous sketches and under-drawings in the Prints and Drawings Collection in the Uffizi.
Room 15 of the museum is dedicated to the paintings of Leonardo da Vinci and also showcases artists who inspired (such as Andrea del Verrocchio) or admired (like Luca Signorelli, Lorenzo di Credi, and Pietro Perugino) his work.
“The Last Supper” in Milan
Along with the Mona Lisa, which is a prized possession in Paris at the Louvre Museum, “The Last Supper” stands as da Vinci’s most famous painting. The Cenacolo Vinciano (or Last Supper) remains in the refectory of the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, where da Vinci completed it in 1498.
This remarkable artwork depicts the Last Supper of Jesus with his apostles, as narrated in the Gospel of John. In the scene, Jesus has just revealed that one of his followers will betray him. Consequently, it is one of the most recognizable paintings in the world.
Milan’s Top Museums
Beyond “The Last Supper,” Milan houses several other original da Vinci pieces. The Leonardo da Vinci Science and Technology Museum boasts original da Vinci drawings as well as models inspired by the Renaissance man’s inventions.
The Codex Atlanticus, one of da Vinci’s notebooks filled with extensive observations and drawings, resides in the Biblioteca Ambrosiana. Another important Codex, the Codex Trivulzianus, which explores themes of architecture and religion, is held at the Biblioteca Trivulziana in the Castello Sforzesco.
Biblioteca Reale in Turin
Besides the two codices in Milan, the only other da Vinci codex (notebook) in Italy is housed in Turin. The Biblioteca Reale di Torino contains the Codex on the Flight of Birds, which features da Vinci’s analysis of flight mechanics, air resistance, and currents.
In this insightful codex, he postulates mechanisms for flight by machines. Da Vinci constructed several prototypes of these machines and attempted, albeit unsuccessfully, to launch them from a hill near Florence.
Galleria dell’Accademia in Venice
Da Vinci’s renowned “Vitruvian Man,” which studies the human form from both artistic and scientific perspectives, is housed at the Galleria dell’Accademia, one of the top museums in Venice.
The museum features a collection of pre-19th-century art in Venice and is located in the Scuola della Carità on the south bank of the Grand Canal.
Vinci, Tuscany
Leonardo da Vinci got his name from the town of Vinci, a small village outside of Florence where he was born in 1452. Here, visitors can explore the Casa di Leonardo, the farmhouse where the master was born, and the Museo Leonardiano, a science and technology museum dedicated to models based on his prolific drawings. Vinci may be small, but it is rich in attractions, making it a great day trip to the picturesque Tuscan countryside.
