Explore

Explore the trails on the right to find out how in Leonardo's view of the world, all things are interconnected - the motion of water and the curling of hair, the human body and the mechanisms of machines, the geometrical rules that govern man, animals and all of nature.

Alternatively, the interactive timeline at the top of the page provides a visual representation of the trails by linking related images. Click on a coloured dot to start a trail.

Leonardo is often presented as a scientist, artist or engineer. But for him, all natural phenomena are the product of the same natural forces and governed by the same natural law.

Both the engineer and artist must learn how nature designed its forms according to their function and obey the same laws. Science, art and engineering are all achieved by direct observation and scientific investigation of the natural world. As such, they are all part of the same creative vision, through which man can create a “second nature” in the world.