What are some interesting facts about Leonardo da Vinci? There have been few people who have contributed as much to the world as the breathtakingly multi-talented Leonardo da Vinci. His curiosity and skills appear to have known no bounds. He was a painter, an inventor, a musician, an engineer, an architect, a geologist, an anatomist, a mathematician and a sculptor. Incredibly, he excelled in every single one of those disciplines. Here are some interesting facts about Leonardo da Vinci, his life and his works which you might not be aware of.

Not Many Paintings



Bearing in mind all of those other occupations it is perhaps no surprise to find that he didn’t have time to paint all that much. We perhaps know him best as a painter these days but the truth is that he is believed to have only produced about 30 paintings in total, with only 15 surviving, undisputed works in existence. He could have worked a little harder, couldn’t he?

Last Supper

Along with the Mona Lisa, this painting is one of Leonardo’s famous works. Da Vinci was requested to paint The Last Supper for the monastery of Santa Maria Delle Grazie in Milan.

He Was a Vegetarian



If you think that vegetarianism is a modern phenomenon then consider the fact that Leo was giving meat the cold shoulder back in the 15th century.

The Never Ending Mona Lisa



The portrait of the lady with the enigmatic smile is the most famous painting by the artist. However, you might not know that Leonardo saw it as a work in progress for the 14 years or so he worked on it. He never handed it over to a person who commissioned it and is said to have carried it around with him everywhere he went in later life. Some claims suggest that the subject is the artist himself in drag. Leonardo’s original Mona Lisa painting is kept in the Louvre Museum in Paris, France for display.

He Wrote Backwards



Leonardo da Vinci often wrote backward (known as mirror writing). Some say this was to keep his ideas secret and others say that it was because he was left handed and found it easier to write this way. As a left-hander, I just tried it and can confirm that it isn’t really all that easy at all.

The Court Case



He was arrested in his early twenties with 3 other men. They were charged with sodomy after some sort of incident with someone who was apparently a male prostitute. They were released and the charges dropped due to a lack of evidence.

Grave Robber



In order to study human anatomy, Leonardo needed a lot of human corpses. He was supplied with them by several hospitals but is also said to have dug up graves to keep himself topped up with an actual human body to work on.

Two-Handed Writing



As well as writing backward, he is also said to have perfected the art of writing with both hands at the same time; one forwards and one backward. Try it at home if you like.

His Inventions



A prolific inventor, Leonardo da Vinci’s inventions included plans for (draws a deep breath) a cannon, a machine gun, a helicopter, a tank, the double hull, musical instruments, a clockwork car, hydraulic pumps, a steam cannon, floating snowshoes, an underwater breathing apparatus and a lot more.

Vitruvian Man Facts



Vitruvian Man facts: his famous drawing, the Vitruvian Man, is regarded as the most anatomically correct drawing of a man of its time. Modern researchers have discovered that the model suffered from a groin problem and may have been a corpse.

A Funeral Procession with Beggars



He stated in his will that 60 beggars should walk behind his casket. Well, after such an interesting life it was the least he could ask for.

Lost Painting

The Battle of Anghiari is a lost painting by Leonardo da Vinci in 1505. Many believed that it still exists and is hidden in Palazzo Vecchio, Florence. The search for the missing painting was executed but was later discontinued due to conflict with parties.

Leonardo’s Early Years and Later Works

Leonardo was an illegitimate child. His parents were never married. Leonardo came to live with his father. His father was a respected lawyer while his mother was a peasant of the same town.

Leonardo da Vinci was a renaissance man. He lived in the days of the Renaissance. In his days, classical education in Greek and Latin, higher mathematics are to be taught to boys with a high background but as for Leonardo, he never received such kind of education. Despite his lack of education in these fields, he showed great talents in art. In his teenage years, he quickly surpassed his master’s talent when he was sent to Florence to work as an apprentice with a famous Florentine painter Andrea di Cione, known as Andrea del Verrocchio. It is said that Verrocchio’s work, the Baptism of Christ was completed with the help of da Vinci.

For da Vinci, art and science can never be separated. During the warfare in his days, there was a great need for military engineers. He was fortunate to get a job with the Sforza family. He designed flying machines and other things. He was a military engineer for 17 years for the Duke of Milan.

St. John the Baptist is considered as the last painting by Leonardo da Vinci. It shows the faith of the Renaissance man in Christianity. St. John the Baptist gained the reputation to be called as one of the finest works of art.