Leonardo and Milan An itinerary in different sections to see and imagine the city he knew

IT’S A MATCH!

Leonardo and Milan

Leonardo and Milan were meant to cross paths. On the one hand, we have the polymath artist, futuristic engineer and master of ceremonies, an accomplished painter, architect and musician. On the other, a growing city finally at peace. Its population numbered around 200 thousand and its Renaissance‐era court was on the same level as that of Florence, able to attract talented people and set fashion trends and customs throughout Europe.

Few people know that Leonardo spent the longest and most prolific part of his life in Milan. It was his adopted hometown. What better place for a talented man of 30 years of age, schooled in Florence and now seeking fortune, prestige and a place to freely express his creativity?

In the city of Milan, Leonardo found a thriving commercial hub with a penchant for innovation. The established artistic tradition was Gothic and the Renaissance was bringing in a new style. There was a network of canals in constant development, and borders to protect ‐ but expansion outside the walls was the main objective. There was also a fascinating Court staging extravagant pageants and masques and two large building sites ‐ the Castello Sforzesco and the Duomo Cathedral, with its cupola nearing completion. He entered the city carrying a silver lyre shaped like a horse's skull in his apprentice's bag. He had designed it himself and could play it magnificently: the instrument was a gift for the Duke of Milan, Ludovico Maria Sforza. At the age of 30 ‐ just like Leonardo ‐ the Duke was a military leader and patron of artists and scientists, and he was transforming his court‐fortress into an icon of style: the two men openly shared a passion for things at once beautiful and useful.