Open-air museum - Statua di Leonardo da Vinci

As you can see, Milan is a huge open-air museum, and you can see something interesting at every turn. When I say at every turn, I am not exaggerating. I was looking for an opera La Scala in Milan, and just as I was leaving the beautiful gallery, which I wrote about in a previous blog, I came across a monument dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci. It stands upright, brave, at a height, as if it were preparing to create another masterpiece.

At first glance, it seemed like there weren't many details, and it wasn't; it was decorated with various figures, but it was simple, and it looked luxurious. Although there weren't many details, you could see a lot when you got closer. You could see the facial expressions on the other statues, and you could see Leonardo's thoughtful face. It was so beautifully made and in the style of Milan that if I didn't know where this statue was, and you gave me a photo to guess where it was, I would probably say Milan.

The idea of ​​erecting a monument to Leonardo da Vinci in Milan was born in the middle of the 19th century, at a time when Italy was still fighting for its unification and identity. Art was then a means of self-affirmation and a way to shape a new future through the past. Leonardo symbolized the Italian spirit.

The sculptor Luigi Magni, and later Pietro Magni, took on the challenge of capturing the essence of a man who could not be reduced to a single discipline. The monument was completed and unveiled in 1872, more than 350 years after Leonardo's death. It is interesting that Leonardo spent almost two decades of his life in Milan, working for the powerful Sforza family, and creating some of his most famous works.

ABOUT LEONARDO

Leonardo arrived in Milan in 1482, at a time when the city was one of the most important cultural and political centers of Italy. He came not as a painter, but as a military engineer, carrying with him a letter to Ludovico Sforza in which he offered his services as a bridge builder, designer of fortifications, and creator of war machines. Modestly, without mentioning his artistic skills, as if they were secondary in a world that sought power, not beauty.

Nevertheless, it was in Milan that Leonardo created some of his most important works:

“The Last Supper”

“Portrait of a Lady”

“Coder Atlanticus”

"Equestrian statue of Francesco Sforza"

At first glance, the monument is classic: Leonardo stands on a high pedestal, dressed in long robes, with his hands folded under his chin. His face is serious but not stern, thoughtful, as if he is contemplating some new work of art, another invention yet to come. Around him are four figures representing his students, Marco d’Oggiono, Cesare da Sesto, Giovanni Antonio Boltraffio and Andrea Solari. They are the artists who continued his artistic and intellectual lineage, they spread his spirit.

Leonardo was not born in Milan, but in Vinci, a small town near Florence. But it was Milan that became the city where his creativity blossomed. Here he painted the famous “Last Supper”, here he made plans for an ideal city, designed weapons, bridges and even dreamed of flying.

In Milan, Leonardo was a court artist, but also an engineer, architect and entertainer. His curiosity knew no bounds, and Milan gave him the space and inspiration to turn that curiosity into concrete ideas.

In the age of speed, screens and algorithms, to look into Leonardo da Vinci’s stone is to remember a world in which knowledge, art and science were deeply personal pursuits and highly valued. His figure reminds us not only of the past, but also of what we could be if we wanted enough to understand the world around us. To become creators of our own lives and to leave our mark on this world.