Leonardo in Lombardy: 8 itineraries to discover the places of Vinci

8 itineraries in Lombardy to discover the genius of the Renaissance.

The itineraries are:

• Around the Naviglio Grande
• Leonardo between Brescia and the Orobie and Brescia valleys
• The lakes of Brianza, the course of the Adda and the Naviglio della Martesana
• Leonardo between Lario, Valsassina and Valtellina
• Leonardo and Isabella d’Este in Mantua and Cremona
• Leonardo in Pavia
• The serial model of the Virgin of the Rocks: embroidery at the Sacro Monte of Varese
• Leonardo in Vigevano

Leonardo between Brescia and the valleys of the Orobie Alps and those near Brescia — Around 1497, Francesco Sanson, the Minister General of the Franciscan order, tried, alas unsuccessfully, to convince Leonardo da Vinci to make a painting for the church of San Francesco in Brescia. Leonardo was much attracted by the mountains around Brescia, by their watercourses, as well as by the nearby lake Garda. He would record the distances between the rivers in the province of Bergamo and in Brescia (Mella, Oglio, Cherio, Serio and Brembo) tracking real itineraries in the Brembana valley and the Camonica valley of Lake Iseo, from Palazzolo sull'Oglio to Ponte di Legno. He would also visit the Trompia Valley and Lake Idro. Leonardo’s interests in this area focused on the iron ore mines of Collio and how this precious metal was being worked and employed.

The lakes in Brianza, the river Adda and the naviglio della Martesana — For sure, Leonardo visited Brianza and the stretch of the river Adda between Lecco and Trezzo. He wanted to find a better way to carry goods in that portion of the river where it flows out of lake Como and it is so tortuous that it is impossible to navigate. Leonardo's sketches are real field surveys and the oldest cartographic recording of the Brianza lakes of Annone, Pusiano, Segrino and Alserio.

Leonardo between Lario, Valsassina and Valtellina — A few sheets of the Codex Atlanticus contain brief descriptions of Valsassina, Valtellina, Chiavenna and other places in the Lake Como area, the essence of which Leonardo was able to capture in just a few words. Leonardo correctly described the Grigna – meaning ‘bald’– as the highest mountain in the whole area between the lake Como and Valsassina. He paid particular attention to the rivers, flowing through most spectacular and picturesque parts of this land, with a very modern spirit of observation: the intermittent river Fiumelatte in Varenna; the Troggia waterfall in Introbrio; the falls of the Mera river at Acquafraggia in Valchiavenna; the thermal baths of Bormio.

Leonardo and isabella d’este between Mantua and Cremona — Leonardo da Vinci left Milan, no longer the capital city of the Sforzas, in 1499, and on his way to Venice, he stopped in Mantua. Here the marquise Isabella d’Este wanted Leonardo to make a portrait of hers. She had seen and much admired the portrait of Cecilia Gallerani (the Lady with an Ermine). The former mistress of Ludovico il Moro, Cecilia would often stay at San Giovanni in Croce, in the Cremona province, in the now Villa del Vascello. Isabella’s portrait would never be completed, which probably only increased her desire to own a work by Leonardo, which she insistently kept asking him in the following years: she would have liked either a sweet Madonna or a young Christ.

Leonardo in Pavia — Leonardo was also in Pavia with Francesco di Giorgio Martini in the spring of 1490, called there to work as a consultant for the construction of the new cathedral. The church to be reconstructed was to be as great as the Santa Sofia of Constantinople. On that occasion, Leonardo also studied the plan of the now destroyed church ofSanta Maria in Pertica. Leonardo also seemed to be interested in the architecture of the Visconti’s castle and also benefited from the rich library kept there. Constantly fascinated by water, he studied the hydraulic systems of the large park. He also explored the foundations of the Pavia walls near the river Ticino. The famous Regisole – a Roman equestrian monument, and a model for the horse designed in memory of Francesco Sforza – was also part of Leonardo’s studies in Pavia.

Serial model of the virgin of the rocks: the embroideries of Sacro Monte di Varese — The Virgin of the Rocks wasthe first work we know for sure was commissioned to Leonardo in Milan. His invention on the theme of the Immaculate Virgin portrayed in a cave immediately became viral. In the early 16th century, the image became a sort of ‘souvenir-subject’ to be purchased in Milan’s workshops after a stay in the city. There is an incredibly great number of copies with some variants kept in public and private collections, or in ecclesiastical buildings. The success of the model was such that it was also taken up in embroideries. In Santa Maria del Monte above Varese (Sacro Monte), in the Museo Baroffio, for example, there is a refinedaltar-frontal with in the centre a reproduction of the first version of the Virgin of the Rocks, now kept in the Louvre.

Leonardo in Vigevano — The Ducal residence in Vigevano was the actual seat of the court of Ludovico il Moro (1479-1499).Hence, most probably, Leonardo lived for some time between the castles of this town and the surrounding experimental agricultural estates, such as the pilot estate of the Sforzesca. The Vigevano compound was linked from both a defensive and a residential point of view to a series of buildings such as the castles of Gambolò, Galliate and La Maura in Villanova di Cassolnovo. In his notebooks, Leonardo wrote down various information about the countryside around Vigevano: the system used by farmers to protect the vineyards from frost; a system of water ‘ladders’ used to reclaim marshy lands and to irrigate the watermeadows.

Take me here: Leonardo in Lombardy: 8 itineraries to discover the places of Vinci

Theatre: what’s on stage in Lombardy

In Lombardy, theatres are opening up safely: here are some of the must-see shows and festivals

Art & Culture

Castles Bergamo

Bergamo saw in the past the proliferation of fortifications. Many, today, castles to visit

Art & Culture

Festival of Ethical Photography

Responsible photojournalism: The Festival of Ethical Photography

Art & Culture

Monuments Milan

Milan is rich in historical and artistic monuments of the highest value that bear witness to the history of the Lombard capital

Art & Culture

Castles Mantua

The Mincio marked for centuries the border of important possessions. The landscape was characterized by new castles in key places

Art & Culture

A Welcome Card to visit Cremona

Your Sightseeing Pass

Art & Culture

Roman paved road

Art & Culture

Brescia, a Theatre City

From the Teatro Grande to the Brescia Opera Festival, to the Vittoriale degli Italiani in Gardone. Discover a stage city

Art & Culture

Milan and its mysterious places

Witches, demons, symbols and legends make Milan a city full of mystery

Art & Culture

House Museums of Lombardy: step inside the homes of renowned historical figures

Discover the history and culture of the Region of Lombardy through its historic house museums, from the homes of famous people and art collectors to artists' studios.

Art & Culture

Monuments Cremona

Cremona: a splendid city of art with a sober elegance and many monuments, to be visited on foot or by bicycle

Art & Culture

Cremona and its music

Cremona's music is closer than what you think

Art & Culture

Museums Monza

From the Treasure of the Cathedral to the MEMB, there are many museums where you can discover local history, art and culture

Art & Culture

Castles in Lombardy

The charm of Lombardy through its castles

Art & Culture

Pezzotti from Valtellina

Perhaps the most famous artisan product from Valtellina, the “pezzotto” is a very resistant fabric made using scraps of fabric, hand-woven at the loom.