Читать книгу Leonardo da Vinci - Vincenzo Delle Donne - Страница 4

Dusty roads, flanked by tall pines and majestic cypresses with pillars, lead through olive groves and vineyards to the heights of the gentle hills. Vineyards stretch out for as long as the human eye can see. In the middle of this white landscape is a sleepy place where a small group of houses made of marble and brick are grouped around the small church. Anchiano, a district of Vinci near the medieval castle on the slopes of Monte Albano, halfway between Pisa and Florence. In the middle of the 15th century, life here was hard, rich in deprivation and dangerous, and the social and professional boundaries were in fact insurmountable. The inhabitants were victims of armies and migrant mercenaries who crossed the country and left behind a trail of desolation and destruction. The powerful and wealthy of the area lived in the nearby magnificent Florence where the high walls of the city protected them from invaders. Those who lived in the countryside were vulnerable and helpless against arbitrary attacks by mercenaries and commanders. The city was safer, but the cities were overcrowded and epidemics like the plague raged even more devastatingly.

In Anchiano lived the family of the notary Antonio di Ser Piero da Vinci who had brought to the village of about 350 souls a considerable wealth. Antonio was a notary public and had just celebrated his 80th birthday. At that time a rare milestone to be reached. He owned a modest property and a respectable bank account of 1,400 florins, which he had deposited at the house of the Florentine Monte Bank of the City of Florence, in the pawnshop of the City of Florence. His hopes depended on his eldest son, Piero, for whom he had planned a notarial career in Florence. The necessary intelligence and ambition were not lacking in the firstborn. A marriage had already been started with a rich Florentine woman who brought a considerable sum of money as a dowry. Then, in a hot summer, something unexpected happened, briefly interrupting Piero's career plans for his son.

The promising young Piero da Vinci regularly spent the sultry summers in the contemplative Vinci. This was also the case in the summer of 1451. He returned to Vinci to escape the heat in the overpopulated Florence and to abandon himself to the idleness and summer freshness of his native village. And it was precisely in this summer that a passionate but fateful relationship began with the young servant Catherine, Caterina di Meo Lippi, who had such a seductive charm that Piero could not resist. Too strong was the desire for the young woman. Catherine probably believed that he was really in love with her. The beautiful maidservant quickly became pregnant, which caused a great stir in Piero and his family, but at the time these things could be regulated with a certain naturalness. Nine months later, at 3 a.m. on April 15, 1452, "Lionardo" was born in Anchiano. The birth certificate indicated that he was the illegitimate son of the 24-year-old Piero da Vinci and the young maid Caterina.

That the mother and child had survived birth at the time was seen as a great gift from God. Her grandfather, Antonio di ser Piero da Vinci, noted the joyful event on the edge of an old 14th century notary's book which she used as a sort of family chronicle. As a sign of reverence for God, he meticulously noted both the exact date of Leonardo's birth and the baptism of his nephew, as well as the names of those present at the baptism. The note does not precisely indicate the place where Leonardo was born. He was almost certainly born in the country house of Piero da Vinci in Anchiano, where his young mother lived for a few years with the child. The informal and loving note of his grandfather did not change, however, the fact that Leonardo was the result of an "illegitimate relationship". His father, Piero, did not even think of marrying his mother, Caterina, because of the difference in social status. Moreover, Piero's marriage to a rich and noble Florentine girl had already begun. Even the strong and healthy newborn did not change the course of things. Neither Piero da Vinci nor his mother Caterina could be present at Leonardo's baptism. At that time the Catholic Church explicitly forbade it, because they had not resisted the temptation and had abandoned themselves before the wedding to their "carnal desires". The child was received into the communion of Christians, while the parents were repulsed because of their "morally reprehensible misconduct”.

Piero da Vinci's esteemed family of notaries was mentioned in documents as early as 1312. He enjoyed a high reputation in and around Vinci, and it is obvious that the ambitious model son had to marry appropriately. According to recent research hypotheses, for which, however, there is no clear evidence, the beautiful maid Caterina in Piero's family was originally from a Muslim family. It is even said that her family was slaves from Constantinople.

The circumstances in which Leonardo was born in Anchiano, however, marked his life forever: for better or for worse. Being born as an illegitimate child was considered a stigma that accompanied him and marked him throughout his life. Leonardo was unable to overcome either the strict rules of society or the hostile attitude of his dominant father - even when he later became a successful artist, this "childhood misfortune" continued to torment him. His mother Caterina took care of the lively child for as long as necessary and then quickly disappeared from the life of the da Vinci family. For several years also from the life of Leonardo.

The nature around Anchiano and around Vinci was ideal for growing up free and without worries. A carefree childhood that shaped the mind of the intelligent boy. With his grandfather Antonio and his uncle Francesco he explored the surroundings with the numerous waterways and mills during the long walks. The encounter with the impetuous force of water in this natural landscape was a decisive experience for Leonardo. Not only did his fascination with the element of water originate here, which accompanied him throughout his life, but also his ability to observe details. In fact, Leonardo drew with unprecedented precision for a child on paper supplied by his grandfather, the wheels of the mill with their gears and their interlocking movement. Leonardo loved to spend his days in the village of San Pantaleo, in the fields and on the shore around the small stream Vincio. Leonardo later significantly described this unspoilt landscape as a "maternal landscape". His mother Caterina lived here with her new family, whom Leonardo visited as soon as he could. About 50 kilometers east of Vinci was the then great metropolis of Florence, which was rich, opulent and sumptuous and where in the meantime his father Piero had set up a family suited to his social rank.

Life in the streets and squares of Florence meanwhile pulsed frantically and feverishly. The rich commercial city on the Arno was not only the undisputed cultural metropolis of the then known world, but also an extraordinary financial center that knew no restrictions either on the Italian peninsula or in Europe. In Florence the principles of the modern banking system were invented: banks, money loans, bills of exchange and interest rates . It was here that the transformation from forwarding agents to wealthy bankers took place, through the lending and the constant exchange with commercial activities. Among the first and then the most important banking families were the Bardi, Peruzzi and Acciaiuoli. These had branches in virtually all major European cities and exercised a monopoly on papal finances, influencing and financing the dynasties throughout Europe. The English King Eduard III then, in 1345, sent the banking families into bankruptcy, categorically refusing to repay the debt accumulated by the Hundred Years War against France. This was the great opportunity for the Medici family, who in turn built a widely branched banking house between 1348 and 1392, with several branches in major Italian and European cities. Florence became the centre of the Medici's banking activities and henceforth formed the basis for the subsequent unprecedented rise to become one of the richest and most powerful families of the time.

In this flourishing republic of the city, the patrician Medici family now pulled the strings discreetly but decisively und purposefully. The intrigues and deceptions were omnipresent, especially by the city's rival families. The Pazzi, Albizzi, Strozzi or Salviati, who were also immensely rich, longed for even more power and even more money. Piero da Vinci, Leonardo's father, had made the great leap to Florence, where he had begun to establish himself as a notary public. His brother Francesco also moved to Florence. From 1469 he belonged to the corporation of merchants of silk or Por Santa Maria. It was the largest corporation among the seven major arts in Florence. In his uncle Francesco, Leonardo saw a sort of substitute father. In fact, unlike his biological father, Francesco took care of Leonardo and became a reference figure in his adolescence. In Francesco's silk workshop in Vinci, Leonardo discovered both the charm of the colours and his extraordinary manual skills.

The career of Leonardo's father, Piero, was marked by his family tradition. In fact, he wanted to assert himself at all costs as a notary in the rich Florence where business was booming. For this reason, good notaries were in great demand, guaranteeing a certain order in financial and commercial conduct in a rapidly expanding city. The great leap in Piero da Vinci's career came when he was recommended to the Medici family in Florence. He seized the opportunity right away, proving to be punctilious and brilliant. In a short time, the Medici family became one of his best clients, but he also worked for the powerful ducal family of the Gonzaga family of Mantua. According to the documents, he soon moved into a house near Piazza della Signoria in 1469, near the political and commercial heart of the city. Piero da Vinci's dream came true suddenly, becoming one of the most respected notaries in the city of Florence. His notarial deeds, which ended with his death in 1504, are now preserved in the State Archives of Florence and are valuable testimonies of his time.

At first, however, Piero da Vinci was not very lucky in his private and family life. After the "premarital offence", he married Giovanni Amadori's 16-year-old daughter Albiera shortly after the birth of Leonardo. But this marriage was childless and his young wife died in 1464 - after a marriage of twelve years - at the age of only 28 years. After the premature death of his first wife Piero da Vinci married his second wife, the fifteen-year-old Francesca di ser Giuliano Manfredini, but she too died prematurely. She too was unable to give Piero da Vinci a legitimate heir. Only Piero's third wife, Margherita di Francesco di Jacopo di Guglielmo, whom Piero da Vinci married in 1475, 23 years after Leonardo's birth, gave him six children, including the desired son. But she too died prematurely. Piero's fourth wife, Francesca Lanfredini, gave the now famous notary, who is described in the chronicles as an art lover, six more children. The last son was born when Leonardo was 46 years old. Leonardo had a total of 12 half-brothers and stepsisters. Their names were: Antonio (1476), Maddalena (1477), Giuliano (1479), Lorenzo (1484), Violante (1485), Domenico (1486), Margherita (1491), Benedetto (1492), Pandolfo (1494), Guglielmo (1496), Bartolomeo (1497), Giovanni (1498).

Leonardo's mother, Caterina, married with the help of the old Antonio da Vinci Andrea di Giovanni di Buti who produced ceramics. He had the reputation of being a drunkard who had the nickname "Attaccabriga", as a troublemaker because he magically attracted the misfortune because of his impulsive character and his impetuous nature. Catherine had 9 other children with him. It is assumed that Leonardo's grandfather, Antonio da Vinci, provided Catherine with a modest dowry to marry her to "Attaccabriga". Only the names and dates of birth of five of Catherine's children born from her marriage to the humble potter are known: Piera (1454), Maria (1457), Lisabetta (1459), Francesco (1461) and Sandra (1463).

Leonardo spent the first five years of his childhood at his mother's house in Anchiano. These fundamental years for his training were spent with an irascible stepfather and must have been a hell for Leonardo. When the situation became unbearable and the mother gave birth to her second child with her new husband, her grandfather Antonio finally brought his grandson "Leonardo" to his home in Vinci. In addition to her grandparents Antonio and Lucia, she also lived here with her uncle Francesco, who became of fundamental importance to Leonardo, from whom she learned her passionate love for nature. His grandfather also taught him how to read and write,

exploring with him Mount Montalbano and showing him how to make majolica. Leonardo Lucia's grandmother ran a majolica factory in Vinci.

His paternal grandparents took care of his illegitimate grandson. It is clear from an official note by Antonio da Vinci. In a document dated 1457, his grandfather formally stated that Leonardo lived with him. Only a year later, in 1458, his grandfather died at the age of 96. It seemed that Leonardo had given him much pleasure until his death, especially as he was the only grandson at that time. That is why his grandfather explicitly listed him as an heir. He also considered his grandmother Lucia, his father Piero, his new stepmother Francesca Lanfredini, his uncle Francesco and his aunt Alessandra.

Leonardo's father, Piero, began his profession as a notary in Florence in 1459. Previously he had worked as a notary in Pisa and Pistoia. His only son for the time lived with him in Florence and Vinci, where his grandmother Lucia continued to take care of his majolica workshop despite his advanced age, until his death in 1469. During this period Leonardo did not receive the necessary classical training. At that time, in fact, the children of the city's bourgeoisie were taught grammar, mathematics and above all Italian Latin at the age of seven. Leonardo did not receive this training also because he was considered an illegitimate son. Instead, he could give space to his imagination in the workshop of his uncle Francesco, preparing himself for life through his practical experience. This is why Leonardo was unable to write and speak Latin throughout his life, provoking the ironic criticism of many contemporaries and rivals. Leonardo actually obtained his basic knowledge in Vinci from his grandfather Antonio, his uncle Francesco and from the priest Piero who had also baptized him. In this environment he was able to live in complete freedom and without any kind of constraint, learning the basic principles of life. Leonardo was allowed, for example, to write with his left hand, although it was generally considered the hand of the devil. He could also use mirror writing: from right to left, because it was more practical for a left-handed person.

Without the knowledge of Latin, which would have been the prerequisite for studying law, Leonardo could not follow in his father's footsteps. Instead, his father Piero had him instructed in arithmetic with the abacus - a simple mechanical calculus tool that Leonardo mastered in a very short time. The exercise of calculation with the abacus could be interpreted as an indication that Leonardo, according to the will of his father or grandfather, should have entered the business of money, which flourished magnificently in Florence as in no other city in Italy. The abacus was part of the equipment of every bank in Florence. But Leonardo soon demonstrated his extraordinary intelligence. He always liked to embarrass and confuse his teachers with constant questions. Leonardo lived in the family of his grandfather at least until the age of 13. Already at the age of fourteen, it is reported in some documents, he began to work hard in the workshop of the artist Andrea del Verrocchio in Florence. Probably he had previously worked for a short period in the same workshop for a short period, as was then customary before being finally hired.

The fact that Leonardo could not write and speak Latin did not make much difference to the Florence of the people and craftsmen. On the contrary, the three great Tuscan poets and writers Dante Alighieri, Francesco Petrarca and Giovanni Boccaccio had demonstrated in an impressive way with their Divina Commedia, the perfect sonnet poem by Canzoniere, and the magnificent collection of novels Decameron, that the Florentine language spoken and written in the city, called Volgare, had all the characteristics to become the language of Italian culture and literature, quickly demonstrating its value and soon establishing itself as the language of art and culture. Through the diffusion of written Florentine works of the literary triumvirate Dante, Petrarca and Boccaccio, the awareness of national unity based on common cultural values developed throughout the country. As a political entity, Italy did not exist, but culturally the feeling of being a national unity prevailed. Moreover, it was no longer necessary to write in Latin to narrate the universal themes of man. It could also be done using the vulgar Florentine language. The whole peninsula was a conglomerate of states and small states independent of each other. However, it was only in the nineteenth century that the Florentine language was finally accepted as the official language of the whole of Italy, putting an end to a long-standing dispute over the language.

The young Leonardo also wrote his prose in Florentine language and in this way he was in no instance inferior to the works of the great Dante, Petrarch and Boccaccio. His notes in volgare, the language spoken in Florence, are considered by critics as extraordinary examples for the entire Italian Renaissance. His prose is in a sense the profane pendant of the literary language of his famous Tuscan predecessors. Free from any rhetoric, his prose is unaltered and cares little about harmony and culture. Obviously, he reflects the language spoken in Florence at that time: with its colourful expressiveness, robustness and precision. His Florentine is not the language of scholars, but of simple people. As with his paintings, his prose is always proactive, energetic, imperfect and modern, making it playfully compete with Giovanni Boccaccio, considered the father of Italian prose. Today there are more than 8000 sheets of over 16,000 pages of Leonardo's notes written in the vernacular that listed all sorts of observations and insights. Leonardo did not publish any of his writings. It can be assumed, however, that Leonardo has filled at least 60,000 or even 100,000 pages in the vernacular: notes that he completed illustrating with the corresponding drawings. Many of these pages would still be hidden in some remote archive.