Leonardo's Legacy by Stefan Klein

Author:Stefan Klein
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: DaCapo Press
Published: 2010-04-29T16:00:00+00:00

THE PERFORMANCE OF THE MECHANICAL LION

Let us not forget that Leonardo earned his living by conjuring up dreams and illusions. After all, his primary task at the court was to entertain his patrons. Thus it was quite logical that his extended efforts at flying eventually resulted in a little mechanical bird, which was evidently designed to delight the guests of the French governor of Milan. During the period that Ludovico Sforza was still ruler of Milan, Leonardo had already proved a success as an entertainer. When il Moro arranged a brilliant political match between Isabella of Aragon and his nephew Gian Galeazzo in 1490, Leonardo was asked to devise a spectacle with the theme of “paradise on earth.” He had seven actors costumed as planet deities float from the sky to greet the bride. The spectacle was such a success that the guests referred to the wedding reception as the Paradise Festival. From then on, Leonardo enjoyed the monarch’s highest regard.

His mechanical lion was a sensation as well, as we learn from several documents. Michelangelo Buonarroti the Younger, a nephew of the famous artist, describes the appearance of this automaton at a banquet honoring the king of France’s entry into Lyons in 1515. The lion is said to have walked a few steps, then risen on its hind legs and opened its breast, revealing a bouquet of lilies, the coat of arms of the French royal family.13

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