In the early 16th century, a lion made of wood and metal appeared before the French royal court and stunned its audience. It walked on its own, lifted its head and opened its chest to reveal a bouquet of lilies (fleurs-de-lis). Created by Leonardo da Vinci, the lion was more than a feat of engineering. It served as a powerful gesture of diplomacy and innovation at a time when art, science and politics were closely intertwined.
“Art and science in Leonardo were never completely disconnected,” says Edoardo Zanon, scientific director at the Leonardo3 Museum in Milan, Italy, which features a modern reconstruction of the lion. “The mechanical lion is a complex project, both mechanically and symbolically, but perhaps it is bold to place it within Leonardo's artistic production and compare it to his great masterpieces.”
A Marvel of Art, Mechanics and Diplomacy
The lion was likely commissioned to commemorate a December 1515 meeting in Bologna between King Francis I and Pope Leo X, but its creation coincided with a broader political agenda. Da Vinci, then in the service of Pope Leo’s brother, Giuliano de’ Medici, had a front-row seat to the political choreography of early Renaissance Europe. The Medici family, who were exiled from Florence in 1492, aimed to return to power by securing the favor of the French crown.
“The Medici were eager to get back into Florence and in order to do so they needed the approval of the French king,” says Francesca Fiorani, a University of Virginia art history professor and resident da Vinci expert. “Hence, the need to flatter him in any possible way, including a gift from Leonardo da Vinci.”
Join the conversation as a VIP Member