Leonardo da Vinci was a genius of his time. Image Credit: Svenska Familj-Journalen
A new study of da Vinci's work has lead experts to conclude that he could write and draw with both hands.
Widely celebrated for his scientific and artistic achievements, Leonardo da Vinci's genius was so vast that even today we are still learning new things about his remarkable skills and accomplishments.
Most recently, a team of researchers at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence who had been studying da Vinci's paintings and written works have determined beyond any reasonable doubt that the Renaissance genius was in fact ambidextrous - meaning that he was both left and right-handed.
The findings were based on a detailed examination of a particular painting known as Landscape (8P) which exhibits da Vinci's unusual 'mirror writing' on the front and his regular writing on the back.
It is now believed that each of these was written using a different hand.
"A comparison between the two inscriptions provides us with the confirmation of Leonardo's ambidexterity," the gallery wrote in a statement.
"A combined study of the materials used, of the typical features of his writing and a comparison between different documents has shown that the artist presumably used his left hand to write the front inscription in 'mirror writing', while he used his right one to write the back inscription ordinarily."
"Both forms of writing, while displaying a certain number of differences due to the use of different hands, share numerous key features that unquestionably display Leonardo's unique style."
I remember reading they thought that years ago. The article said the reason they knew he was born left handed is because he used his fingers a lot while painting thus leaving his fingerprints in the paint. It's one great way they have of authenticating his work, his own finger prints...which I thought was pretty cool.
I'm left handed, and an artist. I've tried writing, drawing and painting with both hands simultaneously. I was actually able to do it, as long as my motions mirrored each other, lol. Also, I've been a da Vinci fanboy ever since I first learned about him. A lot of my work is inspired by his anatomical sketchbook work.
I just remember in school, if the subject bored us, a few of us would write our notes backwards (mirror fashion). I am right handed and did this right handed - couldn?t do it left handed. 60 years on I can still write like this but have to think about it now - too many years of no practice!
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