I thought of da Vinci as a painter. I was fortunate to see the Mona Lisa in the Louvre in Paris. Leonardo was born in 1452 as the out of wedlock son of a noble man and a peasant women named Caterina in the region of Florence. It is interesting that he had no surname in the modern sense – da Vinci simply meaning of Vinci, a hill town in Italy. In spite of no formal academic training many historians and scholars regard Leonardo as a prime exemplar of the “Universal Genius” or Renaissance Man, an individual of “unquenchable curiosity” and “feverishly inventive imagination.” Revered for his technological ingenuity, Leonardo conceptualized flying machines, armoured fighting vehicles, concentrated solar power, an adding machine, and the double hull. Although his concepts were ahead of the state of metallurgy and engineering many of his drawings were later tested. The development of a bobbin winder and a machine to test the tensile strength of wire were used in manufacturing in his day. He is also often credited with the inventions of the parachute, helicopter, and tank. Add these to his unpublished work and discoveries in anatomy, civil engineering, geology, optics and hydrodynamics and you have reason to agree he was a Genius. In 2019 researchers at MIT validated the bridge design for the Ottoman empire to span the river estuary called the Golden Horn. It would have been 918 feet long with a flattened arch to allow sailing ships to pass. The bridge was an arch constructed of stone with no fasteners or mortar. Da Vinci included safety with wing wall abutments out to the side of the bridge steadying it during harsh wind conditions. The design incorporates architectural techniques that were not seen for another 300 years. The MIT students built the bridge on a 3D printer, the unique design was viable and would have withstood significant stress. The man was much more than a painter.
Standing the test of time is difficult. The preamble of the 1789 Constitution has not changed. “We the people of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” As we watch the current political conflict play out, the wisdom of the founding document comes to life. The House is doing the job that was designed for them as outlined in Section 2 of the Constitution “the House of Representatives shall choose their Speaker and other Officers, and shall have the sole power of Impeachment.” I recommend a quick read of the document, it is amazing how well the foundation has been laid for our great country. Perhaps many of our framers could qualify in the “universal genius” category. It would be helpful if all of the potential witnesses would testify – beats me why they wouldn’t if they could exonerate the President. Thurgood Marshall encouraged us as citizens, “where you see wrong or inequality or injustice, speak out, because this is your country. This is your democracy. Make it. Protect it. Pass it on.”
Seems our job is clear stay informed and involved. Enjoy the week end. Mike