5 things you might not know about Leonardo da Vinci
One of the most famous yet enigmatic figures in history, we sussed out the facts you might not know about Leonardo
1
He was (probably) a vegetarian
His love of animals was so great that he purportedly refused to eat them.
2
… and he was a leftie
Not only was he left-handed, his notebooks are written in a mysterious mirrored handwriting.
3
He was brought up by his grandfather
His parents were not married, and he appears to have been brought up by his father's family.
4
… and da Vinci was not his last name
Vinci is actually the name of the Tuscan town where he was born - ‘da Vinci’ meaning ‘from Vinci’.
5
There are hidden drawings beneath some of his most famous paintings
We first discovered glimpses of a drawing beneath his painting 'The Virgin of the Rocks' in 2005, and have recently uncovered even more...
Find out more about 'The Virgin of the Rocks' in our immersive exhibition:
Leonardo: Experience a Masterpiece