V Gallery

Skull anatomy by Leonardo da Vinci

Skull anatomy by Leonardo da Vinci. Historical artwork and notes on the anatomy of the human skull and teeth, by the Italian artist and scientist Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519). This bisected skull shows the external structure (right), and dissected facial sinuses (left), the air-filled spaces inside the bones of the face. The diagram at lower left shows the teeth present in one half of the mouth: 4 incisors, 2 canines, 4 pre-molars, and 6 molars. Da Vinci was the first anatomist known to have correctly noted the number and root structure of human teeth. The notes are an example of his mirror writing, which was written backwards from right to left, and could be read in a mirror

© SHEILA TERRY/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Da Vincis helicopter

First helicopter design. Helicopter designed and drawn by the Italian inventor Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) in about 1500. This was the first helicopter designed to lift a person. The helical rotor was to be driven by the muscular power of the pilot. This meant that the helicopter would not have had enough power to take off. Leonardo devoted many years of research into studying flight and designing potential aircraft. Like many of his projects, the design was never published and the helicopter was never actually constructed. After Leonardo's death his notes lay unnoticed in a library until 1796. Successful helicopters were not developed until the 20th century

© Sheila Terry/Science Photo Library

1490 Leonardo Da Vinci colour portrait

Leonardo da Vinci, Italian artist and inventor (15 April 1452 - 2 May 1519). Engraved portrait by J. Posselwhite in The Gallery of Portraits 1835 with later colouring, ascribed from the engraving by Raffaelle Morghen, (itself after the undated self portrait by Leonardo da Vinci). Da Vinci was one of the most diversely talented people to have ever lived. His contributions to science include principally; anatomy, engineering and invention. Fritjof Capra (2007) argues that Leonardo's scientific approach was more integrated and holistic than Gallileo's or Newton's - making him a more direct antecedant of modern systems and complexity theory than those scientists. Darwin reportedly kept a version of this print as a muse on his study wall at Christ's College Cambridge

© This image is Paul D. Stewart 2009. Do not reproduce without permission of the photographer at Stewartpauld@aol.com.