Leonardo da Vinci is considered one of the most prominent representatives of the Renaissance. This "universal man" was far ahead of his time with his ingenious creativity, discoveries, and research. The master left behind many unsolved mysteries, including the place of his burial. Da Vinci did not die in Italy, as many believe, but in France. However, many scientists are still arguing whose remains are actually buried under a granite slab bearing the name of the great master.
Leonardo da Vinci. Self-portrait.
After the death of Giuliano Medici, Leonardo da Vinci lost a powerful patron. When in 1516 he was invited by the French king Francis I to take the place of the court painter, the aged da Vinci without a drop of doubt agreed. At that time, France was actively involved in the Renaissance, so da Vinci expressed universal veneration. However, the artist was already 65 years old at that time. The master's strength left, the right hand went numb. He took paint in his hands less and less. Fate measured him to live in France for only a couple of years.
Castle Clos (Clos-Luce), place of death of Leonardo.
According to legend, the French king Francis I was at da Vinci's deathbed when he departed to another world. In the castle of Clos (Clos-Luce), where the great master died, the room in which Leonardo da Vinci lived is now open to the public. The interior of the apartments differs from the general style of the castle, as historians have tried to reconstruct the interior in the Renaissance style to the smallest detail.
Renovated room of Leonardo da Vinci in the Château de Clou (Clos-Lusset) in Amboise. France.
According to the will, Leonardo da Vinci was buried in the Church of Saint-Floratin in the city of Amboise. This is confirmed by the entry made in the church register in 1519: "In the gallery of this church was buried Mr. Leonardo da Vinci, a Milanese nobleman, the first painter, engineer and architect of the king, a state mechanic and a former painter of the Duke of Milan."
Church of Saint-Floraten, in the chapel of which Leonardo da Vinci was originally buried.
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As a result of the prolonged Huguenot wars that took place in the second half of the 16th century, the Church of Saint-Floraten gradually collapsed. The poor took away the sarcophagi of the aristocrats, among whom was the grave of Leonardo da Vinci. They even took the lids of the coffins, dumping the remains of the dead in one heap
In 1863, thanks to the vigor of the French critic Arsene Gousset, excavations were carried out on the site of the church. The found remains of the deceased were mixed, and the bones of Leonardo da Vinci were chosen at random. The critic Gusse was guided by a lifetime description of the artist's appearance - large stature, massive skull, high forehead. Next to the "suitable" remains were found stones with pretty worn letters INC. Then the researcher discovered slabs with the inscriptions LEO and DUS. Arsen Gusse was jubilant: the fragments formed into the name of the great master LEOnarDUS vINCius.
Chapel Saint-Hubert.
In 1874, the alleged remains of Leonardo da Vinci were reburied in the Saint-Hubert chapel. And at the original place of his burial after the First World War, a granite monument was erected.
In the chapel of Saint-Hubert there is a granite slab named after Leonardo da Vinci. An epitaph hangs nearby on the wall, which tells about the last years of the master's life and the transfer of his bones from the Church of Saint-Floraten. However, no one can reliably say whose remains lie under da Vinci's tombstone.
Tombstone of Leonardo da Vinci.
Granite slab and epitaph by Leonardo da Vinci in the Saint-Hubert chapel.