The Curriculum Vitae of a genius: a lesson on how to approch the labour market
How to make exceptional your resumè In 1482, Leonardo da Vinci left Florence and moved to Milan to the court of Ludovico Sforza known as “Il Moro” (“The Dark one”). At the time, Leonardo was 30 years of age and a well-established artist in search of professional challenges. In Milan, he was given the opportunity to express his talent, and thanks to the realisation of the monumental bronze equestrian statue of Francesco Sforza, Ludovico’s father, Leonardo ended up staying in Milan until 1499.
Before moving to Milan, the artist had sent the duke a letter that looked like a proper job application. Leonardo literally wrote a sort of resumè presenting his abilities and organising them in ten points: nine of them illustrated his skills in building weaponry and war machinery, and only the last one briefly described his artistic qualities. This is quite strange, especially if we keep in mind that Leonardo has always been considered a pacifist. Not only did he define war as a “beastly madness” in many passages of his writing, he also wrote, next to his project of a submarine that he designed to sink enemy boats, the following words: “ I shall not make this public, because the nature of man is evil”. Scholars, therefore, think that Leonardo might have focused on his skills in building weapons to impress the duke, who might have benefitted from having such a military expert at his service in those troubled years.
Leonardo’s letter was found among the Atlantic
Codex and is currently held at the Biblioteca Ambrosiana in Milan. Here’s a
version of it, translated from an adaptation of Leonardo’s text into modern
Italian:
Avendo, Signor mio illustrissimo, visto e considerato oramai ad sufficienza le prove di tutti quelli che si reputano maestri e compositori de instrumenti bellici: e che la invenzione e operazione di dicti instrumenti non sono niente alinei dal comune uso; mi exforzerò, non derogando a nessun altro, farmi intendere da vostra execellenzia, aprendo a quella li secreti miei: e appresso offerendoli ad ogni suo piacimenti, in tempi opportuni opearre con effecto circa tutte quelle cose, che sub brevità in parte saranno qui sotto notate (e ancora in molte più, secondo le cocorrenzie de’ diversi casi)
Ho modi di ponti leggerissimi e forti, e atti a poratre facilissimamente, e con quelli seguire e alcune volte (secondo le occorrenze) fuggire li inimici, e altri securi e inoffensibili da foco e battaglia, facili e commodi da levare e pnere, è modi de ardere e disfare quelli de l’inimico.
o in la obsidione de una terra toglier via l’acqua dè fossi, e fare infiniti ponti, gatti, e scale, e altri instrumenti pertinenti ad dicta expeditione.
Item, se per altezza de argine, o per fortezza de loco et de sito non si potesse in la obsidione de una terra usare l'officio de le bombarde, ho modi de ruinare omni rocca o altra fortezza, se già nun fusse fondata in su el saxo.
Ho anchora modi de bombarde commodissime et facili da portare, et cum quelle buttare minuti (saxi a similitudine) di tempesta; cum el fumo di quella dando grande spavento all'inimico, cum grave suo danno et confusione.
Item, ho modi, per cave et vie secrete et distorte, facte senza alcuno strepito, per venire ad uno certo et disegnato lo[co], ancora che bisogniasse passare sotto fossi o alcuno fiume.
Item, farò carri coperti, securi et inoffensibili, i quali entrando intra li inimica cum sue artiglierie, non è si grande multitudine di gente d'arme che non rompessino. Et dietro a questi poteranno sequire fanterie assai, illesi e senza alcun impedimento.
Item, occurrendo di bisogno, farò bombarde, mortari et passavolanti di bellissime et utile forme, fora del comune uso.
Dove mancassi le operazione de le bombarde, componerò briccole, manghani, trabuchi et altri instrumenti di mirabile efficacia, et fora del usato; et insomma, secondo la varietà de' casi, componerò varie et infinite cose da offender et di[fendere].
Et quando accadesse essere in mare, ho modi de molti instrumenti actissimi da offender et defender, et navili che faranno resistenzia al trarre de omni grossissima bombarda et polver et fumi.
In tempo di pace credo satisfare benissimo a paragone de omni altro in architectura, in composizione di edificii publici et privati, et in conducer acqua da uno loco ad uno altro.
Item, conducerò in scultura di marmore, di bronzo et di terra, similiter in pictura, ciò che si possa fare ad paragone de omni altro, et sia chi vole.
Item si poterà dare opera al cavallo di bronzo, che sarà gloria immortale et aeterno onore de la felice memoria del Signore vostro patre et de la inclita casa Sforzesca.
Et se alchuna de le sopra dicte cose a alchuno paressino impossibile et infactibile, me offero paratissimo ad farne experimento in el parco vostro, o in quel loco piacerà a VostrA Excellentia, ad la quale humilmente quanto più posso me recomando.
Having ascertained that none of those people who claim to be inventors of innovative war instruments actually created anything new, I will reveal my secrets in this field to Your Excellency, and will put them into practice when necessary. Hereunder, I briefly list the things that I am able to do (though I am capable of doing much more, according to need):
I am able to build bridges, sturdy but easy to handle, both to attack enemies and to escape, as well as bridges to be used in battle, which resist fire and are easy to assemble and disassemble; furthermore, I know how to burn the enemy’s bridges.
In case of a siege, I know how to remove water from ditches and how to create siege engines suitable for this purpose.
If, again in the case of a siege, a fortress is impregnable to normal bombards, I can crumble any fortification, even the most durable one. I designed very bombards that are easy to handle that launch projectiles in the likeness of a storm, so as to provoke fear and confusion in the enemy. I am able to design and realise, with as little noise as possible, underground routes to reach specific places, even below ditches and rivers.
I shall build covered wagons that are safe, unassailable and equipped with artillery; they will succeed in breaking the enemy ranks, opening the way for the infantry to advance easily and without obstacles. If need arises, I will build bombs, mortars and cannons [to throw stones and “projectiles”] that are beautiful, functional and are reworked in innovative ways. If bombards are not enough, I will build catapults, onagers, ballistae [machines for throwing stones and “fire projectiles”] and other effective war machines, again in an innovative manner; depending on the situation, I will construct endless means of offence and defence
In the event of a battle at sea, I know effective means of defence and offence, and I can build ships that resist any kind of attack.
In times of peace, I am able to meet any requirement in the field of architecture, of public and private building, and in designing canal systems. I can make statues in marble, bronze and terracotta, and paintings of any kind. I can realise the bronze equestrian monument that will forever celebrate the memory of your father [Francesco] and of the noble house of Sforza.
If the things I promised to do seem impossible and unattainable, I am willing to provide a trial anywhere Your Excellency, to whom I humbly recommend myself, might wish.
Leonardo da Vinci
