The da Vinci Blog

Leonardo da Vinci--blogger? Maybe the "code" that the characters in Dan Brown's blockbuster novel The da Vinci Code should have been looking for, was not some obscure religious hieroglyphic--but actually html code. There was not much that Leonard da Vinci didn't do--and if he were alive today he would probably be blogging.

Just like any blogger, Leonardo was both artist and scientist; that is, he could probably write his own html code and create really great looking graphics. Michael J. Gelb writes in How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci that Leonardo was an obsessive notebook keeper. Gelb says that scholars have preserved over 7,000 pages of da Vinci notes which represents only about half of his total notebook production (that would be a lot of archiving).

Like any good blogger, Leonardo, "posted" regularly in his notebook about any topic that crossed his mind. According to Gelb, Leonardo's notebooks contained entries concerning personal finance, domestic problems, philosophy, prophecy, dreams, jokes, party plans, and even juggling (all excellent subjects for a contemporary blog). And don't forget, Leonardo accompanied all of his notebook musings with those wonderful sketches--er, graphic images.

Like most modern bloggers, Leonardo was a technology junkie--constantly planning and developing new inventions and ways to do things. If he were alive today, he would probably be in the forefront of blogging--augmenting his blog with audio and video feeds, crazy interactive widgets and reader polls. According to Gelb, Leonardo designed airplanes, helicopters, parachutes, and numerous modern weapons long before they were actually produced. He anticipated the scientific findings of Copernicus, Galileo, Newton, and Darwin years a head of his time.

On top of all of these amazing scientific feats, Leonardo managed to produce an astounding number of paintings such as the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. Just think what a great online store he could have with art work like this. He could monetize his blog and not have to rely on the patronage of princes and kings so he could be free to paint and sculpt what he really wanted.

He was, in short, the embodiment of the Renaissance man. Today, Gelb argues, a true Renaissance man or woman is computer literate, understands the vast power of the human mind and works to tap its potential, and also appreciates diversity in the world. If Leonardo were alive today, he would certainly meet and probably exceed these criteria.

I can see his blog now, can't you? The banner would probably incorporate one or more of his famous paintings. His author profile photo would surely feature that well-known self-portrait drawing. (Did you know that Lillian Schwartz in The Computer Artists' Handbook makes a case for Leonardo's self-portrait being the pattern for the Mona Lisa? His blog would probably feature a graphic of his self-portrait morphing into Mona, then back to Leonardo. Just the kind of clever thing an inventive blogger such as Leonardo might do.)

The da Vinci Blog. Or da Vinci's Doodles. Or Designs by da Vinci. I am sure Leonardo, being the great artist, scientist, and blogger, that he was, would come up with a much better name.