Did You Know About Leonardo da Vinci – The Swimmer?

Did You Know About Leonardo da Vinci – The Swimmer?

Leonardo da Vinci (April 15, 1452-May 2, 1519) epitomized the concept of the “Renaissance Man.” He was an Italian polymath who, while best known for his dramatic and expressive artwork, was also an inventor, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor and architect. He was a vegetarian who loved animals and despised war. He remains a role model for applying the scientific method to every aspect of life, including art and music. But he was also a prolific draughtsman who kept detailed journals, with notes and drawings on every subject that caught his attention – including swimming.

From Leonardo’s scribblings in his notebooks, we can see how his curious mind worked and what drew him to swimming at a time when most Europeans did not know how to swim. He marveled at the way fish swam:

“Of the way in which they jump out of the water, as may be seen with dolphins; and it seems a wonderful thing to make a leap from a thing which does not resist, but slips away,” he said. “Of the swimming of animals of a long form, such as eels and the like. Of the mode of swimming against currents and in the rapid falls of rivers. Of the mode of swimming of fishes of a round form. How it is that animals which have not long hind quarters cannot swim. How it is that all other animals which have feet with toes, know by nature how to swim, excepting man. In what way man ought to learn to swim. Of the way in which man may rest on the water…How he ought to move his arms. How to swim on his back. How he can and how he cannot stay under water unless he can hold his breath.”

Da Vinci may have felt as home in the water as he was in his studio, and he may have understood the breath-holding techniques used by Budimir Šobat (24 minutes) or David Blaine (17 minutes) to remain underwater today. But he refused to divulge or publish them “by reason of the evil nature of men who would use them as means of destruction at the bottom of the sea, by sending ships to the bottom, and sinking them together with the men in them.”

Of the many inventions of which he drew images in his notebooks were several related to swimming. The most famous was a webbed glove and a device for surviving a shipwreck that appears like a modern life ring or inner tube. But he also made a design for a self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (think SCUBA) and shoes to be worn to walk on water.

We’ll never know how good a swimmer da Vinci was, but he was the first to approach the art of swimming from a scientific perspective.

Bruce Wigo, historian and consultant at the International Swimming Hall of Fame, served as president/CEO of ISHOF from 2005-17.

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Michael Loynd

2 years ago

Fun article on another lost nugget of history that Bruce has brought to light. Love these!