Leonardo da Vinci's Disenchantment and Contempt for Humankind. Aspects of his Personality Revealed in his Writings

In studying Leonardo’s writings, scholars and biographers have been struck by the fact that as an exceptionally prolific writer of daily observations, reflections, and experiences, he never speaks of his own feelings or his opinion of other people. This, they noted, is even more surprising considering his scientific and artistic concern with human emotions and their corresponding bodily expression. The modern consensus is that as a person Leonardo remains “elusive” as he preferred to keep his personal feelings and subjective judgements to himself. This paper seeks to revise this view. Instead, by arguing that as a writer Leonardo made subjective comments that reflect his attitude towards others, I aim to offer a perspective on his personality that is more nuanced than the picture his contemporaries and earliest biographers, who were unfamiliar with the contents of his manuscripts, painted of the artist.