Summary
The author discusses a previously unknown early sixteenth-century renaissance handmade anatomical miniature skull. The small, naturalistic skull made from an agate (calcedonia) stone mixture (mistioni) shows remarkable osteologic details. Dr. Saban was the first to link the skull to Leonardo. The three-dimensional perspective of and the search for the senso comune are discussed. Anatomical errors both in the drawings of Leonardo and this skull are presented. The article ends with the issue of physiognomy, his grotesque faces, the Perspective Communis and his experimenting c. 1508 with the stone mixture and the human skull. Evidence, including the Italian scale based on Crazie and Braccia, chemical analysis leading to a mine in Volterra and Leonardo’s search for the soul in the skull are presented. Written references in the inventory of Salai (1524), the inventory of the Villa Riposo (Raffaello Borghini 1584) and Don Ambrogio Mazenta (1635) are reviewed. The author attributes the skull c. 1508 to Leonardo da Vinci.
Zusammenfassung
Der Autor erörtert einen vorher noch unbekannten von Hand gemachten anatomischen Miniaturschädel aus dem frühen sechzehnten Jahrhundert. Der kleine, naturalistisch wirkende Schädel wurde aus einer künstlichen Mixtur genannt „Mistioni“ aus Agate (Calcedonia), eine mikrokristalline Varietät des Minerals Quarz gemischt u.a. mit Gips gemacht und zeigt bemerkenswerte osteologische Details. Der erste, der eine Verbindung zu Leonardo Da Vinci machte, war Dr. Saban aus Paris. Die dreidimensionale Perspektive und die Suche nach dem „Senso Comune“ werden besprochen. Anatomische Fehler, die sowohl in den Zeichnungen Leonardos als auch in diesem Schädelmodell vorkommen, werden präsentiert. Der Artikel schließt mit dem Thema der Physionomie, seinen grotesken Köpfen, der „Perspective Communis“ und seinen Experimenten um 1508 mit der Mischung Mistioni und dem menschlichen Schädel ab. Beweise, inklusive der angewandten italienischen Maße wie Crazie und Braccia sowie eine chemische Analyse, die zu einer bestimmten Mine in Volterra führt und Leonardos Suche nach dem Sitz der Seele werden vorgeführt. Schriftliche Hinweise im Nachlass von Salai (1524), dem Inventar der Villa Riposo (R. Borghini 1584) und D. A. Mazenta (1635) werden begutachtet. Der Autor schreibt diesen Schädel Leonardo da Vinci um 1508 zu.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Missinne S. A newly discovered early sixteenth-century globe engraved on an ostrich egg: the earliest surviving globe showing the new world. Portulan. 2013;87:8–24.
Renteux JL. The oldest surviving globe showing the new world: c. 1504. globe discovered by a Belgian scholar. Maps Hist. 2014;44:29–32.
Ahner E. Schädeldarstellungen der Renaissance in Italien—Ein Miniaturschädelmodell als historisch-anthropologische [Magisterarbeit]. Albert- Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg i. Br; 2007.
Borgato MT. The first applications of the metric system in Italy. The history of science and the cultural integration of Europe. Proceedings of the 2nd ICESHS, Cracow, Poland; 2006.
Saban R, Salf E. Une curiosité anatomique: un crâne miniature en marbre, témoin pathologique? Hist Sci Méd. 1996;30(4):437–47.
Reti L. The two unpublished manuscripts of Leonardo da Vinci in the Bibliotheca Nacional of Madrid II. Burlington Mag. 1968;110(779):81–9.
Pazzini A. Le Pietre Preziose Nella Storia Della Medicina E Nella Leggenda. Roma: Casa Editrice Mediterranea; 1939.
Ceretti Borsini O. Bellezza e Magia delle Gemme. Milano: Ceschina; 1972.
Bernardoni A. Leonardo and the “Chemical Arts”. Nuncius. 2012;27:11–55.
Galluzzi P. Leonardo da Vinci: from the “Elementi Macchinali” to the man-machine. Hist Technol. 1987;4:235–65.
Reti L. Le Arte Chimiche di Leonardo da Vinci. Chim Ind. 1952;11:655–67.
Venturelli P. Leonardo da Vinci e le arti preziose. Venice: Marsilio; 2002.
Kemp M. “Il concetto dell’Anima”. Leonardo’s early skull studies. J Warburg Courtauld Inst. 1971;34:115–34.
O’Malley CH, Saunders JB de CM. Leonardo on the human body. Dover Publications Inc; 1983.
Laurenza D. De figura umana. Fisiognomica, Anatomia e Arte in Leonardo, Biblioteca di Nuncius (42). Florence: Leo S. Olschki; 2001. Footnote 24, p. 18.
Del Maestro R. Curator of the exhibition, The search for the soul, Panel 4, London. 1996.
Nuland S. Leonardo da Vinci. A Life. New York: Penguin Putnam Inc; 2000.
Pedretti C. Leonardo da Vinci on painting, a lost book (Libro A). Berkely: University of California; 1964.
Gombrich EH. Leonardo da Vinci’s method of analysis and permutation. The Grotesques Heads. In: The heritage of Apelles. Studies in the art of renaissance. Oxford: Phaidon Press; 1976. p. 57–75.
Kwakkelstein MW. Leonardo da Vinci’s grotesques heads and the breaking of the physiognomic mould. J Warburg Courtould Inst. 1991;54:127–36.
Ost H. Leonardo-Studien. Beiträge zur Kunstgeschichte. Berlin: De Gruyter; 1975.
Borghini R. Il Riposo. 1584. Repr. Rosci M.P. Milan; 1967.
Mazenta DA. Le memorie su Leonardo da Vinci. Gramatitac DL. Milan: Analecta ambrosiana; 1919.
Kemp M. Leonardo da Vinci. The marvellous works of nature and man. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2006.
Shell J, Sironi G. Salaì and Leonardo’s legacy. Burlington Mag. 1991;133:95–108.
Pedretti C. Leonardo da Vinci Codex Atlanticus, a catalogue of his newly restored sheets. Part II, Vol. VII–XII. Italy: Johnson Reprint Corp; 1979. p. 145.
Ahner E. Die Lee/hre des Schädels. Kulturhistorische Studien zur Provenienz und Bedeutung eines außergewöhnlichen Kunstwerks. Schloss Gottorf: Stiftung Schleswig-Holsteinische Landesmuseen; 2012. p. 1–12.
Acknowledgements
The author would like to acknowledge the expertise and help of so many in performing this research, and particularly the many academics, photographers, authors, proofreaders and experts in different fields and in so many countries who pledged to keep this information confidential until publication. These include Mag. Elisabeth Ahner, Expert Jan De Graeve, Expert Manfred Mandl, Expert Ashley Barnes, Architect and Skull Expert Michel Grandsard, Expert Pierre Dumolin, MR Dr. Wolfgang Ladenbauer, Terry Childs BChE and MAS, Dott. Marisa Addomine, Dott. Laurenzo Domenico, Mag. Andrea Missinne, Dr. Kurt Guckelsberger, Art Chamber Experts Simone and Peter Huber, Tina-Maria Seyfried, Mag. G. and MD W. Rolshausen, DDr. Bernd Kromer, Dr. Carlo Pedretti, Archduke Dr. M.S. Habsburg-Lotheringen, Univ. Prof. Dr. Nick Kanas, Curator Martin Clayton, Univ. Prof. Dr. Andrea Bernardoni, Univ. Prof. Dr. Vincenso Pascucci, Univ. Skull Expert Prof. Dr. Rolando del Maestro, Curator MA Iris Metje, Dir. Dr. M. W. Kwakkelstein, Dr. Daniel Brownstein, Primarius Pr. Univ. Prof. Dr. H. Resch, Univ. Prof. Dr. Benjamin B. Olshin, Art Expert Peter Wachholz, MA Yasmin Koppen, Dr. Dietrich Seybold, Mag. Suzanne Leitner-Böchzelt, Dir. Univ. Prof. Dr. Donatella Lippi, Expert MD Francis C. Wells, Dir. Kim H. Veltman, MD Don Pezzutto, Univ. Prof. Dr. Kurt W. Becker, Dir. Dr. Wilfried Rosendahl, Univ. Prof. Dr. Walter Alvarez, Martina Ribechini, Dir. Dr. Luisa Ottolini, Claudia Mazzotti UCSB ScienceLine, Dr. Jane MacLaren Walsh, Dr. Vera Hammer, Dr. Michele Marincola, Dr. Armin Schlechter, Prof. Dr. Annibale Mottana, Prof. Dott. Vanni Gorni, Univ. Prof. Dr. Maurits Biesbrouck, Univ. Prof. Dr. Omer Steeno, Univ. Prof. Dir. Dr. Thomas Schnalke, Paola Mazzicchi, Curator Dott. Claudio Giorgione, Dott. Silvio Leydi and Dr. Beket Bukovinsá.
Conflict of interest
The author declares that there is no actual or potential conflict of interest in relation to this article.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Missinne, S. The oldest anatomical handmade skull of the world c. 1508: ‘The ugliness of growing old’ attributed to Leonardo da Vinci. Wien Med Wochenschr 164, 205–212 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10354-014-0282-0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10354-014-0282-0