Leonardo da Vinci's Machine Gun

Description: 

This image depicts a sketch of Leonardo da Vinci's design for the first machine gun. It was known as a 33-barreled organ since the barrels of the gun resembled the pipes of an organ. The barrels of the gun were mounted on a revolving triangular piece. The idea was that simulatenously the first side would fire, the second side would cool down, and the third side would be loaded. Da Vinci was commissioned to create this piece by Cesare Borgia. The exact date of the piece is not known, but it is known that da Vinci was a patron of Borgia from 1502 to 1503.

“Progetto Organico Leonardo Da Vinci.” Wikipedia Commons, 27 June 2007, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Progetto_organo_Leonardo_da_Vinci.jpg.

Associated Place(s)

Artist: 

  • Leonardo da Vinci

Image Date: 

circa. 1502