Milan and "Seashells"

For nearly two decades, Leonardo da Vinci served as a court artisan to Ludovico Sforza, the Duke of Milan. The nearby Alps provided an ideal spot for da Vinci’s research on fossils and rock formations. A popular story tells the tale of a group of peasants who brought da Vinci a sack of “seashells” they had found in the mountains. Additionally, da Vinci often hiked and explored in surrounding mountains, recording his observations and furthering his radical but correct geological theories.

Parent Map

da Vinci and the Renaissance Map

Coordinates

Latitude: 45.464203500000
Longitude: 9.189982000000

Timeline of Events Associated with Milan and "Seashells"

Date Event Manage

Milan and "Seashells"

From 1482 to 1499, Leonardo da Vinci served as a court artisan to Ludovico Sforza, the Duke of Milan. During his time in Milan, da Vinci was able to not only paint and sculpt but also to study a wide variety of other subjects: nature, flying, mechanics, anatomy, and more. da Vinci reportedly hiked in the nearby Alps and often explored various caves where he studied fossils and rock formations. One day, a group of peasants brought da Vinci (who was known for his interest in rocks) a sack of “seashells” they had found in the mountains, further proof of da Vinci’s developing theories on geology.