Leonardo da Vinci as a Scientist in Assessing the Encyclopedic Literature of Imperial Russia, the Soviet Union and the Russian Federation

Abstract

In frame of the technical session “Geometry and Graphics in History” in the subsection “Masters and Pioneers”, we reviewed the activities of the famous Italian Leonardo da Vinci and analyzed how his activities were evaluated in Russia at different times. What was the attitude of the Russian people to the Italian genius? How changed has the attitude to him and his activities in different historical periods? Over the last 3 centuries in Russia the revolution took place, changed the state system, came to power various rulers, and the life of the Russian people overturned three times. The authors of the article made an analysis of the encyclopedic literature, which was preserved in special storages facilities since czarist times. The results of the analysis were startling! Under such global state changes, when many Russian scientists became persecuted and subjected to harsh criticism, the Russian people opinion about the Italian Legend has always remained the same. In Imperial Russia and the Soviet Union, and now Russian people have always loved and revered by Leonardo for his work, for the diversity of his personality, his talent and ability. Never, nobody and not once, did doubt the genius of this Great scientist. This was due to the fact that Leonardo was not just a genius Italian painter. He was a multifaceted outstanding scientist of the World! His projects and sketches nudge to scientists around the world pushed to make new discoveries and inventions for the benefit of humanity.