War machines

Leonardo’s interest in firearms dates back primarily to his first stay in Milan when he was in the service of Ludovico Sforza (1482-1499).

The machines he conceived document the changes taking place between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance regarding the art of war and systems of fortification. They focus especially on the search for solutions for enhancing shooting precision, firepower, and speed of loading weapons.

Artillery pieces, while still technically imperfect, were quite capable of inciting terror with their fire and smoke and the din from their explosions. These were employed on the battlefields together with launching machines, a further subject of interest for Leonardo, along with systems for overcoming obstacles during assaults.