Da Vinci's Machines

            Walking around the Leonardo Da Vinci museum in Vinci, I was amazed at the sheer number of inventions he envisioned in his lifetime. From flying machines, to tanks, to boats, Da Vinci seemed to think of it all. When it came to deciding what particular machines to focus on, Johee and I had a difficult time choosing just one. Overall, we were inspired by many of his aquatic machines, which employed inventive and unusual methods to control the movement of water. The aquatic machine that we found to be the most inspiring was one in which he planned to divert the course of the Arno River. In the first decade of the 16^th century, Da Vinci and Machiavelli collaborated together on a plan to change how the river flowed. The two men hoped to give Florence a route to the Tyrrhenian Sea, as well as divert the river from their military rival Pisa. Because of its placement on the river, Pisa had the ability to block Florence’s access to the sea, an event that would surely mean economic and political turmoil for the city. Together, Da Vinci and Machiavelli hoped to guarantee that this would not happen. Through their collaboration, the two men devised a plan that would not only make Florence a seaport, but also leave Pisa without a river of their own. With a series of canals and locks and a blending of politics, science, and technology, Da Vinci attempted to change the course of the river. Although the plan never moved past drawings and never came to fruition, it is a true testament to Da Vinci’s inventiveness. To be able to work on such a large scale and envision a completely different path for the Arno are true feats, and ones that could only be accomplished by Da Vinci himself.

At first, I was very nervous for this project. Having never done anything like this before, I did not know where to start. Although the Da Vinci Museum undoubtedly inspired me, I found myself struggling to think anything like Da Vinci. It wasn’t until we went to the store to collect materials that I felt our idea truly came to life. We gathered a variety of everyday objects and, much to my surprise, were able to turn them into something completely different. Suddenly, a paint roller became a crank, rulers were transformed into a ramp, and a trash can lid turned into a lever. Although our machine was different from Da Vinci’s original ideas to about how to divert the course of the Arno, I felt we were truly inspired by it. We found an inventive way to move water from one point to another all the while employing various machines we saw in the museum. In particular, the use of the crank and the lever were developed from drawings brought to life in the museum. In the end, I believe that we actually worked somewhat like Da Vinci on this machine. We worked with what we had and created something to the best of our abilities.