2 ms·

“I simply found it impossible to believe that the mother of the greatest Italian genius would be a non-Italian slave,” he told me Why is this impossible to bel

by nequo 4y ago

“I simply found it impossible to believe that the mother of the greatest Italian genius would be a non-Italian slave,” he told me Why is this impossible to believe?

thewildginger 4y ago
If they are a historian something like this would take a mystical person like Leonardo even more mythological. It's almost folk-lore levels of impressive the origin of the greatest minds of western history would be from a less traditional background. If I was a historian I too would be skeptical. It's just almost too good to be true as far as someone who historically is often portrayed as a type of hero to humanity due to his artistic and objective contributions. One of the greatest painters in history was also born of a slave mother emancipated by that great and inspiring painter's father? It's even romantic! No one said it was impossible, just impossible for someone in a field of study to believe outright. Good on them for going out and finding out the truth for themselves. Id say that's what it's all about.
- jaclaz 4y ago
  A few years ago some researchers recreated (from fragments) one of Leonardo fingerprints and found some traits that are more common in populations of the middle east and thus claimed that the mother could have been a slave of levantine (arabic) origin: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/dec/02/arts.artsnews https://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/dec/02/arts.artsnews
- nequo 4y ago
  That wouldn't sound unusual to me at all. Inventors and researchers who break new ground are often from a non-mainstream subculture or from another culture altogether. People from such backgrounds see and approach problems differently. Turing, von Neumann, Erdos, Einstein, and many others came with non-mainstream backgrounds.
  - trilbyglens 4y ago
    Yes but this is the 15th century were talking about here. Societies were highly strategie, and upward mobility was rare and remarkable. The fact that she would have come from so far away, and had such a tale to tell is incredible.

by nequo 4y ago

“I simply found it impossible to believe that the mother of the greatest Italian genius would be a non-Italian slave,” he told me Why is this impossible to believe?

thewildginger 4y ago

If they are a historian something like this would take a mystical person like Leonardo even more mythological. It's almost folk-lore levels of impressive the origin of the greatest minds of western history would be from a less traditional background. If I was a historian I too would be skeptical. It's just almost too good to be true as far as someone who historically is often portrayed as a type of hero to humanity due to his artistic and objective contributions. One of the greatest painters in history was also born of a slave mother emancipated by that great and inspiring painter's father? It's even romantic! No one said it was impossible, just impossible for someone in a field of study to believe outright. Good on them for going out and finding out the truth for themselves. Id say that's what it's all about.

jaclaz 4y ago
A few years ago some researchers recreated (from fragments) one of Leonardo fingerprints and found some traits that are more common in populations of the middle east and thus claimed that the mother could have been a slave of levantine (arabic) origin: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/dec/02/arts.artsnews https://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/dec/02/arts.artsnews
nequo 4y ago
That wouldn't sound unusual to me at all. Inventors and researchers who break new ground are often from a non-mainstream subculture or from another culture altogether. People from such backgrounds see and approach problems differently. Turing, von Neumann, Erdos, Einstein, and many others came with non-mainstream backgrounds.
- trilbyglens 4y ago
  Yes but this is the 15th century were talking about here. Societies were highly strategie, and upward mobility was rare and remarkable. The fact that she would have come from so far away, and had such a tale to tell is incredible.