Book I: DA VINCI SFUMATO - The Revelation - Book I - Essay

DA VINCI SFUMATO – The revelation – Book I - Essay
BOOK I
Partial or integral reproduction not permitted unless authorized by the author. 1
ESSAY
Legal registration in Canada ISBN 978-0-9812591-1-6

Preamble
Initially, DA VINCI SFUMATO was intended to be an academic

study. Instead, it slipped into an exhilarating odyssey inside the
minds of the most fascinating characters of the Renaissance period:
Leonardo Da Vinci, Christopher Columbus, Jacob Fugger and
Martin Behaïm.
What did they have in common?
The following pages will demonstrate that these four emblematic

characters were so close to each other, it was simply impossible to
understand what they were doing, not knowing first and foremost
their interdependency as a group. Keeping them apart, historians
have unwittingly fed a continuous flow of ill-founded hypothesis on
their respective lives; some hardly credible, others completely
erroneous.
At last, the discoveries resulting from this essay put an end to any
more speculation. DA VINCI SFUMATO (The Novel) derives from
this essay and is scheduled to be released on this site during the fall
2009.
——•——


Abstract
No one can withhold the truth indefinitely. Sooner or later, powered

by its own virtue, it restores itself.
During a very long period of time, a chronicle could not be written

without undergoing the scrutiny of the Inquisition. If not very
careful, even the author of a fable risked fuelling a blazing pyre in a
public square. Thus, creating a safer means of communication, by
any stretch of the imagination, became necessary in order to escape
the claws of the censorship. In so doing, History was filled with
tortuous lies to mask the facts deemed unbearable at face value.
After six centuries of Inquisition, it became crucial to sieve through
the facts as they are known today, to unearth the truth and restore
their true meaning. But so deeply are some myths entrenched in the
collective memory, even the truth needs to be corroborated, most
particularly relative to the lives of the characters mentioned
previously.
——•——


Introduction
Inevitably, with regards to Leonard Da Vinci’s life and works, the

question which begs an answer is: what part of his life did the
biographer Vasari improvise when he wrote The lives of the artists?
This essay raises many questions about Vasari’s erroneous

testimonials. Not only does it put Leonardo’s life within a more
comprehensive perspective, it also opens the gates to several
characters that influenced him greatly. They will in return reveal
Leonardo’s best kept secrets, barely hidden beneath a thin layer of
smoke. That’s how Leonardo avoided endangering their respective
lives: whether it is Queen Isabella, Christopher Columbus, Jacob
Fugger or Martin Behaïm.


Plenum
Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519)

He was born in Florence and died in France at the age of 67. The
only known self-portrait of the artist shows a far greater age. This
fact alone raises many questions about what has been said of him,
his life as well as his works. He was said to be the (illegitimate or
adopted) child of Ser Piero Fruosino di Antonio Da Vinci, a
Florentine Notary by profession, and Katrina, a Ukrainian refugee.
At the age of twenty, Leonardo qualified as master of the Guild of

Saint Luke and obtained his first appointment with the Medici. As a
result, he became a member of the San Marcos’ gardens under the
patronage of Lorenzo the Magnificent. (The members of the San
Marcos’ gardens were, among others: Andreas Verrocchio, Michael
Angelo, and Sandro Botticelli). It is believed, that, at age 24,
Leonardo had his own workshop in Florence. From 1476 on, there is
neither a clear record of his works nor of his whereabouts.
Everything said or reported about him is merely speculation.
Leonardo Da Vinci was famous for a technique called sfumato

(smoke) which added a subliminal touch of realism to his paintings.
He also used mirrors, perhaps as a metaphor to reflect on the
paradox of a society able to rejoice indifferently either in
accomplishments of great artistic and scientific value or watching
human beings burning alive at the stake. Conscious of this fact,
Francis Rabelais shouted the credo most universities refer to:
Science without conscience amounts to nothing more than the ruin
of the soul.
Leonardo Da Vinci had felt the threat of the predators lurking

behind every man in power. Given the slightest chance, he thought,
they will prey upon their victims and manage to go unpunished.
Leonardo had observed this phenomenon during the Pazzi
conspiracy in Florence where he saw these monsters in action. In the
spur of the moment he wrote:
I thought I was learning to live; I was only learning to die.

Giorgio Vasari (1511-1574)

Although he had benefited from a reputation of a well
renowned artist and biographer of his era, perhaps
unwittingly, he has shrouded Leonardo’s life more than
Leonardo himself ever intended to. Most deplorable is
the fact that the only eye witness able to shed some
light on Leonardo’s whereabouts, Beatriz Galindo has
been ignored. Had he known about Beatriz Galindo,
Vasari would have had to change his biography one
more time.
In his memoir Lives of the Artists, Vasari introduced Leonardo Da

Vinci in the following terms:
In the normal course of events many men and women are born with
remarkable talents; but occasionally, in a way that transcends
nature, a single person is marvelously endowed by Heaven with
beauty, grace and talent in such abundance that he leaves other men
far behind, all his actions seem inspired and indeed everything he
does clearly comes from God rather than from human skills.
Everyone acknowledged that this was true of Leonardo Da Vinci, an
artist of outstanding physical beauty, who displayed infinite grace in
everything he did and who cultivated his genius so brilliantly that all
problems he studied he solved with ease.
The fact remains, Vasari wrote this biography 50 years after

Leonardo Da Vinci had died and did not corroborate the
majority of his allegations. As a matter of fact, he had
never seen the portrait of Mona Lisa (the Giaconda)
when he stated she was Sforza’s mistress.
Beatriz Galindo - La Latina (1474-1534)

A Salamanca University professor is adamant about
Leonardo Da Vinci’s relationship with Queen Isabella
and about his presence in Spain. Yet, Vasari does not
breathe a word about this very important encounter
which would change for ever our understanding of
Leonardo’s life and give a whole new meaning to his works. Beatriz
Galindo wrote:

University of Salamanca, April 20, 1503

Without Queen Isabella’s support, I probably would not be a
professor at the University of Salamanca. (…) Being the only female
professor among a faculty of men, I am constantly undermined and
tried. (...), whereas Leonardo has great regards for Isabella (…)
University of Salamanca, May 21, 1503

This late afternoon, they gather at the faculty of Advance Studies for
the final touch ups on the painting. When all the students are gone,
the courtyard of the faculty becomes the quietest place on the
campus. Da Vinci must have chosen this area because the courtyard
is opened to the sky; the openness inspires him. Likewise, Queen
Isabella feels relaxed; she can be herself at last. Here, I feel all
emotions. Da Vinci can be the artist he is and Queen Isabella a
woman relieved from the burden of her crown.
I stand in the center of the courtyard admiring the architecture. To
be walking on the lush grass, makes me feel like I am walking on a
divine rug, too perfect to be man made. The enclosure of the
courtyard with the covered walkways surrounding us makes me feel
caught up within the boundaries of my profession. But as I am
drawn back to reality, I look up to the heavy pillars, head adorned
and spires pointing towards the sky, as I am reminded of the infinite
beauty of the sky; if I could stretch my arm a little further, I would
plunge my fingers in an ocean of stars.
Too bad, the initial background of the Court yard has been painted
over. Da Vinci argues that the former background drew too much
focus away from the subject. Now all that enhances his masterpiece
is a blur of grassy landscape. Nevertheless, I love that portrait. It
captures realistically Queen Isabella’s glowing aura. Personally, I
suspect Da Vinci is in love with the Queen, not necessarily the
person, but the virtues she characterizes: sincerity, romanticism and
affection. He is infatuated by her and he doesn’t know it. He
probably believes she is the perfect symbol of feminism.
——•——
Beatriz Galindo testimonials were discovered during the 19th century

only. Since then, she has been discarded in part because of Leonardo
Da Vinci’s own negligence. Other than one self portrait identified as
such, Vasari had rightfully noted about the artist: Beyond friendship,
Leonardo kept secret his private life. Once settled in France at the
end of his life, with the assistance of Francesco Melzi, the master
spent the best part of his time mostly putting his stacks of leaflets in
order. From an estimated 12,000 leaflets of notes, approximately
6,000 remain to this day and have been classified in the form of
several codexes, named after their respective owners.
Did Leonardo deliberately destroy the bulk of his own

compromising archives?
A consensus tends to confirm, the disappearance of these notebooks

took place when Salai, Leonardo’s protégé, inherited a large portion
of the master’s wealth. But then again, why would Salai destroy his
inheritance? And who is this odd character afflicted with such a
strange nickname?
A careful study of Leonardo’s life raises more questions than offers

clues, as if everything he did was to be kept secret. This lack of
precision is unequivocally deliberate and suggests Leonardo may
have been under oath not to tell his genuine life story. The following
fable he wrote is rather indicative of the dilemma he was confronted
to:
Once upon a time, there was a lad who had the bad habit of talking
too much. What a tongue complained his teeth! It never stops
twisting and turning. Who do you think you are answered the lad
upset? You teeth are merely a function to chew on what I put in my
mouth. You must focus on your task alone. The lad kept on talking
until his tongue swollen with new words that is until the day the lad
said a lie which twisted his tongue even more. His teeth could not
resist to the temptation to bite into it. Since then, the tongue got
quiet and now, the lad thinks twice before he speaks.
What did Leonardo fear so much, he had to remain silent?
16th century Spanish writer Miguel Cervantes cleverly said:

Tell me thy company, and I will tell thee what thou art. An invitation

to look into Leonardo’s life from a different perspective would

perhaps land new results and offer a better understanding on his life
and whereabouts.
Andreas Verrocchio (1435-1488)

In 1472, he was Leonardo’s teacher. In 1476, Court
records show Leonardo was charged for sodomy, with
three other young men, but all charges were dropped
when Verrocchio and the Notary testified in his favor.
Cosmus Medici (1389-1464)

He was the forebear of the powerful dynasty of
financiers and businessmen of the Republic of Florence.
(You will see this gold coin in a portrait by Sandro
Boticelli further down)
Lorenzo Medici, the Magnificent (1449-1492)

He was the heir of a dynasty, grand son of Cosmus.
Citizen emeritus of the Republic of Florence, he and his
brother Guiliano were victims of a plot warped by the
Pazzi family.
Angelo Poliziano wrote a chronicle relating the details
of this plot:
In 1099, upon his return to Florence, the forebear of the
family Pazzino was covered in glory for being the first
crusader to have entered Jerusalem. He was among the
most celebrated knights who sought refuge in the ruins of King
Solomon’s Temple, after having driven out the Arab invaders from
the holy city and having decimated its Hebraic population. The
knight-crusaders remained in the ruins of the Temple for nine years
during which they proceeded with a systematic search of the site. As
a result of their noble enterprise, they were called the Templars.
They claimed having been blessed by a divine clarity of the mind
during their stay in the ruins of the Temple which help them
discover several precious items. As a result of their mental

disposition, they were called the Illuminatis, the Enlightened. What

they found in the ruins of the Temple is not clear. However, the
legend tends to believe it was three things. First, the book of
Abraham, which provided the principles of all sciences, including
the know how to erect tall buildings of interlocking cut-stones, free
of masonry. Although a 1000 years earlier, 30,000 skilled Jews had
been sent to Rome to build the Coliseum on that same principle; this
knowledge had been somewhat lost and found by the Arab
conquerors after the debacle of the Byzantine Empire. Now such
precious knowledge was back in the hands of the European
Templars, and gave rise to a secret order called the Freemasons.
Second, the crusaders also found the staff of Jacob which granted a
divine inspiration when put to use for the common good of the
people. Third, the Templars found the book of Solomon: a treaty on
law and case studies, the jurisprudence as set by the Great
Sanhedrin. Both treaties in the hands of the Enlightened permitted
the advancement of sciences and opened the debate on Law and
order. The use of the staff of Jacob was yet to be discovered.
Blessed by the divine knowledge, the Freemasons benefited from a
great deal of admiration upon their return and as such, Pazzino
enjoyed a great deal of notoriety in Florence. Conscious of this
established fame and order, the Medici, a rich merchant family on
the rise, tried to create an alliance between both families when they
married their daughter to a member of the Pazzi family. As the
Medici got richer and the Pazzi less fortunate, the inevitable
happened and when in 1469, Lorenzo Medici, assisted by his young
brother Guiliano, opposed the expansionist ambitions coveted by
pope Sixtus IV for his nephew and lover, Raphael Riario, Cardinal
San Giorgio and duke of Imola, all hell broke loose.

In the presence of the Cardinal, at the church to

celebrate the Resurrection, Guiliano Medici was
stabbed in the chest by the vicar Baroncelli. Then,
the unfortunate fell into the arms of Francesco Pazzi
who struck him many more times. Eluding his
assailers, Lorenzo Medici managed to escape the
same fate. A movement of sympathy for Lorenzo
overwhelmed the city inhabitants. As such, anyone
remotely involved in this plot would face a swift
justice. The entire Pazzi family and conspirators,
except for the Cardinal San Giorgio, were either
hung or thrown out of windows from the towers.
Leonardo Da Vinci made a timely sketch of the
execution of Baroncelli. When the news reached the
pope, he was infuriated and launched a campaign of
reprisal against the inhabitants of Florence and its
government. Indeed, the pope had fomented the plot
and demanded the safe return of his nephew to
Rome. Furthermore, he had the audacity to
excommunicate Lorenzo. Determined to put a term to the hostilities,
the latter convened the members of his Art academy, San Marco’s
gardens, to take side with the Vatican since he was no longer able to
sponsor them. Michel Angelo left to Rome. As to Leonardo Da
Vinci, rather than working for such dubious Pope, he went to Milan
where he proposed his services accompanied by his alter ego Sandro
Botticelli.
Ludovico Sforza (1452-1508) Duke of Milan (1479-

1499).
He was formally invested with Milan by Emperor
Maximilian 1st of Austria who had married his sister
Maria Bianca. This alliance was much needed to
avoid a direct clash with the French who had
territorial claims in Milan and to shield the city from
potential hostility from Naples.
Ludovico Sforza held a brilliant court and generously
contributed to the advancement of arts and sciences.
The constant plague of war in Italy spearheaded the
need for modern weaponry. Leonardo seized on the opportunity for

the development of new arms and war concepts as

expressed in his application for a new appointment
addressed to Sforza, presumably forwarded to his
mentor:
Emperor Maximilian 1st (1459-1519):
Most illustrious Lord, having now sufficiently seen

and considered the proofs of all those who count
themselves masters and inventors of instruments of
war, (…) offering myself at your pleasure to
effectually demonstrate at any convenient time all those matters
which are in part briefly described below (…):
I can construct bridges light and strong and portable;
In case of a siege I can cut off water from the trenches and make
pontoons and scaling ladders; I can demolish every fortress if its
foundations have not been set on stone; I can make cannons light
and easy to carry; I can build passages under a river; I can make
armored cars carrying artillery, which shall break through the
ranks of the enemy; I can construct mobile cannons and mortars;
When it is impossible to use cannons I can supply instead catapults;
And if the fight should take place upon the sea, I can build
ships which can resist fire.
Unfortunately for Leonardo, the French army quickly

invaded Milan; Sforza fled the city and found an asylum in Austria.
It stands to reason to believe Leonardo went along with his new
patron to Augsburg, where another dynasty of bankers yet emerged:
the Fuggers.
Jacob Fugger (1459-1525)

He was born in the city of Augsburg. Considering
the unprecedented wealth the Fuggers had
accumulated, (more or less equal to the addition of
the top 100 German corporations today) Jacob “the
rich” was solicited by all crown heads of states for
bankrolling either their wars, or their self-
indulgence; Maximilian 1st for battling the French,
and Pope Sixtus IV for his frantic expenditures. In

these circumstances, Jacob Fugger was not about to repeat Lorenzo

de Medici’s mistake. In 1476-78, he went to Rome where he
received an exceptional welcome by the pope and presumably
obtained a referral letter to the benefit of his protégé Martin Behaïm.
Ferdinand, King of Aragon (1452-1516)

Further away from Rome, the King of Aragon and
the Queen of Castile were also in need of a financier,
since they were contemplating a war against the
invaders of the peninsula they swore to expulse,
while their treasury was dry.
Martin Behaïm (1459-1507)

Also known as Martin of Bohemia, he was a wealthy
Jewish astronomer - cartographer, born in
Nuremberg, died in Lisbon. As early as 1478, he was
an agent for the Fuggers at Antwerp and Lisbon. The
King of Portugal, presumably much obliged by the
Pope, ennobled the astronomer Duke of the
Madeira’s and put him in charge of the Academy of
Mathematics. Behaïm created among other things the
first globe of the Earth, the astronomical tables
necessary for ascertaining the declination of the sun
Historians are and an Astrolabe he nicknamed “the Staff of Jacob”,
convinced, there is evidently in honor of his illustrious patron, Jacob
no such thing as a Fugger. In all probability, his name is Benhaïm and
live portrait of the not Behaïm, a Hebrew name which stands for Son of
Admiral Life.
Christopher
Columbus: Christopher Columbus (1451-1506)
The famous captain had two sons: He married the
? hereditary heiress of the Madeira Islands; Diego’s
mother, and had an illegitimate son called Fernando,
supposedly a child the Admiral had with a peasant woman.
Strangely enough, each time an illegitimate child is born, his mother
is conveniently reported as being a peasant.
Although there is no mention of Martin Behaïm in Columbus’s life

as reported by his son Fernando, the fact remains that both men had
the same acquaintances in Lisbon, were engaged in the same
occupation and resided in the Madeira Islands at the same time.
Evidently the odds tend to prove their meeting. It stands to reason to
think Columbus could not have learned the celestial navigation other
than being in contact with Martin Behaïm, who also had access to
the most precious maps of the Tesoria of Portugal.
Who would dare build a new bi-level city in 1480, amidst the chaos
afflicting the entire Italian peninsula?
Why would Leonardo ever propose such a weird segregationist

concept whereas the Ghetto which had been conceived 250 years
earlier had already proven to be very reliable? According to the
plans, the town was conceived bi-level, supposedly for the poor
people below and the rich above. What could possible trigger the
need of such unique concept in Italy, as opposed to Columbus’ need
in the New World? Was he not desperately trying to avoid the clash
of two distinctive societies? As a matter of fact, the constant bloody
riots between settlers and natives had caused Columbus a major
setback. He came close from losing his own life during the course of
the first riot.
In deed, Europeans considered their society as being a much
superior civilization than the natives they called Caribbean (men-
eaters). The plans of an ideal city, Leonardo had supposedly drawn
up for Sforza, must have been in fact the plans of Isabella city, the
first city of the New World. In this event, it would stand to reason to
think the architect would first and foremost inquire about the
topography of the site, the elevation of the terrain, fresh water
supply and so on. In this event, it would imply that Leonardo Da
Vinci crossed the ocean with Christopher Columbus.
Was Leonardo only planning a city or was he involved in Spain on a

greater scale?
The above could reasonably explain why Leonardo did not
participate in the Vatican project and support Beatriz Galindo’s
affirmation about Leonardo’s presence in Castile. Considering, at
first, the Reconquista did not seem to be an easy task. To the

contrary, the Spaniards encountered a fierce resistance from the

Arabs. Perhaps the combined forces of Castile and Aragon would
not suffice to supersede the might of the Caliphate. Meanwhile, the
Queen despaired, as the Inquisition had begun to devastate the ranks
of the Spanish-Jewish population, those among the Desperados who
followed through on her recommendation to convert to Christianity
trusting their lives would be spared.
Is it possible Leonardo Da Vinci, Christopher Columbus, Martin

Behaïm and Jacob Fugger gathered in Spain to prepare a covert
operation aimed at saving the Spanish Jews from slaughter?
If Behaïm met Columbus and Leonardo around the same time, it

would perhaps be reasonable to think all three men congregated in
Castile to put their respective geniuses to work in unison, under the
good auspices of Jacob Fugger.
What else would justify the arrival of an armada of 100 ships full of
mercenaries and ammunition to help the Spanish sovereigns
overthrow the Arabs? According to Nervo’s chronicles, this armada
was a present from Maximilian 1st to Queen Isabella. However, we
know for a fact, Maximilian was entirely at the mercy of Jacob
Fugger’s financial support. Interestingly, according to Fernando’s
biography, upon his return from the second crossing, Columbus was
convened to join the Sovereigns at Burgos where they were busy
celebrating the matrimony of their son, the infant prince Don Juan
to Maximilian’s daughter, the Archduchess Margarita of Austria.
This event necessarily places Columbus in the presence of Jacob
Fugger in Spain, although it is not precisely mentioned in any of the
chronicles.
Is it possible Leonardo put to use his formidable weapons in a covert

operation in Spain? Adversely, Vasari claims that in 1480 Leonardo
went to Venice, where he put his talent to work in the eventuality of
a Turkish invasion. The fact is, at the same time, immediately upon
their arrival in Spain, the Austrians managed, with the Spaniards, to
build enormous towers, portable bridges and then successfully
bombarded the walls of Malaga, the last stronghold before Granada,
exactly as per the description of Leonardo’s war concepts as
described earlier in the letter addressed to Sforza.

Pope Sixtus IV (Francesco Della Rovere) (1414-

1484)
Presumably, when Jacob Fugger committed to the
financing of the project taking place at the Vatican,
he did not know Pope Sixtus had already planned a
demoniacal pact with King Ferdinand meant to raise
funds by reestablishing the Inquisition in Castile.
The King and the Pope, both knew how this
extreme measure, despite its bloodiness, would turn
out to be profitable as it had once before, when the
Inquisition first hit Aragon. In addition, Pope Sixtus had an ulterior
motive to meddle in Spanish affairs. In 1482, the Queen encountered
a power struggle with the Pope concerning the nomination of a
Cardinal in Spain. The Pope proposed once again to appoint his
nephew, but the Queen disagreed. The Pope declared:
I am the absolute ruler of the Church, and as such, I am not about to
consult with the sovereigns of this world about matters of the
Church.
Strangely enough, after an intense exchange of messengers and
ambassadors, the Pope had a sudden change of heart and
surrendered to the Queen’s demand. However, considering the
Pope’s harsh reaction during the Pazzi conspiracy, it would be naïve
not to think that, the vindictive Pope would let such humiliation go
unpunished for too long.
Presumably, King Ferdinand had grown tired of being the second

fiddler in Castile and conspired with the Pope for the destitution of
the Queen. King Ferdinand had this obsessive ambition to reunite
Spain and Portugal under one crown; his own. In order to reach his
goal, he would have to, first get rid of the Queen and then propose
the Bertrandeja, Enrique IV’s bastard-daughter Joan, sole contender
for both crowns of Castile and Portugal. In so doing, the deceitful
Pope would have had his ultimate revenge on the Queen. According
to Nervo, the King extorted the Queen’s consent on the decree of
expulsion of the Spanish-Jewish population.
Considering, the Queen was the sole ruler in Castile and fiercely
opposed to both the Inquisition and the deportation of her Jewish

population, how did the King manage to extort her consent?

When solicited to take over the throne of Castile from her ill minded
half-brother King Enrique, Isabella had stated:
I am flattered by your consideration, however the throne of Castile
is too narrow to accommodate two crowns, and the royal authority
cannot be shared?
Obviously, all is not well between the King and the Queen.
Therefore, to coerce the Queen into signing a decree, the King
probably discovered a secret the Queen was desperately trying to
conceal. A secret that would most definitely lead to her destitution if
revealed to the Cortes (Senators), as it had been brought to bear on
King Enrique.
According to Nervo, during the siege of Malaga, the Queen
retreated to Toledo, where she suffered a miscarriage caused by
extended horseback riding imposed upon her by the war. In these
circumstances, this intriguing sudden need of privacy could also
lead to a far different conclusion:
Did the Queen give birth to an illegitimate child in a hideaway?
Meanwhile, Columbus’s second child was conveniently declared

illegitimate: the offspring of an affair he had with a peasant woman
the admiral never married.
But then again, why would Columbus have an affair with a peasant
woman? Whereas, he was at the Court surrounded by nobility,
anxiously expecting the outcome of the war and: the Queen was
handsomely paying for his keep. Wasn’t it the Queen’s imposed
condition to postpone Columbus’s enterprise until such time she had
expelled the Arabs conquerors from the Spanish peninsula?
Another intriguing account had taken place during the siege of

Velez-Malaga. On or about 1484, an attempt on the King’s life took
place in the royal tent, in the presence of the Queen, but the assailant
mistakenly stabbed a Duke dressed in rich attire, thinking it was the
King. Meanwhile the King was napping. Several months later, amid
her troops at the foothill of Granada, the Queen’s tent caught on fire
in the middle of the night and: she barely escapes unharmed.
Curiously: the King was sleeping in a separate tent that night. To
avoid another incident of this nature, the Queen ordered the
relocation of her headquarters to a new site where she ordered to

built a new city she named Santa Fé. In addition, bodyguards would
thereon standby her quarters night and day.
There is yet another intriguing mishap which took place in the early
stages of Columbus’s enterprise. Only a day after he had set sail
from Palos, the rudder of the fastest caravel, the Pinta snapped off.
If it was not for the Santa Maria and the Niña that came to her
rescue, she would have sunk. Columbus suspected foul play.
Unexpectedly, Columbus had chosen as a flagship the slowest
caravel of the three and had ordered the others two to remain in
sight. Perhaps this wise decision had earned Columbus the nickname
Wolf of the sea.
Nevertheless, upon his return to Spain, Captain Alonzo Pinzon in

command of the Pinta abandoned the Admiral twice, during his
pursuit of gold and during their return to Spain. In so doing, he
assumed he would be first to report to the sovereigns his account of
the voyage. Meanwhile, the Admiral encountered a hurricane at sea
and the winds pushed his uncontrolled caravel towards the Azores in
enemy territory. Undoubtedly, once there, the Admiral would be
arrested, if not killed for running away from the Portuguese
authorities.
Even more intriguing, when he arrived in Spain, the Queen ordered
Captain Pinzon to remain still until such time as the Admiral would
return. Suddenly, Captain Pinzon died few days later in Palos of a
mysterious illness. Presumably, Pinzon must have initially enjoyed
the King’s support for acting so defiantly with the Admiral, but later
became an embarrassing witness and was eliminated.
How did the Spanish Sovereigns impact on Leonardo’s life and

works?
All above fragments of history suggest the circumstances as to how

and why the well mannered charismatic and patient Captain
Columbus found his way to her majesty’s alcove. As well, they
provide a sound motive for the resurgence of the Inquisition in
Castile: an urgent need of money for both, the Crown and the
Church. They also tend to prove Jacob Fugger bailed out the

Spanish Sovereigns, in order to dictate the outcome of the war with

the Arabs. Jacob Fugger should be credited for the following
accomplishments: the safe-conduct graciously offered to Caliph
Boabdil with an indemnity of 80,000 gold ducats – the bail out of
the entire population of Granada – the payment of 45 million
Maravedis to the Sultan Mohamed II, for permitting the settlement
of the Spanish Jews along the Moroccan coast. In so doing, Jacob
Fugger spared the Jewish population from a complete annihilation,
as initially planned by King Ferdinand and his allies, Pope Sixtus
and the King of Portugal. Jacob Fugger should also be credited for
maintaining Queen Isabella in power as long as she did and for
keeping the King and the Pope at bay. Just as well, King Ferdinand
should be held accountable for attempting several times to end the
life of the Queen and for plotting the loss of the Admiral at sea.
When Queen Isabella was dying and in the presence of Cardinal

Ximenes, she made the King swear he would never deprive her heirs
of their rights. Not long after the Queen died, and as she feared,
King Ferdinand sent an emissary to propose to the Bertrandeja.
Plagued by her illegitimate origin, Princess Joan turned down the
offer, preferring to spend the rest of her shameful life in a convent.
Leonardo summarized it so well when he said: There are three sorts

of people: those who think they see; those who see when they are
shown, those who do not see. Based on this statement, he must have
been thinking as to how he would conceal this story.
Screening his art with a religious veil has silenced the subliminal
capsule-messages he has so carefully imbedded in each and every
one of them. To make matters worse, the frenzy surrounding the
Mona Lisa has thickened the shroud over his works. However, the
genius speculated on the intricacies of the human brain and it paid
off. Indeed, have we literally missed the significance of the boat in
Leonardo’s repertoire? Yet, this little twist of the imagination
trickled down a multitude of discoveries.
Crowned Eagle Standing on a Globe and a Wolf Steering a Boat,

(Leonardo Da Vinci)

The setting of this drawing as it stands, unequivocally provides a

date; the year of the discovery of the New World (Columbus’ first
voyage). In deed, we can observe a wolf sailing steadfastly
eastward, off the shores of the New World, towards Spain. The wolf
strikes, with a ray of his compass, the heart of a crowned eagle
holding in its claws a globe of the earth resting on the Spanish coast.
On the middle of the boat stands a pomegranate tree. In Spanish,
pomegranate is Granada. It is also the name of the fortress the
Queen swore to conquer and take from the Arab invaders off the
peninsula, before letting Columbus go on with his mission. To coin

this momentous event, upon Queen Isabella’s entrance into the
fortress: It was ordered to affix a pomegranate to her flag and
armories above the following sentence: The pomegranate is a fruit
to be eaten one seed at a time.
Who could suggest such an odd idea? Was it Columbus’s own

suggestion?
After more than eleven long years, finally, the Queen gave
Columbus her consent to set sail from Palos. Why such a delay?
Was it anything more than a matter of money? To that effect, the

Queen had made a surprising declaration to the Cortes that year, she
stated: if Aragon does not dispose of the necessary funds to
undertake the enterprise, and if Castile is not in any better financial
situation, I, Her Majesty the Queen of Castile would pledge my own
jewelry to warrant Columbus’s mission.
The magnanimity expressed by the Queen fell short of being
perceived as a public declaration of love. It is indeed the admission
of a woman infatuated and willing to give away her most cherished
possessions for the well being of her lover.
Therefore, it is safe to conclude that in Leonardo’s drawing, the wolf

represents Columbus, while the Eagle embodies the Queen.
Unequivocally, with its stroke of the compass directly into the heart
of the crowned eagle, this drawing confirms a love affair between
the eagle and the wolf. This would also explain why the Queen kept
putting off Columbus’ enterprise for so long; she must have been
afraid of losing her lover at sea. Considering, the wise men of
Salamanca who had warned her about God’s prophecy to those
attempting to push the boundaries of mankind to the limit; it would
result in their fall into an abyss.
As we know it, the Globe in this drawing recognizes the
participation of the astronomer Martin Behaïm in the enterprise.
A boat towed by angels (Christopher Columbus)

This drawing has been found in a manuscript kept at the Ducal
Palace in Genoa and granted to Columbus himself, according to his
signature on the margin. It is enclosed in a frame about 10 X 8
inches. In the center of the drawing Columbus (“Colombo” written
across his chest) is sitting in a boat going westward, in the company
of a pilot called Providence. The boat is escorted by a procession of
angels: in the center of the sky are Fame, Hope and Victory, as per
the inscriptions on the drawing next to each angel. Two other angels
named Constancy and Tolerance are pulling the boat to its
destination against the negative forces, represented by the demons of
Envy and Ignorance, located in the upper left corner. Underneath, at
the back end of the boat, the Christian faith is ducking the splashes
of a boisterous sea.

From a certain point of view, is it possible to attribute a whole new

meaning to Leonardo’s works?
The layout of the drawing above has similar characteristics as

Leonardo’s drawings, with inscriptions in columns around it. The
similarity of the shape of the boats in both drawings is evident, and
the precision of the artist, although it is only a sketch, is remarkably
skillful. If this drawing celebrates Columbus’s departure from Palos,
it must be dated 1493 but not prior, since Columbus shows an “A”
for Admiral on his new four lines signature, spelled out on the
margin of this drawing. The title of Admiral, so dear to Columbus,
was granted to him only after the discovery of the New World
(decree of the sovereign). However, this drawing also bears
Leonardo’s signature in the sense the master could have done this
drawing to please his “close friend Columbus” who claimed; God
made me his messenger and granted me his knowledge (…).
Although Columbus had some drawing skills for mapping, he would
not have taken aboard his flagship a skilled artist to report on the
expeditions. Also, the peculiar reference to the Christian religion in
this drawing raises yet another debate, but it is premature to

elaborate on this topic.
Upon the discovery of the first island he named San Salvador
(Bahamas), it is reported by his son Ferdinand: The Admiral invited
the Indians aboard the Santa-Maria and gave them offerings of red
caps.
Fernando describes the physical appearance of his father in theses
words:
The Admiral was a well-built man of more than average stature, the
face somewhat long, cheeks somewhat high, and his body neither fat
nor lean. He had an aquiline nose and light colored eyes; his
complexion too was light and tending to bright red. In youth, his
hair was blonde, but when he reached the age of thirty, it had all
turned white.
The Libretto is the first edition of Columbus’s biography of released
in 1511. In a subsequent edition, the opening passage gives the
earliest published description of the Admiral: Christopher
Columbus, a Genoese, a man of tall and lofty stature, of ruddy
complexion, of great intelligence with a long face.
Fernandez Oviedo y Valdes, Page at the court, gives us his
description of the Admiral in his book, Historia General y Natural
de Was India’s, he wrote: Columbus was of a good stature and
appearance, taller than the average and strongly limbed: the eyes
lively and other part of the face of good proportion, the hair very
red, and the face somewhat ruddy and freckled.
Bartholomew de Las Casas who knew Columbus quite well wrote in
his book “Historia of the Indies”: His shape was tall, above
average; his face long and his countenance imposing; his nose
curvy; his eyes clear; his complexion light, tending towards a
decided red; his beard and hair were red when he was young, but
early had turned white.
There is also an indication on his dressing code: Columbus would
dress simply, as it is customary for the Franciscan brotherhood.

Portrait of a Musician (Leonardo Da

Vinci)
It is the only portrait of a man
Leonardo has ever done. It is equally
as remarkable as the Mona Lisa. The
Musician is dressed in simple attire,
“similar to a Franciscan priest”;
wearing a red cap” and “red curly
hair, high cheeks, curvy noose, clear
eyes… perfectly fits Columbus’s
descriptions. This painting not
exceeding 17 x 12 inches in size, for
all intent and purpose, in today’s
terms is “a wallet-size-photo”,
probably dedicated to the Queen. It
stands to reason to think that
Leonardo did the portrait of the
Admiral, the most admirable man of
the moment. In addition, this face as
compared to the face of the famous Human figure in a circle
(Vitruvian Man) represents the same person, with the exact same
physical attributes. (See author’s electronic blow up). The Vitruvian
Man full size body fits the Admiral’s descriptions perfectly well,
most particularly, the part that mentions “strongly limbed”. As well,
a superimposition of both faces, the Musician and Portrait of Caesar
Borgia (see author’s electronic montage, matches perfectly well,
indicating Leonardo and Columbus had a close and long-lasting
relationship considering the Portrait of Caesar Borgia, being the
portrait of Columbus aging, laying head on a pillow, perhaps on his
death bed. (Leonardo had no particular reason to do a sketch-portrait
of Caesar Borgia, whereas he had plenty reasons to do Columbus’
portraits.) Caesar Borgia had dark eyes and thin lips whereas
Columbus had light green eyes and thick lips. This painting is a
testimony of Leonardo’s particular attachment to the Admiral, which
will be explained in light of the ensuing paragraphs.


Leonard Da Vinci’s triptych is supposedly 3 portraits of Caesar

Borgia, whereas in fact, it is 3 portraits of Christopher Columbus.

Man with a coin of Cosmus

Medici (Sandro Botticelli)
Sandro Botticelli as well
painted a portrait of the
Admiral and his two brothers
Bartholomew and Diego.
According to the chronicles,
after the Pazzi conspiracy,
Botticelli was flat broke and
most probably followed
Leonardo first to Augsburg
and then to Spain in search of
a new mentor as well.
As a result of many riots that

broke out in Hispaniola
between Indians and Settlers,
Columbus was arrested by
Bobadilla, the King’s
representative and sent back
to Spain for sentencing:
At the time of the Admiral’s
departure, Bobadilla, fearing
he might escape by swimming
ashore, ordered the
shipmaster, Andres Martin, to
turn him over to Bishop
Fonseca bound in chains (…).

As soon as they had put to sea, the skipper, who had come to know
Bobadilla’s malice, offered to remove his chains, but the Admiral
refused. He had been placed in chains in the Sovereign’s name, he
said, and would wear them until the Sovereigns ordered them
removed, for he was resolved to keep those chains as a memorial of
how badly he had been rewarded for his many services. And this he
did, for I always saw them in his bedroom, and he wanted them
buried with his bones. On November 20, 1500, he wrote, the
Sovereigns (The Queen) stating that he had arrived in Cádiz. As
soon as they (The Queen) learned that he came in chains, they (The
Queen) ordered him to be set free. (Fernando Columbus)
Man in shackles (Leonardo Da Vinci)

Obviously the master could not miss
this momentous event corroborated
by this drawing. This portrait bears
also a perfect resemblance to
Human figure in a circle
(Leonardo Da Vinci) (details of the
feet are strikingly the same), thus
providing a true date of execution. It
stands to reason to think that
Leonardo was expecting Columbus’
return and did this drawing for the
dual purpose of showing the Queen
her lover’s despair, and to coin this
despicable event, which has left a
deep scar in the Admiral’s memory.
Although the face lacks the
precision of the Vitruvian man, the
only difference between both
drawings is the hair being unevenly
shorn, a humiliation reserved for
prisoners. Compared to the right
hand face of the triptych it shows
the same person.

Not knowing what to think of the situation he was in, profoundly

affected by the treatment he received, the Admiral expressed his
disappointment to the Queen in the following letter:
Ever since I was a child, I took interest in matters of the sea.

For the past 40 years I roamed the seas in every direction and in so
doing, I learned all the secrets of navigation. Greek, Latin, Hebrew,
Christian or Muslim, religious or not, every one has recognized my
expertise. God has been infinitely generous with me giving me the
intelligence to understand the secrets so jealously guarded.
I learned all sciences relative to the sea, cosmography, astronomy,
in order to accomplish my mission. I improved my knowledge of
geography in order to precisely locate every element on the globe
As well I learned History, Philosophy, and the Bible with the
commentaries. So inspired and blessed by this knowledge, I
introduced myself to your Majesty.
All my detractors discredited my project while making fun of
me, because the sciences which I had mentioned were not within
their scope. Only your Majesty had faith in me and did not question
the divine mission vested upon me. I was blessed by the grace of
God who showed me the location and the route to get to the new
world. God, inspired me with forty verses of the Torah, four
prophecies and twenty-three Gospels in order to get the motivation
to complete my mission. Seven years have passed since this
momentous event of the year 1492, when afterwards I reported to
your Majesty my enthusiastic discoveries.
Yet, today my detractors want your Majesty to believe that
all my efforts were in vain. They seem to forget no one can oppose
God’s will
Today, I would rather forgo all my expertise, all my
knowledge, all my discoveries for the sole privilege of praying. The
Bible and commentaries including the prophets fill me to the fullest.
As I am not a man of letters per say, all those who will read my
writings might think my claims exceed the humility of the profane
sailor I am. If I have sinned, I rely on Mathew’s words: “Don’t you
know the truth comes from the mouth of the innocent and the
children shouted Hosanna to Solomon, the king of Justice, and son
of David”.
Always devoted to your Majesty,

Cristobal Colòn
(Free hand Translation of a genuine document)
Although the King wanted to harm the Admiral and put him
on trial, remorseful and sadden by the despicable condition imposed
upon him, the Admiral Columbus received the following message
from the Queen:
Rest assured your imprisonment was very displeasing to us,
as we made it clear to you and to all others, for as soon as we
learned of it we ordered to set you free. You know the favor with
which we have always treated you, and know we are even more
resolved to honor and treat you very well. All that we have granted
you shall be preserved intact according to the privileges that you
have received from us and you and your heirs shall enjoy them, as it
is right, without any contravention. And if it should be necessary to
confirm them anew, we shall do so, and we shall order your son to
be placed in possession of everything you own, for it is our wish to
honor you and reward you in more than this. And be assured we
shall look after your sons and brothers as it is right, and your office
shall be vested in your son. But all this can be attended to after you
have sailed; we therefore urge you not to delay your departure.
Her Majesty Queen Isabella.
Once again, according to the tone of this letter, not only is
the Queen apologetic, profoundly and sincerely affected, she lets go
of her emotions. Obviously, she is infatuated by the Admiral and her
letter culminates in a reaffirmation of her deep attachment. This
letter does not otherwise use an appropriate tone of a Queen’s
address to a subject. Singularly, in this letter she speaks of the
Admiral’s son as his heir and further down she uses the plural,
“sons”. When she begs the Admiral to set sails as soon as possible,
she evokes her fear the king might once more attempt to the
Admiral’s life.

Madonna Litta (Leonardo

Da Vinci) Looking at the
features and complexion of
the child, one might say,
like father, like son, they
both bear a great deal of
resemblance : an intense
gaze, a reddish complexion,
full set of curly red hair,
light color eyes. The baby is
circumcised. The following
portrait of a youngster by
Leonardo as compared to
Botticelli, portrait of
Columbus have a lot in
common. It must be noted,
in Leonardo’s recordings,
there is a multitude of
drawings of an infant
represented at various
growing stages; as if
Leonardo cared to represent
this specific child for
sentimental reasons.
Was Salai in custody of
Leonardo because he was
the child the Admiral had
with the Queen?
Columbus’ illegitimate son
Fernando, reportedly was an aristocrat to his fingertips and never
mentions his humble mother in his book, though he repeatedly
alludes to his father’s high-born Portuguese (first) wife.

What about the Madonna? Could she be

the Queen?
Queen Isabella
None of the other artists who painted
portraits of the Queen were as accurate as
Leonardo’s, however they provide enough
evidence of the Queen’s physical
attributes. Looking at her profile, it is
unmistakably identical to the Madonna in
Madonna and Child (same page). The
slope of the shoulders, the smallish high
bust, the long fingers, the double chin all
features are the same. Obviously, the
Queen has a problem with her curly hair.
If she does not wear a veil to keep her hair
down as she ages, she braids her hair as
seen in those portraits.
Queen Isabella She is 18 years old at the

time of her crowning. She has indeed a
disproportionately small bust, sloping
shoulders, long fingers, a full head of curly
hair and a large forehead.

Queen Isabella
On this painting of a striking resemblance
with Leonardo’s Mona Lisa, we see all the
same physical attributes. Obviously the
painter did not attempt to flatter the subject
by hiding any such imperfection as the
double chin. In fact, the lighting source puts
the emphasis on this unpleasant feature
which makes the subject looks fat. Was the
Queen pregnant during the siege? Nervo,
the most comprehensive writer on Queen
Isabella contradicts himself in a chapter of
his chronicles where he now says the
Queen was pregnant. Note in this portrait,
the Queen’s hair is braided in a bun style, in
a similar fashion as in Leonardo’s Madonna
Litta.
Is it possible Mona Lisa is in fact Queen
Isabella?
Mona Lisa (Leonardo Da Vinci) The
“pièce de resístanse”
The subject also bears the exact same
features as the Queen above, including a
double chin, a small and high bust.
Leonardo Da Vinci has carefully attenuated
any unpleasant features such as the double
chin. The shadowy quality for which the
work is renowned came to be called
“sfumato” or Leonardo’s smoke. The
subject has curly hair covered by a veil,
long fingers and sloping shoulders. Her
lips, forehead and hair line are identical to the previous painting,
including the posture. Interestingly, the National Research Council
of Canada (NRCC) reports in its latest extensive analysis (2007),
Mona Lisa had just given birth, based on her general appearance and
dressing code.

The assumption becomes a reality, when the odds of finding two

women bearing numerous identical features are merely impossible,
unless they are twins. Consequently, whether she has been called
Mona Lisa, Leda, St Ann or Isabella, she is the same woman, Queen
Isabella of Castile.
Leonardo had been taken to the highest rings of the inner circle of
power from his first appointment on. It is reasonable to think his
genius combined with his efforts, culminated in a friendship with the
most powerful Queen of his era (as stated by Beatriz Galindo), as
well as with the most remarkable man of the moment, Columbus. It
would be ludicrous to think Leonardo could not draw a woman
properly; to the contrary, he had a keen knowledge of anatomy and
his skills were such, only a modern camera could be more precise
than his brush strokes and drawing skills. The sensitivity of the artist
was such; he was touched by the Queen and the Admiral’s
relationship. With this premise in mind, he has imbedded their love
story for the posterity in a series of paintings and drawings. His
achievement, which would require all his talents, was a personal
feat. To be part of their secret love story was his climax. Most
particularly if their offspring was to be placed in his care.


Here is a portrait of the queen dated the year of her death. This
painting attributed to Juan of Flanders superimposes perfectly well
with the Mona Lisa except the subject has aged and has become fat.

Interestingly, there is a tiny island located on the outset of

Hispaniola, south-east of the Dominican Republic, Columbus named
“Mona” and the passage called “Mona Passage” on the approach of
that island. Who else but the Queen would inspire Columbus to use
this nickname? Columbus certainly ignored any association of this
name with the “Giaconda” Sforza’s mistress whom he had never
seen nor heard of in his life. In my estimation, Columbus asked
Leonardo to make a portable portrait of the Queen, to accompany
him on his long voyages, thus explaining also the relatively small
size of the Mona Lisa painting: (30 x 20 ⅞ inches - 77 x 58 cm). As
such, there must be sea salt crystals encrusted in the wood fibers of
the painting.

Man in a circle (Leonardo Da

Vinci)
This drawing identified as being
Christopher Columbus seems to
want to deliver a message in the
manner of an animated drawing.
What message would Leonardo Da
Vinci like to deliver from
Columbus’s own mouth?
The Admiral is indicating back and
forth east - west. The circle
symbolizes the earth, the square
symbolizes the constraint. The
nudity is the symbol of harmony.
This being taken into account the
message could well be: I am the
messenger who accomplished God’s
will to circle the world.
In addition, in his book of
prophecies Columbus speaks
obsessively of freeing Jerusalem from the claws of the Arab
invaders. He gives the impression of being himself a prophet who
succeeded in his divine mission.
Leonardo Da Vinci’s art is never to be taken at its face value. The
master did not need a reminder of the proportions but rather created
a diversion to imbed the message of greater importance than the
drawing itself. Thus represented, the circle is a wheel in a perpetual
movement at the epicenter of which is the Admiral, the discoverer of
the New World. It is proven; the reunion of both continents was an
absolute necessity to insure the needs of an ever expending
humanity on earth.

What about the nudes of “Leda”

Leonardo has drawn? Were they
also made to fill the Admiral’s
fantasies while he was away from
his royal mistress? Most probably;
this would indicate the level of
intimacy between the painter and
his subject. Obviously, Leonardo
likes painting his closest friends
nude (Queen Isabella, Columbus
and himself).
Leda and the swan: It is an exact

duplicate of Leonardo’s painting
by Raphael. It represents a full size
body drawing of the Queen naked.
Her peculiar physical attributes are
explicitly visible: a
disproportionately small bust,
sloping shoulders, hair braided and
tied around her ears, and, most
particularly the characteristic of
her feet and toes, similar to Virgin
and Child with Saint Ann and a
lamb. (It is interesting to read
Leonardo’s the fable titled ‘The
Swan’ page 57).
Both drawings of Leda and the
swan by Leonardo have been
altered. Each face has been
erased. Most definetly, Leonardo
does not want the Queen to be
identified but gives ample clues in
his fable implying it is the Queen.
(The Swan fable is located on page
58).
Virgin and child with Saint
Anne and a lamb and Virgin and child with Saint Ann and Saint
John-Baptist (Leonardo Da Vinci)
The very first question which comes to mind is why did Leonardo
paint a woman sitting on another woman’s lap? Queen Isabella of
Portugal came to her mother in Seville in 1491 after losing her first
husband. The baby also died few months later in her arms. After she
remarried, in 1498, she would come back to die in the arms of her
mother, Queen Isabella of Castile.
It is quite obvious, that both women in Virgin and child with Saint
Ann and a lamb share the same genetic profile, considering the fact
both have identical long uneven toes and the same complexion. The
woman in the background, “Saint Ann”, wears a veil on her head
and the same hair line and shoulders as Mona Lisa. This event
would explain why a woman sits on another’s lap; if they are mother
and daughter and most particularly, if the daughter is terribly ill and
about to die. Regardless of her age, she is still her mother’s infant,
and treated as such. Leonardo is very sensitive and highly emotional
about such compassion and expressions of tenderness, whereas in

the preliminary drawing he tries to convey a different message,

especially with an index finger pointing upward. The preliminary
drawing is different from the painting because Saint John and the
mysterious pointing index finger have been eliminated. Looking at
Saint John full set of curly hair; it is apparently the illegitimate child
who, must not be exposed. It is obviously the Queen of Portugal
Leonardo portrayed in this drawing (explanation below) and the
toddler is hers. Although his first impulse is to show the illegitimate
child, Leonardo reconsidered his initial thought. The master comes
to his senses and abandons his dangerous and risky thought. How
the priest, who commissioned the works, see in the toddler, the
representation of a young Saint John is plainly incredible.
What is Leonardo saying with his hand signals?

The index pointing finger: This gesture appears in many paintings
and drawings. Depending on its orientation, it must have a different
meaning. It is true to say that Leonardo uses hand signals to convey
his thoughts; his subjects speak on his behalf. What is it they could
possibly say with their hands and gestures?
Saint John-Baptist (Leonardo Da Vinci or possibly Melzi or Salai,

his pupils)
The pointing finger appears most particularly in this painting,
whereby the subject, mostly naked, wears a leopard skin. Leopard is
another way to say Leo. This is his signature and a clever way to
conceal his identity, since his paintings are destined to a religious
order. Now, the religious connotation is even more audacious. His
finger pointing parallel to the cross implicitly reveals that the subject
is a believer in one God (Symbol of Judaism) and not in the Trinity
symbolized by the cross in parallel lost in the dark background; we
are in the days of the Inquisition and religion is taboo. However,
Leonardo chooses to mock the Inquisitors and the church in his own,


personal way. The other hand of the subject points two fingers
towards his chest meaning the message applies to himself. Is
Leonardo so defiantly saying: I am a Jew, come get me if you can. It
is likely possible. The only thing certain is that Leonardo and
Columbus are not fond of the Catholic Religion, as expressed in this
drawing and the one signed by Columbus.
Saint John-Bacchus in the wilderness (Leonardo Da Vinci or

possibly Melzi or Salai, his pupils)
Same reasoning applies, whereby the master, as I see it, again partly
dressed with a leopard skin, uses both hands to communicate a
message. The right index finger pointing a wooden stick he holds
with his other hand, index finger pointing downward. The suggested
message is even more aggressive: Down with the Christian faith,
symbolized by the wooden stick, (a cross in the preliminary
drawing), presumably modified when Leonardo realized the
message was too obvious. In my opinion, both paintings are
Leonardo’s self-portraits and the following comparison was made to
show the similarity of features with the only drawing explicitly
signed by Leonardo. (Next page shows a statuette by Verrocchio: It
was customary for the pupil to be the model (young and beautiful
Leonardo Da Vinci)
Note: Scholars think the leopard skin was added to the painting by either Melzi or Salai
after Leonardo’s death. They could also have been told by the master to add it on. In any
case, my interpretation of both paintings remains valid .

Leonardo self-portrait: pointing a finger at a cross on the ground
The following drawing shows a young person (in all probabilities,

that is another Leonardo Da Vinci naked), pointing an index in
direction of a cross on the ground (another lack of respect for the
symbol).

Author’s electronic montage: part Leonardo self-portrait and part

St John Baptist.

Old man with ivy wreath and lion's

head (Leonardo Da Vinci)
This is yet another self-portrait of the
artist where he draws once again a
lion in lieu of his identity in the
lower right corner. Obviously, he has
aged, lost his upper teeth, his upper
jaw has caved in. Obviously
Leonardo spends a lot of time,
watching himself grow older and
ugly in a mirror. There is a complete
series of self-portraits offering the
view of his aging process, which he
must find interesting from a clinical
point of view; if not from the
narcissist complex he had developed in his youth, when he was
young and beautiful.
As for all human beings, the master has become old and his once
beautiful face has shriveled and beauty has become a thing of the
past
Did Leonardo adopt the illegitimate prince?

Bartholomew José Gallardo (1776-1852) who published Columbus’

biography rightfully declares about the Admiral’ son: “There was
ample reason for Fernando to keep his authorship and possession of
his manuscript a secret”
Heads of an old
man and a youth
(Leonardo Da
Vinci)
In this other
drawing, Leonardo
is at the end of his
life. As such, he is
shown hairless,
indicating, he is
mourning, perhaps
Columbus death.
Contrary to some
published opinions
about Leonardo’s
homosexuality, the
young man
represented in this drawing is certainly not the lover of this
emaciated old man, but rather the affectionate adopted princely son,
Fernando Columbus, whom at 15 accompanied his illustrious father
on the last voyage, and was attached to the services of the Queen.
The hand gesture on the chest of the lad has no sexual connotation.
Leonardo proudly shows us his heir. The affirmation of the identity
of the young lad is based on the resemblance with the Musician, the
Vitruvian man, and Man in shackles. And the young man,
Fernando Columbus, seems to be grieving the loss of his illustrious
father, while Leonardo consoles him.

Young man dressed for a

masquerade: This must be a
drawing of Fernando Columbus;
his features are similar to his
father strongly limbed as
described above. Fernando is
portrayed as such: In appearance
he resembled his father, being tall
and ruddy.
Although Salai drove Leonardo
crazy in his frivolous
expenditures, he always tolerated
anything his protégé did.
Is it possible Salai and Fernando
Columbus (Colòn) are in fact the
same person?
Prompted by the naughty aspect
of Leonardo’s personality, the
nickname Salai could very well
be the acronym of L.I.S.A. with the addition of an “A” for Admiral;
Columbus’s most cherished title. If reshuffled, the name “Salai”
becomes “Alias”, a clever way to say “otherwise known as”…Salai
and Fernando could very well be the same person, the illegitimate
princely son, in Leonardo’s custody for protection.
Leonardo wrote the following fable:
An oyster fell in love with the moon. When the full moon shone in the
sky, the oyster spent hours watching it wide opened mouth. A crab
saw the oyster as an easy prey and decided to make it a meal. The
following moon, when the oyster opened up, the crab slipped a
pebble inside. The oyster tried to shut down but remain exposed.
Morality: Who opens his mouth to tell a secret is exposed to an ear
willing to hear it.
Salai, little devil “il Salaino” according to Vasari, Giacomo

Caprotti Da Oreno was his name. He was described as: a graceful
and beautiful youth with fine curly hair, in which Leonardo greatly
delighted. When Il Salaino entered Leonardo's household as a

protégé he was perhaps 15 to 16 years old. The relationship was not
an easy one. A year later Leonardo made a list of the boy’s
misdemeanors, calling him a thief, a liar, stubborn, and a glutton.
The "Little Devil" had stolen his money and valuables on at least
five occasions, and spent a fortune on apparel, among which were
twenty-four pairs of shoes.
Nevertheless, Leonardo’s notebooks contained many drawings of
the handsome, curly-haired adolescent. Salai remained his protégé
for more than 25 years.
It is only in 1506 that Leonardo took as an assistant Francesco
Melzi, a fifteen-year-old son of an aristocrat (1491-1570). He
accompanied Leonardo on trips to Rome in 1513 and to France in
1517. He proved to be a very talented painter and worked closely
with Leonardo, who in his last years couldn't use his hands anymore.
Some works Leonardo had left unfinished were completed by him.
Upon Leonardo's death, Melzi was given the task to administer the
estate Salai would probably neglect. Salai owned the Mona Lisa at
the time of Leonardo’s death in 1525. According to his will it was
assessed at 500 liras, which was an exceptionally high value for a
small panel portrait.
Melzi also became Leonardo's companion, and is considered by

Vasari to have been his favorite pupil. He traveled to France with
Leonardo and Salai, and was with him until his death. Salai,
however, left France in 1518 and supposedly returned to Milan,
where he built a mansion. According to Vasari, in 1525 he died
violently, either murdered or as the result of a duel. Or, is it
Fernando who went to Seville where he built a large house with a
library to house all the books and notes his father left him and lived
as a recluse for the rest of his life.
Salai executed a number of paintings signed Andrea Salai, but
although Vasari states: Leonardo taught him a great deal about
painting, his works were considered to be average.

Fernando Columbus was appointed Page at the service of Queen

Isabella at the age of 13. At 15, the Queen granted him the
permission to go on board Columbus's ships during the fourth
voyage to the New World.
After his father's death, Fernando accompanied his older brother

Diego to the New World in 1509 upon Diego's appointment as
governor of Hispaniola, but returned to Spain a few months later. As
an adult, Fernando was known to be a scholar. He had a generous
income from his father's estate, and used a sizable portion of it to
buy books, eventually amassing a personal library of over 15,000
volumes, including his father’s precious books and perhaps
Leonardo’s notes. Provisions were made in his will to ensure that
the library would be maintained after his death, specifically that the

collection would not be sold and that more books would be

purchased. Despite this precaution, the ownership of the library was
contested for several decades after Fernando's death, until it passed
into the hands of the Cathedral of Seville. During this time, the size
of the library was depleted down to 7,000 books (Just as well
Leonardo’s note books disappeared at the same time). It is reported
that Fernando Colòn died obese. (Vasari reported: Salai was a
glutton. At one time or another, Salai met King Francis 1st and gave
him or sold him the portrait of his “mother”, Mona Lisa, it being too
embarrassing for him to bring back to Seville. He probably never
revealed the true identity of the portrait and the King didn’t have
any idea it was the portrait of Queen Isabella. (Leonardo’s fable the
Tongue and the Teeth makes sense in this context page 13). Being
such an admirer of Leonardo, the King ordered a place of choice be
provided for this painting in the Museum he ordered to be built in
Paris but was completed only after his reign: The Louvre.
Queen Isabella of Castile agonizing (Juan of Flanders)

From left to right, are represented: Isabella de Arena (niece), King
Ferdinand, Juan Coloma the secretary, Cardinal Ximénès, Diego
Colon and Christopher Columbus. There is yet another person next
to Columbus, either Leonardo Da Vinci or Fernando Columbus. In
the far back is Beatrix de Bovadilla, accompanied by a servant. In
the center, Mona Lisa the Queen is agonizing in her bed. She slipped
into a coma right after dictating her will. Cardinal Ximenes thought
she was dead and ordered the preparation of her corpse. All of a
sudden, the Queen awoke with an urge to dictate a codicil. In it, she
prays her successors to analyze every single decree she signed and
to annul any one deemed unfair. In 1992, five hundred years after
the fact, King Juan Carlos of Spain annulled the decree of expulsion
of the Spanish-Jewish population. The Queen died November 26,
1504, at age 53.

Most certainly inspired by this Queen’s agony, Leonardo Da Vinci

wrote the following fable:
The swan arched his supple neck and for a while gazed at his
reflection on the water.
He realized the reason of his weariness and the cold that gripped his
body, making him shiver as in winter time. His time had come and
would prepare to die.

His feathers were still as white as they had been on the first day of
his life. Seasons had passed without blemishing his snowy plumage.
He could go now, knowing his life would end in beauty.
Straightening his beautiful neck, slowly and majestically, he swam
to the shelter of a willow, where he used to rest during the hot
season. It was already evening, as the sun dove into the water of the
lake in crimson and violet colors.
And as a great silence wrapped the surroundings, the swan began to
sing.
Never before had he found notes so full of love for all of nature, the
beauty of heavens, water and earth. His sweet song rang through the
air, scarcely tinged with melancholy, until very softly faded away
with the last gleams of light on the horizon.
"This was the swan," said the fishes, the birds, and all the beasts of
the woodland and meadow. Touched to their heart, they cried: "The
swan has died."
The following portrait on the left side is identified as the portrait of

Princess Catalina (Catherine of Aragon who will become Queen of
England. The portrait on the right side is a portrait by Leonardo of
Catalina wrongfully identified as Lady with ermine. Her very
peculiar dropped shoulders identifies Catalina. All features of the

face are the same.
The portrait bellow on the left side is the portrait of Princess

Joan The Mad (Juana of Flanders) who married Philip of Flanders
as compared to Leonardo’s portrait of Ginerva Benci. Once again,
it is obviously the same person wrongfully identified.

La Ferronière (Leonardo Da Vinci) is yet another misinterpretation

and must be the portrait of the youngest princess Maria who became
queen of Portugal after marrying her oldest sister’s second husband,
the King of Portugal. In fact, she looks like her Queen mother in
every single aspect.
Portrait of Isabella Queen of Portugal (Rafael Tiziano)

The following is a portrait of the Queen of Portugal
reproduced from a painting by Leonardo Da Vinci. Looking closely
at her features and hair style, she is obviously the same person as in
Leonardo’s preliminary pencil portrait : portrait Head of Leda.


What was Columbus thinking when he bargained with the

sovereigns the title of Viceroy of the New World, was he attempting
to make his illegitimate son Fernando an heir to the throne of the
New World? And, Did Leonardo put on trial the King and the Pope?
The Last supper (Leonardo Da Vinci)
In light of the above, this fresco could very well represent
Leonardo’s ultimate achievement, his gift to Posterity. In his unique
way of telling a story he would summarize the life of his principal
characters in the form of a trial. King Ferdinand stands on the center
stage accused of crimes against humanity. In opened arms and head
tipping down, the King appears to be apologetic but also arguing
with the young lads standing to his left, while on his right side, in an
obvious movement of repulsion, the Queen distances herself from
the King, towards the protection of the Cortes. A senator suggests to
the Queen the assassination of the King with the use of an estranger
hand armed with a knife, exactly as reported in Nervo’s chronicle.

On the King’s left side, Columbus stands in open arms, holding back
his two sons from charging at the King. The one in the far back
(Diego) with his finger pointing towards the sky seems to swear: my
father answers to God only, while the other son (Fernando-Salai)
seems to plead with the King: I am not a bastard? Am I not a prince,
son of a Queen and a Viceroy? Next to him, the Pope is conspiring
for the destitution of the Queen, as he did during the Pazzi
conspiracy.
Leonardo has conveniently gathered all his characters at a diner
table, because he was commissioned by the priest of the Convent of
Santa Maria delle Grazie, for their refectory and decided it would
be an appropriate location to conceal the whole story. As such, it
would not appear odd to see all the characters facing the viewers. As
always, the monks saw nothing peculiar in the painting other than
the last supper of Jesus.
Primarily, Leonardo offers us all the clues on the table itself. This
table was certainly not set for a supper taking place fifteen hundred
years prior, during Passover, since there is no unleavened bread,
(mandatory for a Passover meal), and the utensils are not of the era
of Jesus, but rather contemporary of Leonardo’s time. Each and
every character, including the Queen is dressed in contemporary
dress and her physical attributes are evidently the same. The man on
the far right has a button attaching his robe. Buttons did not exist in
Jesus’ era. As we know it, Jesus died on the cross and was not
stabbed with a blade as suggested in this painting. However, King
Ferdinand was indeed the object of a conspiracy, when mistakenly
an Arab stabbed a Duke during the siege of Velez Malaga.
The novelist Matteo Bandello observed Leonardo at work and
wrote: some days he would paint from dawn to dusk, non stop, not
even to eat and then not paint at all for three or four days in a row.
According to Vasari, this behavior was beyond the comprehension
of the prior who bothered Leonardo until he threatened him to use
his face in the painting.


Adoration of the Magi (Leonardo Da Vinci)

In this preliminary work, Leonardo depicted the apocalypse
brought to bear on the Jewish population, young and old, still
grateful to the Queen in the center stage, for reversing the decision
of the Pope and the King to slaughter them all. They are grateful as
well to be set free to go. The baby in her arms is her illegitimate new
born child. In the background stands a pomegranate tree indicating
the conquest of Granada. Further away is a palm tree symbolizing
the location of the set, in the southern part of Castile where Granada
is located. The ruins stand for Leonardo’s pride of demolishing with
his humongous weapons the fortress of Velez-Malaga. As a whole,
the background reminds us of the battles against the Arabs and the
difficulties the Spaniards had to surmount the enemy. On the left
corner, on top of a flight of stairs, a naked man is stretching a
helping hand towards a man who is pushing a youngster upward to
safety; that is Leonardo himself, Fernando infant and the Admiral.
Once again the dress code of the Queen (central element) is
contemporary to Leonardo’s time and resembles closely the dresses
the Queen wears on other identified portraits.

Madonna of the rocks (Leonardo Da Vinci)

In this painting the principal character is once again the
Queen in a pacifying and blessing gesture of one hand and her
tender right hand over the shoulder of her child, asking her oldest
daughter the Queen of Portugal to accept her half-brother. The
Queen of Portugal with her finger pointing indicates the child as
being the principle subject of the painting. The child is holding both
hands together as if praying, begging for his acceptance, perhaps
swearing to never jeopardize the heir to the throne who in return
gives his church like two fingered blessing. The scene is depicted in
a cavern to symbolize the secrecy of this initiation. Verrocchio must
have shared with Leonardo the key to success with his religious
clients; a little cross, circles over heads, angel wings on backs
equals a divine painting worth a pot of gold. Commissioned by the
priest of the Confraternity of the Immaculate Conception in Milan,
once more, they were enchanted but once again fooled by the master
of deceit.
According to Vasari, in 1503 Leonardo entered the services of
Caesar Borgia, Pope Alexander’s son, acting as a military architect-
engineer and traveling throughout Italy. He returned to Florence
where he rejoined the Guild of St Luke on October 18th 1503 and
spent two years involved in designing and painting a great mural of
The Battle of Anghiari for the government of Florence. In 1506,
Leonardo returned to Milan, which was back in the hands of yet
another Sforza named Maximilian after the Austrian emperor. Swiss
mercenaries (most probably financed by Jacob Fugger) had driven
out the French and restored on the throne its legitimate heir. Vasari
goes on to tell Leonardo did not stay in Milan for long, as his
adoptive father, the Notary, died in 1504. In 1507, Leonardo was
back in Florence trying to sort out problems with his half-brothers
over the Notary’s estate. By 1508, he was living in Milan, since he
had no more reason to be in Spain. Besides, Sandro and Michel
Angelo had been hired to paint the Sistine Chapel now standing
ready for decoration. From September 1513 to 1516, Leonardo spent
much of his time living in the Belvedere of the Vatican in Rome. In
October 1515, King Francis 1st of France recaptured Milan.
Understandably, in 1516, Leonardo was welcomed at the court of
King Francis 1st and was given the use of the manor Clos Lucé next

to the king's residence at the Castle of Amboise. There, he spent the

last three years of his life, accompanied by his apprentice, Francesco
Melzi. Leonardo died in his mansion on May 2, 1519.

Conclusion
_______________________________________________________
The Renaissance period demanded a formidable rescue plan

in Spain, carefully elaborated and brilliantly executed by a mighty
philanthropist, who managed to avert a complete annihilation of the
Jewish-Spanish population. Who else but the one and only, who
made the Pope and the Cardinals rise before him, Jacob Fugger “The
Rich”. Thanks to his might, he could twist the apparent fate of so
many desperados.
On his second voyage in 1493, the Admiral took on board

his ships 1500 desperados to the New World, which would have
otherwise fell victim of the Inquisition, according to the decree of
expulsion of the Jews from Spain. They had been permitted by the
Queen to stay in a no men’s land in the Alpuxarres Mountains. As
such they were granted the special status of Parientes, the Queen’s
relatives.
Himself victim of the King and the Pope, Columbus paid the
price of usurpation of his discoveries by Amerigo Vespucci of
Genoa. King Ferdinand hastily granted him the Spanish citizenship
and sent him on Columbus’s trail to claim his fame in a false report.
To that effect, the United Congress twice considered

changing the name of the country but failed to do so. Yet, the
forebears of the United States of America located its capital in a
territory they rightfully named District of Columbia.
The Inquisition officially began in 1227 and was abolished

in 1834. As if humanity does not learn from its mistakes, all that
occurred in Spain has been reproduced in a monstrous proportion in
Germany 500 years later. At the service of the State and not the
Church, the Nazis applied the same harsh measures against the
Jewish communities of Europe; except the American salvation
stopped the atrocities much too late.
To break the silence imposed by the Inquisition, Leonardo

Da Vinci conceived the most extraordinary and magical concept to

conceal his story: sfumato. He laid down on the canvas a story

beneath a virtual smoky haze, so that one day, the cloud of the
Inquisition would dissipate and let the story come out in the open.
As for a movie, Leonardo has painted the “storyboard” of

this most horrific passage in history, while Fernando Columbus
wrote the “scenario” of his illustrious father’s “take” on history,
250,000 homeless desperados with 150,000 casualties of which
26,000 burnt alive at the stake. Although the collective memory
seems to be somewhat evanescent, there is no prescription for
crimes, most particularly as hideous as crimes against humanity.
Evidently, there is no signed affidavit certifying Leonardo

Da Vinci, Christopher Columbus, Martin Benhaïm or Jacob Fugger
were Jews, not during the Inquisition. But they left a multitude of
clues behind them. Leonardo and Columbus, as expressed in their
respective drawings, have given us a clear understanding of their
opinion about the Catholic Religion.
Not too long ago, I spent my winter holidays in Puerto Plata

in the Dominican republic. At the resort, when I entered the main
restaurant, I saw the name Bahia de Maimon displayed on top of the
entrance. I asked the Maitre D what was that name. He candidly said
he didn’t know the meaning but he was adamant Columbus had
given this name to the Bay where the resort was located, after
crashing his caravel on the shore. Accordingly, based on Columbus
topography, he has named the town and the village nearby
“Maimon”. Who else but a Sephardic Jew would use the name
Maïmonides in those days?
As she entered the walls of Grenada, Queen Isabella

victorious ordered to affix to her flag and armories a pomegranate
and added the following sentence bellow: The pomegranate is a fruit
to be eaten one seed at the time.
The Midrash (a large collection of Hebrew writings that

examine the Bible in light of the oral tradition) says: God created a
tree in the middle of the Garden of Eden bearing crimson fruits).
This fruit (forbidden, because it would cause to humanity wariness)

having the appearance of a human brain, symbolizes what humanity

ought to ponder for Eternity; good or bad and the Law to balance it
all. (The pomegranate is said to contain 613 seeds, equal in number
to the 613 Mosaic laws.).
——•——
Martin Behaïm true name could only be Benhaïm, a
patronymic Hebrew name as opposed to Behaïm which is
meaningless. Ben means son of. He has been knighted Duke of
Madeira. As a result of his accomplishments, he became the pride of
the city of Nuremberg.
Jacob Fugger has been knighted Baron Von Glött of

Germany and as a result of his accomplishments became the pride of
the city of Augsburg.
In order to recuperate his massive loans to the Church, ironically, he
was granted by the Pope the right to collect the “Indulgences” at his
bank’s tellers. However, this right was misinterpreted by the people
who could not understand why they would have to pay to the Fugger
bank a compensation for the “absolution of their sins”. As a result,
Martin Luther, head of the German church, wrote virulent
pamphlets against the Jews and their so called “privileges” thus
causing a schism within the Roman church. In these pamphlets he
epitomizes the stereotypes of anti-Semitism.
Interestingly, in the heart of Augsburg stands the Fuggereï,

the first and oldest social settlement in the world built by Jacob
Fugger. It is comprised of 67 buildings and 140 housing units (2000
private residences) reserved for the needy of the town. The
conditions laid down in the foundation charter for moving in the
Fuggerei have remained valid to this day:
Residents must be poor but able to redeem the rent in two parts:
1) a symbolic annual fee of 0.88 euros in 2007;
2) address three prayers daily in memoriam of Jacob Fugger
(as per the Judaic precepts).
A petition circulates on the internet requesting the

beatification of Queen Isabella. Although my thesis reestablishes the
Queen in regards to the history of the Spanish Shoa, the fact remains

the Queen would not pass the test of sainthood because she was an
adulteress. However, I am satisfied to have contributed to her
rehabilitation. From now on, her name should be inscribed among
the righteous in Jerusalem, may her soul rest in peace.
A French poet said: Chance is the path God chooses to

remain anonymous. I think nothing else matters more then this
chance that slips between the verb and the action.
——•——
References
_______________________________________________________
Books
Le Baron de Nervo, Isabelle la Catholique, éditions, Michel Lévy
frères 1889, 451. English version translated by Lieut. - Col. Temple-
West (1897). "Unless otherwise indicated, translations are mine."

The life of the Admiral Christopher Columbus by his son
Ferdinand translated and annoted by Benjamin Keen – Rutgers
University Press. New Brunswick, New Jersey copyright 1959 by
Rutger, The State University, XXXII, 316 illus., maps. 25cm.
Book of Prophecies – Christopher Columbus, translated (French) by
Soledad Estorach and Michel Lequenne ) pub. Jerome Millon - 1992
The Wealthy Fuggers, Martin Kluger pub. Regio Augsburg
Tourismus GmbH
The Fuggerei, by Ulrich Graf Fugger Von Glött, ISBN 3-89639-
463-3
"Unless otherwise indicated, translations are mine."
Web Sites
http://www.lairweb.org.nz/leonardo/html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonardo_da_Vinci
http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Behaim
Works illustrated
Vasari; Beatrice Galindo; Verrocchio; Cosmus Medici; Lorenzo

Medici; Ludovico Sforza; Maximilian of Austria; Jacob Fugger;
Ferdinand of Aragon; Martin Behaïm; Pope Sixtus IV;
Crowned Eagle Standing on a Globe and a Wolf Steering a Boat,
by Leonardo Da Vinci c. 1485-88, pen and ink, 9 ⅞x 7 ¼ inches
(25 x 18 cm) Windsor Castle Royal Library;
Angels towing a boat, pen and ink, manuscript kept in the Ducal
Palace in Genoa, believed to be by Christopher Columbus;
Portrait of a Musician by Leonardo Da Vinci c. 1485, oil on wood
panel, 17 X 12 ¼ inches (43 X 31 cm) Pinacoteca Ambrosiana,
Milan;
Portrait of a man by Sandro Botticelli;
Portrait of a young man by Sandro Botticelli;
Portrait of a young man by Sandro Botticelli;
Portrait of Caesar Borgia by Altobello Melone;
Human figure in a circle, illustrating the proportion, by Leonardo
Da Vinci 1485 -90, pen and ink, 13 ½ X 9 ⅝ 5/8 inches (34.3 X 24.5
cm), Academy of Venice;
Author’s electronic blow up of Human figure in a circle, Portrait of
Borgia, by Leonardo Da Vinci;

Author’s electronic montage part Portrait of Borgia and part Portrait
of the Musician;
Man in shackles, by Leonardo Da Vinci, ink on paper Windsor
Castle Royal Library;
Madonna Litta, by Leonardo Da Vinci, c. 1490-91.Tempera on
canvas, transferred from panel, 42 x 33 cm. The Hermitage, St.
Petersburg comparing a drawing of a young man by Leonardo Da
Vinci and Portrait of a man by Botticelli;
Montage of a several drawings of infant portraits at growing stages
by Leonardo Da Vinci;
Queen Isabella profile portrait hair braided;
Author’s Montage Close comparison, part Madonna Litta and part
Portrait of Queen Isabella
Queen Isabella portrait at 18;
Queen Isabella portrait;
Mona Lisa, by Leonardo Da Vinci, Museum of the Louvre, Paris;
Author’s montage Portraits of Queen Isabella and Leonardo’s
portraits;
Map of Hispañola (Dominican Republic) US congress archives;
Human figure in a circle, by Leonardo Da Vinci 1485-90;
Leda and the swan copy of Leonardo’s painting by Raphael, Leda
and the Swan;
St Ann, virgin and child with lamb, by Leonardo;
Saint Ann, the Virgin, the child and Saint John, by Leonardo Da
Vinci c.1498 London, National Gallery ;
Blow up of the face Portrait of Isabella Queen of Portugal, by
Titian, Prado Museum Madrid copy of Leonardo’s works;
Head of Leda preliminary drawing, by Leonardo Da Vinci c.1503-
07 Black chalk, pen and ink on paper, 177 x 147 mm Royal Library,
Windsor;
St John the Baptist, by Leonardo Da Vinci c.1509, oil on wood
panel, (27⅛ X 22 ½ inches 69 x 57 cm) Museum of the Louvre,
Paris;
Preparatory drawing for St John Bacchus ( in the Wilderness) by
Leonardo Da Vinci 1508-15 Red chalk on paper, 24 x 18 cm
Formerly Museum del Sacramento, Varese;
St John Bacchus, ( in the Wilderness), by Leonardo Da Vinci, c.
1513, oil on wood panel, 69 x 45 1 inches (177 x 115 cm) Museum

of Louvre, Paris (believed to be mostly the work of a pupil based on

Leonardo’s red chalk preparatory drawing;
David and Goliath, by Andrea Del Verrochio (Leonardo is

presumed to be the model) 1473-1475. Bronze. Museum Nazionale
del Bargello, Florence, Italy;
Self-portrait, by Leonardo Da Vinci;
Electronic montage comparing part Leonardo self portrait and St
John the Baptist;
Old man with ivy wreath and lion's head, by Leonardo Da Vinci,
1503-05 Red chalk with white highlight on pink prepared paper, 183
x 136 mm Royal Library, Windsor page 35;
Heads of an old man and a youth, by Leonardo Da Vinci, c.1495-
1500 Red chalk on paper, 208 x 150 mm Galleria degli Uffizi,
Florence;
Young man dressed for a masquerade, by Leonardo;
Last supper, by Leonardo Da Vinci, (1495-97), Tempera on grosso,
pitch and mastic, 15 feet I inch x 28 feet 10 inches (460 x 880 cm0,
Convento de Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan;
Queen Isabella agonizing, Museum of Madrid;
Lady with Hermione, by Leonardo Da Vinci or rather princess
Catalina Queen Isabella’ Daughters princess Catalina, later queen of
England;
Ginerva Benci, by Leonardo;
Joan, the Mad, by Juan of Flanders;
La ferronière, by Leonardo Da Vinci;
The last supper by Leonardo Da Vinci;
Detail of above painting
Detail of above painting
Adoration of the magi, by Leonardo Da Vinci, c.1481-82 oil on
wood panel, 96 x 95 inches (246 x 243 cm), Galleria degli Uffizi,
Florence;
Madonna of the rocks, by Leonardo Da Vinci, c.1483-86 oil on
wood, transferred to canvas, 78 x 48 inches (199 x 122 cm), Museum
of the Louvre Paris;
Madonna of the rocks, by Leonardo Da Vinci, c.1483-86 oil on
wood, transferred to canvas, 78 x 48 inches (199 x 122 cm), London
Museum;


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DA VINCI SFUMATO – The revelation – Book I - Essay

Partial or integral reproduction not permitted unless authorized by the author. 1

Legal registration in Canada ISBN 978-0-9812591-1-6

Partial or integral reproduction not permitted unless authorized by the author. 2

Initially, DA VINCI SFUMATO was intended to be an academic

What did they have in common?

The following pages will demonstrate that these four emblematic

Partial or integral reproduction not permitted unless authorized by the author. 3

Partial or integral reproduction not permitted unless authorized by the author. 4

No one can withhold the truth indefinitely. Sooner or later, powered

During a very long period of time, a chronicle could not be written

Partial or integral reproduction not permitted unless authorized by the author. 5

Partial or integral reproduction not permitted unless authorized by the author. 6

Inevitably, with regards to Leonard Da Vinci’s life and works, the

This essay raises many questions about Vasari’s erroneous

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Partial or integral reproduction not permitted unless authorized by the author. 8

Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519)

At the age of twenty, Leonardo qualified as master of the Guild of

Leonardo Da Vinci was famous for a technique called sfumato

Leonardo Da Vinci had felt the threat of the predators lurking

Partial or integral reproduction not permitted unless authorized by the author. 9

Giorgio Vasari (1511-1574)

In his memoir Lives of the Artists, Vasari introduced Leonardo Da

The fact remains, Vasari wrote this biography 50 years after

Beatriz Galindo - La Latina (1474-1534)

Partial or integral reproduction not permitted unless authorized by the author. 10

University of Salamanca, April 20, 1503

University of Salamanca, May 21, 1503

Beatriz Galindo testimonials were discovered during the 19th century

Partial or integral reproduction not permitted unless authorized by the author. 11

Did Leonardo deliberately destroy the bulk of his own

A consensus tends to confirm, the disappearance of these notebooks

A careful study of Leonardo’s life raises more questions than offers

What did Leonardo fear so much, he had to remain silent?

16th century Spanish writer Miguel Cervantes cleverly said:

Partial or integral reproduction not permitted unless authorized by the author. 12

to look into Leonardo’s life from a different perspective would

Andreas Verrocchio (1435-1488)

Cosmus Medici (1389-1464)

Lorenzo Medici, the Magnificent (1449-1492)

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disposition, they were called the Illuminatis, the Enlightened. What

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In the presence of the Cardinal, at the church to

Ludovico Sforza (1452-1508) Duke of Milan (1479-

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the development of new arms and war concepts as

Most illustrious Lord, having now sufficiently seen

Unfortunately for Leonardo, the French army quickly

Jacob Fugger (1459-1525)

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these circumstances, Jacob Fugger was not about to repeat Lorenzo

Ferdinand, King of Aragon (1452-1516)

Martin Behaïm (1459-1507)

Although there is no mention of Martin Behaïm in Columbus’s life

Why would Leonardo ever propose such a weird segregationist

Was Leonardo only planning a city or was he involved in Spain on a

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contrary, the Spaniards encountered a fierce resistance from the

Is it possible Leonardo Da Vinci, Christopher Columbus, Martin

If Behaïm met Columbus and Leonardo around the same time, it