What really took away Leonardo da Vinci’s ability to hold a paintbrush? For centuries, the answer seemed obvious – a stroke. However, Italian doctors, analyzing historical portraits and documents, have come to surprising conclusions that force us to look anew at the final years of one of humanity’s greatest artists.
A Mystery Hidden in a Portrait
Dr. Davide Lazzeri from Rome’s Villa Salaria Clinic decided to approach the mystery of Leonardo’s health in an unusual way. Instead of relying solely on written records, he examined works of art depicting the master during his final years. A key clue was a portrait drawn in red chalk, attributed to the Lombard artist Giovanni Ambrogio Figino.
The artwork, held at the Gallerie dell’Accademia in Venice, reveals a detail overlooked by previous researchers. Leonardo’s right hand lies limply on his clothing, with fingers partly bent and clearly weakened. This detail became the starting point for a revision of previous medical theories.
The Italian specialist noted a crucial fact – the artist’s hand is not clenched. Typically, strokes cause muscle spasticity, which leads to a characteristic clenching of the hand. The finger positioning seen in the portrait points to a different mechanism of injury.
A Diagnosis from Five Hundred Years Ago
According to Dr. Lazzeri, the clinical picture more closely matches ulnar nerve palsy, commonly called “claw hand.” This condition results from damage to the nerve controlling the hand’s muscles, which may be due to injury, compression, or a disease process near the elbow.
Supporting this diagnosis is the absence of other typical stroke symptoms. Historical sources do not mention Leonardo experiencing numbness in an entire half of his body or problems with speech. No cognitive impairment is reported, a feature often seen in patients with cerebrovascular incidents.
Furthermore, the artist retained full intellectual capacity and continued teaching his students. He also kept drawing, though painting large-scale oil works became impossible for him. The selective loss of function – impacting precise brush movements, but not sketching – fits better with peripheral rather than central nervous system damage.
Debate over the Master’s Hand
Research into Leonardo’s condition is complicated by an ongoing debate over which hand he relied upon. Analysis of strokes in surviving sketches suggests he drew with his left hand. Yet historical documents indicate he used his right hand for everyday activities.
It’s possible Leonardo was ambidextrous, not unusual among craftsmen and artists of the time. Practical mastery of both hands was a valuable skill in the workshop. Thus, damage to his right hand might have limited certain techniques, while others remained available.
According to Antonio de Beatis, secretary to Cardinal Louis d’Aragon, who visited Leonardo in 1517, the 65-year-old artist “suffered from paralysis of the right hand.” Nevertheless, he continued to work creatively, albeit in a limited capacity.
An Alternative Theory – A Series of Strokes
Not all experts agree with the diagnosis of ulnar palsy. Antonio Perciaccante from the hospital in Gorizia and Alessia Coralli carried out their own research, published in the prestigious journal The Lancet Neurology. Their hypothesis suggests a gradual worsening of Leonardo’s health due to a succession of strokes.
The first event could have caused isolated paralysis of the hand without accompanying cognitive impairment. Such cases, though rare, are known in modern medicine. Subsequent strokes would have gradually reduced motor skills, explaining reports of progressive weakness.
Giorgio Vasari, author of the 1550 “Lives of the Artists,” described Leonardo in his last months as confined to a chair, unable to stand without the assistance of servants and friends. This image differs greatly from earlier accounts of an artist suffering only from hand problems.
Death in Amboise
Leonardo da Vinci died on May 2, 1519, at Clos Lucé in Amboise, France, where he spent his final three years as the guest of King Francis I. Witnesses described the cause of death as a paroxysm – a sudden violent attack or outburst of disease.
Dr. Perciaccante believes that this paroxysm may have been another, this time fatal, stroke. Medical data confirm that people who have had one stroke are at much higher risk of further incidents. The risk increases, especially in the absence of effective treatment, which was unavailable in the 16th century.
Regardless of the final diagnosis, it is clear that Leonardo’s last years were marked by a struggle with increasing disability. The genius who for decades created masterpieces requiring extraordinary precision had to come to terms with the loss of control over his own body. Nevertheless, he remained intellectually active to the end, sharing his knowledge with students and continuing his scientific observations.
Autor
Rory Thornfield
Rory's grandfather left behind a wartime diary filled with accounts of a minor Burma skirmish that history books never mentioned. Reading it, Rory realized: behind every famous battle are dozens of forgotten struggles, each with its own human drama.
His preferred topics: The overlooked corners of military history – secondary campaigns, shadow battalions, local conflicts that never made headlines. From medieval sieges to twentieth-century expeditions, he focuses on the soldiers, not the generals. The people who faced impossible choices and carried those experiences forever.
Rory strips away the romanticism without losing respect for those who served. He combines tactical analysis with personal stories, examining human endurance and moral complexity rather than celebrating warfare. His writing is balanced, thoughtful, and deeply researched.
Outside work, Rory visits forgotten battlefields (now quiet farmland), photographs war memorials nobody tends anymore, and interviews veterans' families.