Cluster 7: The Borgia Experiment (1500–1503)
Leonardo life-system node from research dossier
Content Summary
Serving Cesare Borgia as General Architect and Engineer, Leonardo turned cartography into a weapon of war. His 1502 map of Imola utilized precise ichnographic measurements for tactical planning.]
Context Notes
He used polar coordinates and a "Bussola" (compass) for triangulation from the central crossroads, rejecting decorative pictorial elevations for spatial accuracy.
evidence notes
RCIN 912284 (Imola map); Cesare Borgia's passport.
Research Question
Analyze the mathematical error margin of the 1502 map compared to modern satellite data.
Cross-Reference Mapping
Bird’s-eye survey logic informed the aerial perspective in the Mona Lisa.
Uncertainty Markers
Borgia appointment; Birth of modern cartography; Service as a spy for Florence.