Sketches and Drawings Hub

Baseline inventory for Leonardo's major drawings corpus

Scope Notes

Core independent artworks in Leonardo's drawing orbit are limited (about 8-10), while the majority are study sheets, workshop studies, and notebook-linked technical pages.

This hub intentionally preserves that boundary and prepares structure for deeper source-backed expansion.

Iconic Proportion and Anatomical Studies

Vitruvian Man

c. 1490 | Gallerie dell'Accademia, Venice

Canonical proportion study aligning the human figure to circle-square geometry and Renaissance natural philosophy.

Open drawing page

Skull Studies

1489 | Royal Collection, Windsor

Cranial and sectional studies from Leonardo's early anatomy campaign, including structural mapping of head cavities.

Open drawing page

Fetus in the Womb

c. 1510-1512 | Royal Collection, Windsor

One of Leonardo's most recognized anatomical images, combining observational rendering with reproductive theory.

Open drawing page

Portrait Drawings

Head of a Woman Studies

c. 1480s-1510s | Royal Collection, Windsor (primary) and related collections

Multiple female head studies tracing Leonardo's experiments in expression, hair, and volumetric modeling.

Open drawing page

Large-Scale Cartoons

Preparatory and Compositional Studies

Studies for Battle of Anghiari

c. 1503-1506 | Original studies dispersed/lost; key evidence via copies including Rubens version

Preparatory sequence tied to the lost Florentine mural, reconstructed through surviving studies and derivative copies.

Open drawing page

Botanical and Nature Studies

Oak Leaves with Acorns

c. late 15th / early 16th century | Royal Collection, Windsor

Close botanical rendering emphasizing structure and growth form, representative of Leonardo's natural observation method.

Open drawing page

A Lily

c. 1475 | Royal Collection, Windsor

Early botanical draftsmanship that demonstrates observational discipline before major court commissions.

Open drawing page

Horse and Animal Studies

Studies for Sforza Monument

c. 1488-1489 | Royal Collection, Windsor (and related holdings)

Horse anatomy and motion studies for the Sforza equestrian monument project, integrating sculpture planning and biomechanics.

Open drawing page

Mechanical and Engineering Drawings