Leonardo da Vinci remains an iconic figure whose genius transcends time. Known for his contributions to art, science, and technology, da Vinci’s insights into life and human nature are profound and timeless. His words continue to resonate, offering inspiration and wisdom for various aspects of life. This article compiles some of the most insightful Leonardo da Vinci quotes into carefully curated themes, providing readers with a glimpse into his revolutionary thoughts. From creativity to curiosity, da Vinci's quotes reveal a brilliant mind that understood the essence of human potential. As you explore these themes and quotes, you'll find motivation to think, create, and live profoundly.
Quotes on Creativity
"Art is never finished, only abandoned."
"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication."
"To develop a complete mind: Study the science of art; study the art of science. Learn how to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else."
"A painter should begin every canvas with a wash of black, because all things in nature are dark except where exposed by the light."
"Learning never exhausts the mind."
"Where the spirit does not work with the hand, there is no art."
"The painter has the Universe in his mind and hands."
"Once you have tasted of the flying, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return."
"Art lives from constraints and dies from freedom."
"Every artist was first an amateur."
"The noblest pleasure is the joy of understanding."
"The deeper the feeling, the greater the pain."
Quotes on Knowledge
"The knowledge of all things is possible."
"All our knowledge has its origins in our perceptions."
"He who loves practice without theory is like the sailor who boards ship without a rudder and compass and never knows where he may cast."
"The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions."
"While I thought that I was learning how to live, I have been learning how to die."
"The senses are of the earth; Reason, stands on the edge of Reason, looking at things in contemplation."
"Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do."
"The acquisition of knowledge is always of use to the intellect, because it enables the understanding to resound of evaluations."
"It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things."
"Wisdom is the daughter of experience."
"All sciences are vain and full of errors that are not born of Experience, the mother of all Knowledge."
"Experience does not err; it is only your judgment that errs in promising itself results which are not caused by your experiments."
Quotes on Curiosity
"I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do."
"The mind of the painter must be like a mirror, which always takes the color of the object it reflects and is completely occupied by the images of as many objects as are in front of it."
"The desire to know is natural to good men."
"Iron rusts from disuse; water loses its purity from stagnation... even so does inaction sap the vigors of the mind."
"He who can copy can originate."
"The natural desire of good men is knowledge."
"Each man is the creation of himself, the image of his own thinking and believing. As the frequency of his thought, so is the frequency of his life."
"Study without desire spoils the memory, and it retains nothing that it takes in."
"Every action needs to be prompted by a motive."
"As a well-spent day brings happy sleep, so a life well spent brings happy death."
"The greatest geniuses sometimes accomplish more when they work less."
"Curiosity is the mother of invention."
Quotes on Innovation
"It is easier to resist at the beginning than at the end."
"Learning never exhausts the mind."
"Time abides long enough for those who make use of it."
"Nothing strengthens authority so much as silence."
"Poor is the pupil who does not surpass his master."
"Men of lofty genius when they are doing the least work are most active."
"I awoke only to find that the rest of the world was still asleep."
"There are three classes of people: those who see, those who see when they are shown, those who do not see."
"Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen."
"In time and with water, everything changes."
"Water is the driving force of all nature."
"Once you have tasted the water of a well, you never forget it."
Quotes on Observation
"All knowledge which ends in words will die as quickly as it came to life, with the exception of the written word: which is its mechanical part."
"Nature is full of infinite causes that have never occurred in experience."
"A good painter is to paint two main things, man and the intention of his soul."
"The eye sees a thing more clearly in dreams than the imagination awake."
"I love those who can smile in trouble, who can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink, but they whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves their conduct, will pursue their principles unto death."
"Beyond a doubt truth bears the same relation to falsehood as light to darkness."
"The noblest pleasure is the joy of understanding."
"I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do."
"It's easier to resist at the beginning than at the end."
"Nature never breaks her own laws."
"In rivers, the water that you touch is the last of what has passed and the first of that which comes: So with present time."
"Everything comes from everything, and everything is made out of everything, and everything returns to everything."
Quotes on Wisdom
"Experience is a true teacher, even if it is not always the nicest one."
"Beyond a doubt truth bears the same relation to falsehood as light to darkness."
"He who loves practice without theory is like a sailor who boards ship without a rudder and compass and never knows where he may cast."
"As every divided kingdom falls, so every mind divided between many studies confounds and saps itself."
"Tears come from the heart and not from the brain."
"O! how many things are in vogue when both truth and integrity and generosity are fashionable!"
"Our life works go to death."
"The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions."
"Insanity is relative. It depends on who has who locked in what cage."
"Iron rusts from disuse; water loses its purity from stagnation... even so does inaction sap the vigors of the mind."
"As a well-spent day brings happy sleep, so a life well used brings happy death."
"The good man is not he who does rationally good things, but he who is always willing to do them."
Quotes on Life and Death
"While I thought that I was learning how to live, I have been learning how to die."
"A well-spent day brings happy sleep."
"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication."
"The function of muscle is to pull and not to push, except in the case of the genitals and the tongue."
"There shall be wings! If the accomplishment be not for me, 'tis for some other."
"Life is pretty simple: You do some stuff. Most fails. Some works. You do more of what works."
"Why does the eye see a thing more clearly in dreams than with the imagination being awake?"
"Nothing can be loved or hated unless it is first understood."
"Learning never exhausts the mind."
"As a well-spent day brings happy sleep, so a life well-spent brings happy death."
"There shall be wings if the accomplishment be not for today; still there shall be wings."
"Beyond a doubt truth bears the same relation to falsehood as light to darkness."
Quotes on Love
"He who does not punish evil commands it to be done."
"Tears come from the heart and not from the brain."
"Nothing strengthens authority so much as silence."
"The smallest feline is a masterpiece."
"The depth and strength of a human character are defined by its moral reserves."
"The lady doth protest too much, methinks."
"Nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light."
"He who wishes to be rich in a day will be hanged in a year."
"Our virtues and our failings are inseparable, like force and matter. When they separate, man is no more."
"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals open your eyes!"
"Mercy is like the rain—while it wets the sky, it greens the earth."
"The good man is not he who does rationally good things, but he who is always willing to do them."
Quotes on Perseverance
"The human foot is a masterpiece of engineering and a work of art."
"The noblest pleasure is the joy of understanding."
"He who wishes to be rich in a day will be hanged in a year."
"A wave is never found alone, but is mingled with the other waves."
"In time and with water, everything changes."
"Iron rusts from disuse; water loses its purity from stagnation... even so does inaction sap the vigors of the mind."
"Experience never errs; it is only your judgments that err by promising themselves results which are not caused by your experiments."
"The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions."
"I have always felt it is my destiny to build a machine that could fly."
"The natural desire of good men is knowledge."
"Once you have tasted the flying, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return."
"Just as iron rusts from disuse, even so does inaction ruin the intellect."
Quotes on Art and Science
"Where the spirit does not work with the hand, there is no art."
"A painter should begin every canvas with a wash of black, because all things in nature are dark except where exposed by the light."
"There are three classes of people: those who see, those who see when they are shown, those who do not see."
"Painting is concerned with all the ten attributes of sight; which are: Darkness, Light, Solidity and Colour, Form and Position, Distance and Propinquity, Motion and Rest."
"Once you have tasted the water of a well, you never forget it."
"The smallest feline is a masterpiece."
"The function of muscle is to pull and not to push, except in the case of the genitals and the tongue."
"Every action needs to be prompted by a motive."
"Nature never breaks her own laws."
"Experience does not err; it is only your judgment that errs in promising itself results which are not caused by your experiments."
"As a well-spent day brings a happy sleep, so a life well spent brings happy death."
"Art is never finished, only abandoned."
Final words
Leonardo da Vinci's quotes reflect the mind of a genius unfettered by the constraints of his time. He understood the intricate dance between art and science, the importance of curiosity, and the necessity of imagination and inquiry. His words are guidelines urging us to look beyond the surface, to persist in the pursuit of knowledge, and to appreciate the elegance of simplicity. They resonate with anyone driven by a thirst for a deeper understanding of the world around them. As you ponder these quotes, consider how they might apply to your life or field. Leonardo da Vinci's legacy is a reminder that the quest for knowledge and beauty is timeless. In adopting his wisdom, we honor his spirited pursuit of excellence and innovation, enriching our modern lives with age-old insights.
