Leonardo da Vinci - Study of Flight

Highlands Ranch High School - Mr. Sedivy
Highlands Ranch, Colorado

The Life, Art, Inventions and Anatomical Drawings of
Leonardo da Vinci

Leonardo da Vinci's Study of Flight

Most art below can be clicked to view Leonardo's work at its actual size.*

A Flying Machine
1490
Pen and ink

Leonardo intended the
aviator to lie prone,
working the wings with
his legs and arms.

A Wing on a
Test Block*
1490
Pen and ink

Study of the
Structure of a Wing
1490
Pen and ink

"Dissect the bat ...
and on this model
arrange the machine"

Drawing of a
Flying Machine
1490
Pen and ink

"Observe how the beating
of its wings against the
air suffices to bear up the
weight of the eagle."

Study of the
Construction and
Control of a Wing
1490
Pen and ink

A bat-like wing with
flexible construction.

Drawing of a
Flying Machine
with Operator
1500
Pen and ink

"The great bird will
take its flight"

*Most (not all) of the art above can be clicked to view Leonardo's works in their actual sizes JPEG format.
Enlargements are not available of the art with an asterisk (*) following the name.
Hit your browser's "Back" button to return to this page.

The Life of Leonardo da Vinci - 1

The Life of Leonardo da Vinci - 2

Back to the Renaissance

Site Contents

Back to the top of this page

Highlands Ranch High School 9375 South Cresthill Lane Highlands Ranch, Colorado 80126 303-471-7000