When you hear the name Leonardo da Vinci, you probably think of painting. His masterpieces—like the Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, and Salvator Mundi (the most expensive painting ever sold)—are some of the most famous artworks in history.
But what may surprise you is just how many other fields he explored. In addition to painting, Leonardo was also skilled in invention, sculpting, architecture, science, music, mathematics, engineering, literature, anatomy, geology, astronomy, botany, writing, history, and cartography.
His extraordinary range of talents earned him the reputation of a true genius. But what’s even more remarkable is the deep curiosity that drove him. In his biography of Leonardo, Walter Isaacson describes this curiosity as “pure, personal, and delightfully obsessive.”
Leonardo’s many interests weren’t separate—they influenced each other. His studies in anatomy and geology improved his paintings, while his love of science and engineering inspired his inventions. What makes him even more admirable is that he didn’t seek fame or fortune. Isaacson reminds us that:
He wanted to accumulate knowledge for its own sake, and for his own personal joy, rather than out of a desire to make a public name for himself as a scholar or to be part of the progress of history.
Leonardo and Stoic Wisdom
One of the four main Stoic virtues is wisdom. Plato defined it as “the ability which by itself is productive of human happiness; the knowledge of what is good and bad; the knowledge that produces happiness; the disposition by which we judge what is to be done and what is not to be done.”
Stoic wisdom, also known as prudence, is practical—it’s about knowing the right thing to do in a given moment. This aligns perfectly with Leonardo’s approach to life. He learned for the sheer joy of it, following his curiosity wherever it led. But at the same time, the more he learned, the better decisions he could make.
Even when he was one of the most sought-after painters of his time, he chose projects not based on money but on what truly interested him. This mindset led him to turn down Isabella d’Este, a wealthy patron eager for a portrait, simply because he preferred working on other things.
Leonardo’s Learning Process and Stoicism
Leonardo’s approach to learning reflects key Stoic principles. Here are some examples we can draw parallels with.
Taking Notes
He always carried a notebook, filling it with ideas, theories, and sketches. Over 7,000 pages of his notes still exist, offering a window into his relentless pursuit of wisdom. Similarly, Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations—which were meant for his eyes only—show how he used personal reflection to grow wiser over time.
Conducting Experiments (Practice)
Leonardo never accepted ideas at face value—he tested them himself. Largely self-taught, he valued firsthand experience over formal education. He once wrote the following, comparing himself to people with more extensive educations:
Though I have no power to quote from authors as they have, I shall rely on a far more worldly thing—on experience.
The Stoics shared this belief in learning through practice. Seneca advised preparing for hardship by deliberately living with less to strengthen resilience, writing in his Moral Letters:
Set aside a certain number of days, during which you shall be content with the scantiest and cheapest fare, with coarse and rough dress, saying to yourself the while: ‘Is this the condition that I feared?’
Learning the Theory
Despite his love for hands-on learning, Leonardo also valued theory. In 1510, he warned that practice without a solid foundation was like sailing without a compass. Similarly, Marcus Aurelius studied Epictetus before developing his own approach to Stoic philosophy. To fully practice Stoicism, we must also learn from its greatest thinkers.
Enjoying the Process
Leonardo cherished his independence. He once wrote, “While you are alone, you are entirely your own master.” He never chased money or prestige, often rejecting lucrative commissions to focus on what interested him. His output may have been smaller because of this, but his life was richer.
Epictetus echoed this sentiment: “No man is free who is not master of himself.” Leonardo mastered many disciplines but was never enslaved by wealth, status, or demanding patrons.
Lessons from Leonardo
A core Stoic principle is learning to appreciate what we already have, rather than constantly chasing more—more possessions, more money, more recognition. Leonardo embodied this mindset. As Isaacson reflected after writing Leonardo’s biography:
After immersing myself in Leonardo, I did the best I could to be more observant of phenomena that I used to ignore… But I did learn from Leonardo how a desire to marvel about the world that we encounter each day can make each moment of our lives richer.
By adopting Leonardo’s insatiable curiosity and appreciation for the present moment, surely we too can live a richer, wiser life.
