Da Vinci code: DNA could solve mystery of Leonardo's grave
Remains could unlock a wealth of information about painter's life – and show us how he really looked
Scientists are combing Leonardo da Vinci's notebooks and sketches for DNA that might solve the mystery of where the Renaissance polymath is buried.
Da Vinci died on 2 May 1519, while in the service of Francis I of France, and was originally laid to rest in the chapel of Saint-Florentin at the royal Chateau d'Amboise in the Loire Valley.
However, the chapel was destroyed during the French Revolution and the artist's body considered lost.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A team of amateur archaeologists on the site later discovered remains they believed were those of da Vinci and had them re-interred in another chapel on the grounds, the Saint-Hubert, in 1874. A plaque refers to it as the "presumed" location of the artist and inventor's resting place.
Now experts in genetic testing from the J Craig Venter Institute in California are preparing to examine one of Da Vinci's most famous paintings, the Adoration of the Magi, for any traces of skin, hair or fingerprints which could belong to the Renaissance Master.
"It is well known that Leonardo used his fingers along with his brushes while painting, some prints of which have remained, and so it could be possible to find cells of his epidermis mixed with the colours," Jesse Ausubel, the vice chairman of the Richard Lounsbery Foundation, which is funding the project, told the Daily Telegraph.
Any genetic material the scientists uncover will be compared with Da Vinci's living relatives to establish whether it belonged to the Florentine artist.
DNA samples will then be taken from the presumed grave site to see whether the remains are those of Da Vinci, in a similar way to which scientists uncovered the grave of Richard III in a Leicester car park last year.
If the genetic testing proves that the Saint-Hubert chapel is Da Vinci's final resting place, the specialists will seek permission to exhume the remains. This would provide the opportunity to reconstruct the artist's face from his skull, test his bones to find out his diet and perhaps even discover the unknown illness which led to his death aged 67.
"We stand to gain not only greater historical knowledge of Leonardo, but possibly a reconstruction of his genetic profile, which could provide insights into other individuals with remarkable qualities," Ausubel said.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
When will mortgage rates finally start coming down?
The Explainer Much to potential homebuyers' chagrin, mortgage rates are still elevated
By Becca Stanek, The Week US Published
-
Women are getting their own baseball league again
In the Spotlight The league is on track to debut in 2026
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Giant TVs are becoming the next big retail commodity
Under the Radar Some manufacturers are introducing TVs over 8 feet long
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Has the Taliban banned women from speaking?
Today's Big Question 'Rambling' message about 'bizarre' restriction joins series of recent decrees that amount to silencing of Afghanistan's women
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Cuba's energy crisis
The Explainer Already beset by a host of issues, the island nation is struggling with nationwide blackouts
By Rebekah Evans, The Week UK Published
-
Putin's fixation with shamans
Under the Radar Secretive Russian leader, said to be fascinated with occult and pagan rituals, allegedly asked for blessing over nuclear weapons
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Chimpanzees are dying of human diseases
Under the radar Great apes are vulnerable to human pathogens thanks to genetic similarity, increased contact and no immunity
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Deaths of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies hang over Sydney's Mardi Gras
The Explainer Police officer, the former partner of TV presenter victim, charged with two counts of murder after turning himself in
By Austin Chen, The Week UK Published
-
Quiz of The Week: 24 February - 1 March
Puzzles and Quizzes Have you been paying attention to The Week's news?
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Will mounting discontent affect Iran election?
Today's Big Question Low turnout is expected in poll seen as crucial test for Tehran's leadership
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Sweden clears final NATO hurdle with Hungary vote
Speed Read Hungary's parliament overwhelmingly approved Sweden's accession to NATO
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published