Technikatörténeti szemle 13. (1982)

TANULMÁNYOK - Szabadváry Ferenc: Leonardo da Vinci: Efficiency Problems of Technological Inventions

The first printed book on engineering was that of a Renaissance engineer of much lesser importance than those mentioned in the precedings. Roberto Valturio (1405—1475), born in Rimini, wrote an illustrated book on military engineering entitled De Re Militari, which appeared as a manuscripts around 1460, and in print, under the title Elenchus et Index Rerum Militarium, in Verona in the year 1472. The book is a true masterpiece of typography. Among the pictures, various never realized extravagant military machines, even a submarine boat are found. Another printed book of importance was that by the famous architect Alberti (De re aedificatoris, 1485). At the time, however when Leonardo's manuscripts were rediscovered, and he was claimed „prophet of technology", all these books had long ago sunk into oblivion, and only in the 20th century, when research in the history of technology was started, did it turn out that Leonardo's sketches weren't unique in the 15th century: on the contrary, many similar drawings and writings existed. One important question is still left open. Why did Leonardo never publish his engineering concepts, when his cited contemporaries published them? And why did he never attempt to put his ideas into practice? There is, of course, no probable answer to this question, and one can only make guesses from one's individual point of view. The followings will express my personal assumption. Why didn't Leonardo attempt to realize his ideas? Because he didn't need it. He was always well-off, he didn't have to secure his existence by means of his