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An Idyllic Afternoon Following Leonardo da Vinci’s Final Footsteps
and a tour of the French town where he was buried
In the autumn of 1516, Leonardo da Vinci arrived to a town in Central France following an invitation from the king. The town was Amboise, and the invite was to come live at one of the French king’s residences, now the Château du Clos Lucé.
Da Vinci packed light. Crossing the Alps on a mule, he brought the Mona Lisa, the Virgin and the Child with Saint Anne, Saint John the Baptist, and all of his manuscripts and sketches. It is thought he knew that the château would be his final home. He would go on to spend the last three years of his life here, before passing in 1519.
Reading about Amboise during a trip in Paris, I decided to take a detour (side note: I found French trains to be amazing, especially when compared to those in the UK). Of course, I am fascinated by the force that was Leonardo da Vinci and all he created. But past the wonder and admiration, I feel something more emotional when I think of him. A kind of worry that only comes from love.
