Leonardo da Vinci at the Chateau du Clos Luce
Last thoughts
On April 23, 1519, feeling the weight of the years increasingly heavy on his fragile shoulders, Leonardo da Vinci dictated his will. Lying in bed at the Manoir du Cloux, he divided his possessions among his closest companions, the faithful among the faithful, and no doubt recalled his last three years at Amboise. At his side is Francesco Melzi, his most gifted apprentice, who worked to embellish the manor’s walls and complete some of his most famous works. Battista da Villanis, his devoted Milanese servant, who assisted him as devotedly as a son to his father. And, of course, Mathurine, the faithful cook, who worked for three years to satisfy her host’s particular eating habits.
Life at the Manoir du Cloux
Three years earlier, in the autumn of 1516, Amboise was abuzz with activity. Everyone wanted to capture an image of the most famous Italian artist crossing the city walls. François 1er, a young king of 22 and a great lover of art and “beautiful things”, was delighted to be able to rub shoulders with the man whose experience, wisdom and creativity were beyond question. In his small red-brick manor house, Leonardo da Vinci received him in all simplicity, sharing his thoughts and ideas.
A bubbling mind
In his ground-floor studio, Leonardo’s ebullient mind was busy working on projects as diverse as draining the marshes of Sologne, organizing sumptuous feasts for the pleasure of the Court, and designing a monumental palace in honor of the King. Absorbed in his reflections, Leonardo da Vinci saw no time passing, day after day, despite his declining health. The proof is in these few words hastily scribbled on a piece of parchment: “I’m stopping tonight, because the soup’s getting cold…”. An extraordinary mind died on May 2, 1519 at Le Clos Lucé.
