A modern geologist looks at Leonardo da Vinci

Giuseppe De Lorenzo (Lagonegro, 1871 - Napoli, 1957) was a renowned geologist, having contributed significantly to the history of the formation of the Apennines, some of the most complicated geology in Italy. He was also a scholar of Leonardo da Vinci, having written a seminal book on Leonardo’s ideas on geology. His book, published in the mid-twentieth century, shed new light on Leonardo’s incredible writings on the geological disciplines of stratigraphy, sedimentology, paleontology, and structural geology. Additionally, De Lorenzo was able to influence not only scientists but the general public as he was knowledgeable in the fields of philosophy, literature, Far Eastern languages, and Buddhism. 

In September, 2023 I was honored and humbled to have won first prize in the National Giuseppe De Lorenzo book competition. Being a geologist and a Leonardo scholar it was a moment of great joy to follow in the footsteps of Leonardo da Vinci and Giuseppe De Lorenzo.