Lucchesia
The Lucchesia (territory of Luca), especially the areas around Montecarlo and Altopascio, is involved in the projects for deviating the Arno in the preliminary sketch of 1495 and on the maps of 1503-1504 (RLW 12685, RLW 12683 and Madrid Ms. II, 22v-23r). Obviously, Lucca is clearly evidenced both as an important city of art and because it was the object of a singular project for flooding the city, devised to facilitate its conquest (Ms. B, f. 64r, around 1487).
The itinerary, with measurement of the distances, that starts at Poggio a Caiano and Montale and, passing beyond Pistoia, arrives at San Gennaro and Villa Basilica, is traced in Madrid Ms. II.
On map RLW 12277 Leonardo traces the course of the Serchio, while on RLW 12685 he represents only the town of Barga.
Altopascio
Altopascio was a centre of fundamental importance for the medieval system of roads as well as for the draining of the marshes. Starting from the 11th century it was the seat of the Hospitaller Knights of Tau, with the Pilgrims' Hospital, the residence and grain storehouses, the church of San Jacopo, the bell tower and the wall that can still today be glimpsed from afar. The Knights of Tau went out from here along the roads to the major cities of France, Germany, Spain and Flanders. Leonardo represents the tower and the stronghold of Altopascio on map RLW 12685 and indicates it on f. 23r of Madrid Ms. II.
Barga
The historic-artistic centre of Garfagnana, Barga interested Leonardo - who represents it on map RLW 12685 - as a northern reference point in the Valle del Serchio. The town still conserves its walls with three gates, its cathedral with pulpit by the Comacini, its Renaissance palaces and several Della Robbia works in terracotta.
Filettole
By "Filetto", Leonardo indicates the castle of Filettole in the Commune of Vecchiano on map RLW 12683 and mentions it in the Codex Atlanticus (f. 305r).
Lucca
The city, one of the most interesting in Tuscany as regards history and art, is represented on Windsor papers 12683 and 12685, and mentioned in the Codex Atlanticus (ff. 127 r and 305r). Leonardo mentions it already around 1487 on folio 64r of Ms. B, on which he draws some diagrams of bulwarks designed, according to a project by Brunelleschi, to flood the city. Although certain documentation is lacking, it is highly probable that Leonardo went to Lucca, where he would have visited such famous buildings as the Cathedral. It holds masterpieces of art such as the tomb of Ilaria del Carretto by Jacopo della Quercia, as well as splendid works by his contemporaries, among them the Tempietto by Matteo Civitali and the altarpiece by Domenico Ghirlandaio. It is not perhaps by chance that in Lucca and its surroundings we find, at a later age, numerous works by followers of Leonardo, with subjects ranging from the Last Supper to the Magdalene.
Lucca
The city, one of the most interesting in Tuscany as regards history and art, is represented on Windsor papers 12683 and 12685, and mentioned in the Codex Atlanticus (ff. 127 r and 305r). Leonardo mentions it already around 1487 on folio 64r of Ms. B, on which he draws some diagrams of bulwarks designed, according to a project by Brunelleschi, to flood the city. Although certain documentation is lacking, it is highly probable that Leonardo went to Lucca, where he would have visited such famous buildings as the Cathedral. It holds masterpieces of art such as the tomb of Ilaria del Carretto by Jacopo della Quercia, as well as splendid works by his contemporaries, among them the Tempietto by Matteo Civitali and the altarpiece by Domenico Ghirlandaio. It is not perhaps by chance that in Lucca and its surroundings we find, at a later age, numerous works by followers of Leonardo, with subjects ranging from the Last Supper to the Magdalene.
Molina di Quosa
By "Molina", Leonardo indicates Molina di Quosa, in the Commune of San Giuliano Terme, in the Val di Serchio.
Montecarlo
A stronghold of reference between the Padule di Fucecchio and the marshes of Bientina. The name derives from the Emperor Charles of Bohemia (Mons Karoli). In 1437 Francesco Sforza consigned it to Cosimo de' Medici the Elder. Leonardo represents Montecarlo on map RLW 12685 and on f. 22v of Madrid Ms. II.
San Gennaro
Leonardo represents the stronghold of San Gennaro on map RLW 12685 and indicates it in Madrid Ms. II (f. 23r). The locality, in the Commune of Capannori, has a Romanesque pieve in which is conserved a terracotta "Angel", in the past polychrome, recently attributed by Carlo Pedretti to Leonardo himself.
Santa Maria in Castello
As reference point in the Valle del Serchio, on the right bank of the river, above a rocky spur overlooking Vecchiano, from the side opposite Pontasserchio, Leonardo represents and indicates the church of Santa Maria in Castello on map RLW 12683 and mentions it in the Codex Atlanticus (f. 305r).
Serchio
Leonardo indicates several times the Serchio river, which flows through the Communes of Bagni di Lucca, Barga, Camporgiano, Capannori, Castelnuovo of Garfagnana, Coreglia Antelminelli, Fosciadora, Gallicano, Lucca, Molazzana, Piazza al Serchio, Pieve Fosciana, San Romano in Garfagnana, San Giuliano Terme, and Vecchiano. He shows it on Windsor maps 12683 (in a position near the Bocca di Serchio) and 12277, in the Codex Atlanticus (f. 305r) and in Madrid Ms. II (f. 52v).
Villa Basilica
Villa Basilica is a historic centre distinguished in the past by a Roman villa and a basilica. Located in an area lying between the territory of Lucca and the Val di Nievole, it was frequently devastated by the incursions of both Pisans and Florentines. It was a place where weapons were produced. Notable in the Romanesque Pieve of Santa Maria Assunta is, among other things, a "Crucifix" by Berlinghiero. Studied by Leonardo at the end of the route that began in the territory of Prato, it is mentioned on maps RLW 12279 and 12685 and on f. 23r of Madrid Ms. II.
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Texts by Alessandro Vezzosi, in collaboration with Agnese Sabato
English translation by Catherine Frost
Last update 05/mar/2008