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One can easily admit that the term GENIUS has been abused by contemporary society. Nowadays, child prodigies, tech moguls, athletes—not to speak of influencers and internet gurus—are too often and too hastily elevated to this status. Elon Musk, Sabrina Gonzalez Pasterski, Roger Federer, and Jordan Peterson are considered, by some, geniuses (as were Bernie Madoff and Elizabeth Holmes, before reality finally caught up with them). In the previous centuries, such a title was assigned primarily to scientists, philosophers, and musicians. Notable examples are Blaise Pascal, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, John Stuart Mill, and, of course, Albert Einstein. (Marie Curie was recognized as a genius many years after her death!) They all seem to share a common trait: they possessed exceptional talent in their respective field and, because of this, were considered ahead of their times. And yet, if we go back even further, we find this term associated with a different profile. The Renaissance genius was closer to the Homeric πολύτροπον (“a person of many talents or devices”), someone who stood out for being both creative and multi-talented. It is no surprise that we often hear about the genius of Leonardo or Michelangelo.
This second roundtable on genius will focus more on Leonardo. The speakers—Francesca Fiorani, Sara Taglialagamba and Carlo Vecce— will address the following art historical and historiographical queries: Why is Leonardo considered the true “Renaissance genius”? Why do many believe that he anticipated modern science? How many of his inventions have become real technologies? In which fields is his “genius” still inspiring and groundbreaking?
