Leonardo da Vinci, Italian polymath and legendary artist, explored the "attraction of one object to another" to deconstruct the science of gravity a century before physicist&nbsp;Galileo Galilei and two centuries before Isaac Newton, a new study has revealed. The results of the study by the scientists at the California Institute of Technology said&nbsp;that Leonardo did detailed experiments that sought to throw light on&nbsp;the nature of gravity.

"Nothing could stop him," Morteza Gharib, an author of the paper and a professor of aeronautics at California Institute of Technology, said in an interview while delving into the study published this month in the journal 'Leonardo'. "He was far ahead in his thinking. It could not wait for the future."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-stolen-500-year-old-leonardo-da-vinci-painting-recovered-in-italy-358275">Stolen 500-year-old Leonardo Da Vinci painting recovered in Italy</a>

Leonardo has long been famous for his versatile contribution to humanity as an artist, which also includes sketches of flying machines and fighting vehicles. He also made advances in geology, optics, anatomy and engineering.&nbsp;

<h2>Leonardo da Vinci's gravity genius: How was it discovered?</h2>

Morteza Gharib said that he learned of Leonardo’s gravity experiments while examining an online version of The Codex Arundel, named after a British collector, the Earl of Arundel, who acquired it early in the 17th century.

According to Walter Isaacson, a da Vinci biographer,&nbsp;more than 7,200 pages of Leonardo’s notes and scribbles survive to this day. Da Vinci composed a collection of hundreds of papers between 1478 and 1518, up until a year before his death in 1519.&nbsp;The papers are housed in the British Library. The collection features his famous mirror-writing as well as the diagrams, drawings and texts covering a range of topics in art and science.

"A mysterious triangle", as Gharib called it, caught the attention of the scientists. It reportedly showed an adjoining pitcher and, pouring from its spout, a series of circles that formed the triangle’s hypotenuse. Gharib used a computer program to flip the triangle and the adjacent areas of backward writing.

The static image was then brought to life. "I could see motion," Gharib recalled in the interview. "I could see him pouring stuff out."

The pitcher experiment, Gharib said, established&nbsp;that gravity was a constant force that led to the falling of pitcher's contents with an increasing pace. Leonardo illustrated the gain as the pitcher’s contents falling lower and lower over time while succeeding in deconstructing the gravity.

Gharib said that da Vinci&nbsp;was able to calculate the gravitational constant to an accuracy within 10 per cent of the modern value.

"It’s mind boggling," Gharib said. "That’s the beauty of what Leonardo does."

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-fineprint-woman-claims-she-is-allergic-to-gravity-511876">WION Fineprint | Woman claims she is allergic to gravity</a>

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The researchers add&nbsp;that Galileo and Newton could better address the question of gravity with their&nbsp;defining propositions&nbsp;because they had better tools of mathematics and better ways of measuring time precisely as the objects fell.

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Leonardo da Vinci, Italian polymath and legendary artist, explored the "attraction of one object to another" to deconstruct the science of gravity a century before physicist Galileo Galilei and two centuries before Isaac Newton, a new study has revealed.

Leonardo da Vinci, Italian polymath and legendary artist, explored the "attraction of one object to another" to deconstruct the science of gravity a century before physicist Galileo Galilei and two centuries before Isaac Newton, a new study has revealed. The results of the study by the scientists at the California Institute of Technology said that Leonardo did detailed experiments that sought to throw light on the nature of gravity. "Nothing could stop him," Morteza Gharib, an author of the paper and a professor of aeronautics at California Institute of Technology, said in an interview while delving into the study published this month in the journal 'Leonardo'. "He was far ahead in his thinking. It could not wait for the future." ALSO READ | Stolen 500-year-old Leonardo Da Vinci painting recovered in Italy Leonardo has long been famous for his versatile contribution to humanity as an artist, which also includes sketches of flying machines and fighting vehicles. He also made advances in geology, optics, anatomy and engineering. Leonardo da Vinci's gravity genius: How was it discovered? Morteza Gharib said that he learned of Leonardo’s gravity experiments while examining an online version of The Codex Arundel, named after a British collector, the Earl of Arundel, who acquired it early in the 17th century. According to Walter Isaacson, a da Vinci biographer, more than 7,200 pages of Leonardo’s notes and scribbles survive to this day. Da Vinci composed a collection of hundreds of papers between 1478 and 1518, up until a year before his death in 1519. The papers are housed in the British Library. The collection features his famous mirror-writing as well as the diagrams, drawings and texts covering a range of topics in art and science. "A mysterious triangle", as Gharib called it, caught the attention of the scientists. It reportedly showed an adjoining pitcher and, pouring from its spout, a series of circles that formed the triangle’s hypotenuse. Gharib used a computer program to flip the triangle and the adjacent areas of backward writing. The static image was then brought to life. "I could see motion," Gharib recalled in the interview. "I could see him pouring stuff out." The pitcher experiment, Gharib said, established that gravity was a constant force that led to the falling of pitcher's contents with an increasing pace. Leonardo illustrated the gain as the pitcher’s contents falling lower and lower over time while succeeding in deconstructing the gravity. Gharib said that da Vinci was able to calculate the gravitational constant to an accuracy within 10 per cent of the modern value. "It’s mind boggling," Gharib said. "That’s the beauty of what Leonardo does." ALSO WATCH | WION Fineprint | Woman claims she is allergic to gravity × The researchers add that Galileo and Newton could better address the question of gravity with their defining propositions because they had better tools of mathematics and better ways of measuring time precisely as the objects fell. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Leonardo da Vinci pulled off gravity genius two centuries before Newton, study reveals

Leonardo da Vinci’s painting, Salvator Mundi - Latin for Saviour of the World -&nbsp;might see the light of day again, in an interview with the Times and The Sunday Times British professor, Martin Kemp revealed that he has been invited to Saudi Arabia in order to inspect the $450 million painting.&nbsp;

It is said to be the world’s most expensive artwork which is now owned by Riyadh and has controversially been attributed to the polymath. However, this topic has widely been debated among art experts, said the report. The painting has also not been seen in public since it was bought, back in 2017 when it became the most expensive painting to be sold to date.

In the interview, Kemps, an art historian at the University of Oxford, said that he was reluctant to visit Riyadh because of “iniquities of the Saudi regime”. However, he said if it helps bring the painting “into the light” he would consider it. The sale of the painting happened five years ago in New York, notably, a book titled, “The Lost Leonardo” later revealed that it was bought by the US in 2005 for merely $1,157.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/worlds-costliest-painting-salvator-mundi-hosted-on-saudi-prince-mohammed-bin-salmans-yacht-report-226096">World's costliest painting 'Salvator Mundi' hosted on Saudi prince Mohammed bin Salman's yacht: Report</a>

The report also maps the painting’s rise to prominence, how following significant conservation work the painting was unveiled at an exhibition at the National Gallery in the UK. At the time, the painting was showcased as a Leonardo painting, despite scepticism from the art world on the polymath’s involvement in the work.&nbsp;

The report suggests that many given the painting’s “inferior quality” questioned if Salvator Mundi has been painted by the polymath himself comparing it to paintings like Mona Lisa they suggested that it might have been painted by Leonardo’s student or another artist. Notably, when the sale was made in 2017 the painting seemingly disappeared and only later reported that it had been bought by the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, who has reportedly not confirmed the ownership of the painting.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/salvator-mundi-da-vinci-painting-to-sold-at-100-million-on-wednesday-night-24325">Long-lost Leonardo da Vinci painting goes on sale Wednesday night -- for at least $100 million</a>

“It is in Saudi Arabia and the country is constructing an art gallery, which is to be finished in 2024 I think. There have been moves to get me out to look at it and I have been slightly reluctant to go to Saudi Arabia for very obvious reasons,” said Kemps during the interview. He was also the one who attributed this painting to Leonardo before it sold at the 2017 auction, the report indicated.&nbsp;

While speaking about the painting, the British professor and author of several books including “Living with Leonardo” said that he is “confident” that it is Leonardo’s original. He added, “Can I say that every brushstroke is by Leonardo? Not necessarily. Perhaps all the geometric patterns on the stole, it may be that it is a repeat motif and he could have assigned that to a student.” &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Leonardo da Vinci’s painting, Salvator Mundi - Latin for Saviour of the World - might see the light of day again, in an interview with the Times and The Sunday Times British professor, Martin Kemp revealed that he has been invited to Saudi Arabia in order to inspect the $450 million painting.

Leonardo da Vinci’s painting, Salvator Mundi - Latin for Saviour of the World - might see the light of day again, in an interview with the Times and The Sunday Times British professor, Martin Kemp revealed that he has been invited to Saudi Arabia in order to inspect the $450 million painting. It is said to be the world’s most expensive artwork which is now owned by Riyadh and has controversially been attributed to the polymath. However, this topic has widely been debated among art experts, said the report. The painting has also not been seen in public since it was bought, back in 2017 when it became the most expensive painting to be sold to date. In the interview, Kemps, an art historian at the University of Oxford, said that he was reluctant to visit Riyadh because of “iniquities of the Saudi regime”. However, he said if it helps bring the painting “into the light” he would consider it. The sale of the painting happened five years ago in New York, notably, a book titled, “The Lost Leonardo” later revealed that it was bought by the US in 2005 for merely $1,157. ALSO READ: World's costliest painting 'Salvator Mundi' hosted on Saudi prince Mohammed bin Salman's yacht: Report The report also maps the painting’s rise to prominence, how following significant conservation work the painting was unveiled at an exhibition at the National Gallery in the UK. At the time, the painting was showcased as a Leonardo painting, despite scepticism from the art world on the polymath’s involvement in the work. The report suggests that many given the painting’s “inferior quality” questioned if Salvator Mundi has been painted by the polymath himself comparing it to paintings like Mona Lisa they suggested that it might have been painted by Leonardo’s student or another artist. Notably, when the sale was made in 2017 the painting seemingly disappeared and only later reported that it had been bought by the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, who has reportedly not confirmed the ownership of the painting. ALSO READ: Long-lost Leonardo da Vinci painting goes on sale Wednesday night -- for at least $100 million “It is in Saudi Arabia and the country is constructing an art gallery, which is to be finished in 2024 I think. There have been moves to get me out to look at it and I have been slightly reluctant to go to Saudi Arabia for very obvious reasons,” said Kemps during the interview. He was also the one who attributed this painting to Leonardo before it sold at the 2017 auction, the report indicated. While speaking about the painting, the British professor and author of several books including “Living with Leonardo” said that he is “confident” that it is Leonardo’s original. He added, “Can I say that every brushstroke is by Leonardo? Not necessarily. Perhaps all the geometric patterns on the stole, it may be that it is a repeat motif and he could have assigned that to a student.” (With inputs from agencies)

British professor to visit Saudi Arabia to inspect Leonardo Da Vinci’s ‘Salvator Mundi’

France's culture ministry has sued the owner of a&nbsp;small pen-and-ink drawing attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, which lay buried unrecognised in a box for decades.

The piece was among several drawings and engravings that Jean B., the owner, who is in his 80s and has asked not to be fully named, received as a gift from his father for passing his medical school exams in 1959.

Being more of a rock enthusiast than an art lover at the time, the young doctor put it aside and promptly forget about it for over half a century.

Stumbling across the box of drawings again during a move in 2016 he decided to give them to the Tajan auction house to have them valued.

The head of Tajan's Old Masters department, Thaddee Prate, quickly identified the hand of a master, without specifying who, and valued it at between 20,000 and 30,000 euros ($17,000-$25,000).

If Jean B. thought he was lucky then, he was about to become far more fortunate.&nbsp;

Another expert, Patrick de Bayser, concluded that the two-sided drawing,&nbsp;the other side is inscribed with scientific studies of candle light, was by none other than Leonardo, an opinion backed by a third specialist, Carmen Bambach of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

"The attribution of the St. Sebastian drawing to Leonardo is absolutely solid," she told The New York Times, noting that it was complementary to other drawings of Saint Sebastian by the artist.

In an instant, the work's estimated value rocketed, reaching between 8 and 12 million euros ($6.75 million to $10 million).

But it's not every day that a new Leonardo turns up and the French government soon stepped in, designating the drawing a "national treasure" and giving itself 30 months to acquire it on behalf of the Louvre museum in Paris, home of the Mona Lisa.

An offer from the state duly followed, 10 million euros&nbsp;but with a new valuation estimating the drawing at 15 million euros, Jean B. refused and the culture ministry threw in the towel. But the affair did not end there.&nbsp;

Jean B. promptly applied for an export permit to be able to sell the drawing to a foreign buyer but the culture ministry refused, claiming that the drawing may in fact have been stolen.

The retired doctor will ask a Paris court on Wednesday to order Culture Minister Roselyne Bachelot and a senior official in charge of art collections to allow the drawing to leave France.

Jean B.'s lawyer Olivier Baratelli termed the government's handling of the painting's discovery as &nbsp;"catastrophic".

"A culture ministry worthy of its name would have ensured the French state acquire such a drawing," he argued.

Meanwhile, Jean B. has also fallen out with Tajan.

Saying he learned through the press of their plans to put the drawing up for auction without his consent he revoked their sale mandate.

Baratelli claimed that Tajan had been "intoxicated" by the prospect of a hefty commission after the sale of "Salvator Mundi" attributed to Leonardo which set a record for the most expensive painting ever sold at auction in 2017 when it was acquired by the Saudi royal family for $450 million at Christie's.

Tajan, for its part, has sued the drawing's owner for 2 million euros for breach of contract, asking that he compensate the auction house for all the work it has carried out on his behalf.

(With inputs from agencies)

France's culture ministry has sued the owner of a small pen-and-ink drawing attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, which lay buried unrecognised in a box for decades. The piece was among several drawings and engravings that Jean B.

France's culture ministry has sued the owner of a small pen-and-ink drawing attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, which lay buried unrecognised in a box for decades. The piece was among several drawings and engravings that Jean B., the owner, who is in his 80s and has asked not to be fully named, received as a gift from his father for passing his medical school exams in 1959. Being more of a rock enthusiast than an art lover at the time, the young doctor put it aside and promptly forget about it for over half a century. Stumbling across the box of drawings again during a move in 2016 he decided to give them to the Tajan auction house to have them valued. The head of Tajan's Old Masters department, Thaddee Prate, quickly identified the hand of a master, without specifying who, and valued it at between 20,000 and 30,000 euros ($17,000-$25,000). If Jean B. thought he was lucky then, he was about to become far more fortunate. Another expert, Patrick de Bayser, concluded that the two-sided drawing, the other side is inscribed with scientific studies of candle light, was by none other than Leonardo, an opinion backed by a third specialist, Carmen Bambach of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. "The attribution of the St. Sebastian drawing to Leonardo is absolutely solid," she told The New York Times, noting that it was complementary to other drawings of Saint Sebastian by the artist. In an instant, the work's estimated value rocketed, reaching between 8 and 12 million euros ($6.75 million to $10 million). But it's not every day that a new Leonardo turns up and the French government soon stepped in, designating the drawing a "national treasure" and giving itself 30 months to acquire it on behalf of the Louvre museum in Paris, home of the Mona Lisa. An offer from the state duly followed, 10 million euros but with a new valuation estimating the drawing at 15 million euros, Jean B. refused and the culture ministry threw in the towel. But the affair did not end there. Jean B. promptly applied for an export permit to be able to sell the drawing to a foreign buyer but the culture ministry refused, claiming that the drawing may in fact have been stolen. The retired doctor will ask a Paris court on Wednesday to order Culture Minister Roselyne Bachelot and a senior official in charge of art collections to allow the drawing to leave France. Jean B.'s lawyer Olivier Baratelli termed the government's handling of the painting's discovery as "catastrophic". "A culture ministry worthy of its name would have ensured the French state acquire such a drawing," he argued. Meanwhile, Jean B. has also fallen out with Tajan. Saying he learned through the press of their plans to put the drawing up for auction without his consent he revoked their sale mandate. Baratelli claimed that Tajan had been "intoxicated" by the prospect of a hefty commission after the sale of "Salvator Mundi" attributed to Leonardo which set a record for the most expensive painting ever sold at auction in 2017 when it was acquired by the Saudi royal family for $450 million at Christie's. Tajan, for its part, has sued the drawing's owner for 2 million euros for breach of contract, asking that he compensate the auction house for all the work it has carried out on his behalf. (With inputs from agencies)

France's culture ministry sues owner of Leonardo da Vinci's rare sketch worth $16 million

France's culture ministry sues owner of rare sketch of Leonardo da Vinci

A stolen copy of Leonardo da Vinci’s 500-year-old Salvator Mundi was found by police in a Naples flat. Authorities have returned the painting to a museum which had no idea it had gone missing. 
 
Late on Monday, officers said that they had arrested the owner of the apartment on suspicion of hoarding stolen goods. The painting was found by police in his bedroom cupboard. 
 
The painting shows Jesus Christ with his raised offering a blessing. At the same time, he is also holding a crystal orb.

The museum is part of the Doma Museum collection at the San Domenico Maggiore church in the city of Naples.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/india-news/britain-returns-stolen-sculptures-of-lord-ram-sita-and-lakshman-to-india-after-40-years-327812" hreflang="en">Britain returns stolen sculptures of Lord Ram, Sita and Lakshman to India after 40 years</a>

In 2017, the painting became the most expensive to be ever sold, raking in over $450 million at an auction. The one found by police is a copy. 
 
The museum had no idea the painting was missing, and had been shut for months owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nobody had reported it missing. 
 
"The painting was found on Saturday thanks to a brilliant and diligent police operation”, Naples prosecutor Giovanni Melillo said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/books-worth-millions-stolen-by-romanian-mission-impossible-gang-returned-to-owners-342155" hreflang="en">Books worth millions stolen by Romanian 'Mission: Impossible' gang returned to owners</a>

"There was no complaint on the matter and in fact we contacted the (church) prior, who was not aware of its disappearance, as the room where the painting is kept has not been open for three months”, Melillo added. 
 
The copy is believed to be made by Giacomo Alibrandi, dating back to the early 1500s. 
 
Now, the police are trying to understand how the painting was stolen, as no signs of breaking in were spotted at the museum.

(With inputs from AFP)

A stolen copy of Leonardo da Vinci’s 500-year-old Salvator Mundi was found by police in a Naples flat. Authorities have returned the painting to a museum which had no idea it had gone missing.

A stolen copy of Leonardo da Vinci’s 500-year-old Salvator Mundi was found by police in a Naples flat. Authorities have returned the painting to a museum which had no idea it had gone missing. Late on Monday, officers said that they had arrested the owner of the apartment on suspicion of hoarding stolen goods. The painting was found by police in his bedroom cupboard. The painting shows Jesus Christ with his raised offering a blessing. At the same time, he is also holding a crystal orb. The museum is part of the Doma Museum collection at the San Domenico Maggiore church in the city of Naples. Also read: Britain returns stolen sculptures of Lord Ram, Sita and Lakshman to India after 40 years In 2017, the painting became the most expensive to be ever sold, raking in over $450 million at an auction. The one found by police is a copy. The museum had no idea the painting was missing, and had been shut for months owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nobody had reported it missing. "The painting was found on Saturday thanks to a brilliant and diligent police operation”, Naples prosecutor Giovanni Melillo said. Also read: Books worth millions stolen by Romanian 'Mission: Impossible' gang returned to owners "There was no complaint on the matter and in fact we contacted the (church) prior, who was not aware of its disappearance, as the room where the painting is kept has not been open for three months”, Melillo added. The copy is believed to be made by Giacomo Alibrandi, dating back to the early 1500s. Now, the police are trying to understand how the painting was stolen, as no signs of breaking in were spotted at the museum. (With inputs from AFP)

Stolen 500-year-old copy of Leonardo da Vinci's 'Salvator Mundi' recovered

Leonardo Da Vinci drawings go on display at Buckingham Palace

2019 marks 500 years since the passing of one of the world's truly great geniuses – Leonardo da Vinci. The anniversary is being marked in many ways, and on Tuesday the Vatican Museums hosted a 'study day' to coincide with the conclusion of 18 months of restoration work on a tapestry inspired by Leonardo's 'Last Supper.'

'Last Supper' tapestry marks da Vinci anniversary