Smriti Malhotra
Leonardo da Vinci had various dreams and aspirations throughout his life, many of which were related to his pursuits as an artist, scientist, and inventor. One of his dreams was to uncover and understand the mysteries of the natural world. He was deeply fascinated by anatomy, optics, engineering, and the principles of flight.
Leonardo dreamed of creating extraordinary works of art that would capture the essence of human beauty and emotion. His ambition as a painter was to achieve a level of realism and detail that surpassed any other artist of his time. He aimed to depict the human form with precision and grace, and his iconic works such as the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper are a testament to his skill and vision.
Additionally, Leonardo dreamt of pushing the boundaries of scientific knowledge. He conducted extensive studies in anatomy, dissecting human bodies to gain a deeper understanding of the human form. He also explored the fields of botany, geology, and engineering, envisioning innovative machines and devices that were far ahead of his time.
Another dream of Leonardo was to conquer the skies. Fascinated by flight, he designed numerous flying machines, including ornithopters and parachute-like devices, envisioning a future where humans could soar through the air like birds.
Leonardo’s dreams were driven by his insatiable curiosity and desire to unravel the mysteries of the world. His relentless pursuit of knowledge and innovation continues to inspire generations of artists, scientists, and inventors to this day.
In the Codex Atlanticus, a collection of Leonardo da Vinci’s writings and drawings, there is a passage where Leonardo recounts a peculiar childhood memory. He describes being attacked by a bird while lying in his crib. The bird, according to Leonardo, was a vulture that approached him, opened his mouth with its tail, and struck him a few times against his lips. This intriguing account caught the attention of the renowned psychologist Sigmund Freud, who analysed the passage and offered an interpretation rooted in the realm of psychoanalysis.
Freud, in his exploration of the human psyche, believed that childhood experiences and memories hold significant influence over an individual’s development and personality. He saw Leonardo’s recollection of the vulture incident as a childhood fantasy that symbolised an unconscious desire related to Leonardo’s early experiences. In Freud’s interpretation, he suggested that the memory of the vulture attacking Leonardo in his crib represented a disguised memory of breastfeeding. According to Freud, the vulture’s actions of opening Leonardo’s mouth with its tail and striking his lips with its tail symbolised the act of suckling at his mother’s breast.
To support his interpretation, Freud turned to the symbolic significance of the vulture in ancient Egyptian culture. In Egyptian hieroglyphs, the mother was often represented as a vulture, as the Egyptians believed that female vultures could reproduce without male involvement. Freud noted that the maternal deity with a vulture head was depicted in a phallic manner, representing both feminine and masculine attributes. This association of the vulture with the mother figure further strengthened Freud’s hypothesis that Leonardo’s vulture memory concealed an early experience related to breastfeeding.
The interpretation of Leonardo da Vinci’s childhood memory, where he described being attacked by a bird in his crib, took an unexpected turn when a discrepancy in the translation of the bird’s identity came to light. In Maria Herzfeld’s 1904 book about Leonardo da Vinci, she used the term “Geier,” which translates to vulture. However, it was later discovered that Leonardo was actually referring to a different bird species called a kite, a small hawk-like bird of prey commonly found in the Vinci area. This translation inconsistency presented a challenge to Sigmund Freud’s interpretation of the memory but ultimately led to further discussions and analysis.
Freud analysed Leonardo’s account from a psychoanalytic perspective, emphasising the significance of childhood experiences and memories in shaping an individual’s development. He interpreted Leonardo’s memory of the bird attack as a disguised memory of breastfeeding, with the vulture’s actions symbolising the act of suckling at his mother’s breast. This interpretation was supported by the symbolic representation of the mother as a vulture in ancient Egyptian culture, where the vulture-headed maternal deity was depicted with phallic attributes, signifying both feminine and masculine elements.
Freud’s interpretation gained attention and admiration, as he regarded his essay on Leonardo as one of his most beautiful works. However, the revelation that Leonardo’s intended bird species was a kite, not a vulture, posed a challenge to Freud’s theory. This translation discrepancy disappointed Freud but did not halt the exploration of the memory’s symbolism.
Erich Neumann, a psychologist and follower of Freud, took on the task of incorporating the kite into the interpretation. In his book Art and the Creative Unconscious, Neumann expanded on Freud’s ideas and delved into the symbolism of the kite as a bird of prey. He proposed that the kite could still represent unconscious forces and desires related to Leonardo’s early experiences, despite the initial focus on the vulture. Neumann’s efforts aimed to reconcile the translation disparity and provide a more comprehensive understanding of the memory’s meaning.
While the exact bird species in Leonardo’s memory may have changed, the core essence of Freud’s interpretation remained intact. It emphasised the formative influence of early experiences on an individual’s psyche and the enduring impact of childhood memories. The discrepancy in translation serves as a reminder that interpretations and theories are subject to refinement and adaptation as new information comes to light.
Freud’s exploration of Leonardo’s vulture memory not only revealed his psychoanalytic approach to understanding human behaviour and creativity but also ignited further discussions and analysis in the field of psychology. The symbolism and unconscious connections evoked by the memory continue to fascinate scholars, highlighting the importance of childhood memories in shaping the complexities of the human mind.
The essence of Freud’s interpretation lies in the notion that childhood memories and experiences shape an individual’s psyche and have an enduring impact on their adult life. Whether the bird in Leonardo’s memory was a vulture or a kite, the symbolic significance and the unconscious connections it evokes remain intriguing. Freud’s exploration of the vulture memory serves as an example of his psychoanalytic approach to understanding the hidden meanings and motivations behind human behaviour and creativity.
Leonardo da Vinci’s account of being attacked by a bird in his crib has captivated the attention of psychologists and scholars. Freud’s interpretation, although influenced by a translation discrepancy, suggests that the vulture memory symbolises a disguised memory of breastfeeding and reflects unconscious desires related to Leonardo’s early experiences. While the exact bird species in question may vary, the underlying significance of memory and the exploration of the unconscious mind remain fascinating areas of study in the field of psychology.
Freud believed that dreams were expressions of unconscious desires and conflicts. According to his theory, dreams served as a means for the unconscious mind to fulfil suppressed wishes and explore taboo or forbidden thoughts. Freud emphasised the symbolic nature of dreams, suggesting that dream images and events often represented hidden or repressed desires.
If Freud were to analyse Leonardo da Vinci’s dream about eagles, he might interpret it symbolically rather than focusing on the specific content of the dream. For example, Freud might associate eagles with power, strength, or dominance. In Freudian terms, the eagle could represent a powerful and assertive aspect of Leonardo’s personality or an unconscious desire for control and mastery.
Furthermore, Freud might explore the potential sexual symbolism behind the eagle, as he often associated dream imagery with sexual themes. He might interpret the eagle as a phallic symbol, representing masculine potency or sexual energy.
It is important to note that Freud’s interpretations are not universally accepted or scientifically proven. Dream analysis and interpretation remain subjective and open to various perspectives. Therefore, while Freud’s theories provide one possible approach to understanding dreams, they do not offer definitive explanations for individual dreams, including those of Leonardo da Vinci.
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