The question of whether Leonardo da Vinci believed in God is one that has fascinated historians and scholars for centuries. Given the intense religious climate of Renaissance Italy—a period dominated by the Catholic Church—it might seem logical to assume that the era’s greatest mind was a devout man. However, the evidence suggests a much more complex and nuanced relationship with faith, one where scientific inquiry, empirical observation, and philosophical skepticism often took precedence over traditional doctrine. Da Vinci’s own writings and artistic output paint a portrait of a man who was, at best, a nonconformist believer, and at worst, a philosophical skeptic or rationalist.

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The Scanty Evidence of Piety

There is remarkably little concrete evidence to suggest that Da Vinci practiced Christianity in a conventional, pious manner.

First, his personal notebooks, which contain thousands of pages detailing his observations on anatomy, engineering, botany, and art, are conspicuously light on traditional religious reflections, prayers, or devotional entries. Unlike other prominent figures of his time, he rarely cited scripture or expressed personal devotion to Christ or the saints. His writings focus overwhelmingly on the natural world as a subject for scientific inquiry, not as an object of spiritual worship. This is a significant omission for a man who wrote down nearly everything he observed.

Second, he reportedly refused to receive last rites on his deathbed, a highly unusual and controversial act for a man of his standing in 16th-century Europe. While some sources claim he repented and sought confession before his death, the most credible contemporary account, from a letter written by Da Vinci’s close friend and assistant Francesco Melzi, only states that Da Vinci lamented his failure to use his talents as God had intended. This lament is more a reflection on his scientific ambition than an expression of religious fear or repentance, making the claim of piety inconclusive.

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A Rationalist Approach to the Natural World

Da Vinci’s true “religion,” if one were to define it, appeared to be Empiricism and Rationalism. He placed the highest value on direct experience and observation (esperienza). This worldview often brought him into conflict with, or at least skepticism of, dogma and blind faith.

He saw the universe as a grand, rational machine governed by laws of nature, not arbitrary divine intervention. His anatomical studies, for example, were conducted with the precision of a scientist seeking to understand the body’s mechanics, not simply to glorify God’s creation. He performed numerous dissections, defying the religious taboo of the time, to understand how the human machine worked. His famous drawing, Vitruvian Man , is a celebration of human proportion and the mathematical perfection of the natural world, representing a focus on man as the measure of all things.

He frequently challenged accepted beliefs, such as the idea that floods were solely divine punishment, preferring to seek geological explanations for natural phenomena. He wrote: “The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions.” This sentiment reflects a deep-seated distrust of inherited beliefs and a commitment to independent thought, often at odds with the demands of absolute religious authority.

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Artistic Depictions and Religious Commissions

Despite his personal skepticism, Da Vinci’s most famous works are, ironically, religious commissions. The Last Supper and Virgin of the Rocks are masterpieces that profoundly shaped Christian iconography.

• The Last Supper: This painting is less a devotional piece and more a psychological drama. Da Vinci chose the dramatic moment when Christ announces his betrayal. The focus is on the human reaction of the disciples—their shock, anger, and confusion—rather than on mystical reverence. His innovative use of perspective draws the viewer’s eye directly to Christ, but the power of the painting lies in its analysis of human emotion under duress.
• A Universal Creator: Da Vinci was not an atheist—the term itself would have been almost unthinkable and highly dangerous in his time. He was likely a Deist or held a form of philosophical spirituality. He clearly believed in a “Prime Mover” or a universal intelligence that designed the perfection he saw in nature. However, his reverence was directed toward the sublime order and beauty of creation itself, rather than the specific, historical figure and institution of the Church. His “God” was the universal intellect found in mathematics, proportion, and the immutable laws governing the flight of birds and the flow of water.

In the end, Da Vinci’s genius lay in his ability to serve the demands of his patrons while simultaneously pursuing a personal, rational, and empirical investigation into the true nature of reality. He respected the mystery of existence, but chose to explore it with a scalpel and a compass rather than a prayer book.