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Leonardo da Vinci transformed mapping from art to science
Applying math and measurement, Leonardo created a beautiful and practical map of Imola accurate enough to navigate the Italian city today.
The “Imola Plan” is preserved today in the Leonardiano Museum in Vinci, Italy, the artist’s hometown. In addition to its precision, Leonardo’s revolutionary map also reveals the instincts of the artist. In contrast to the compass lines and street grid, the Santerno River at the bottom is rendered as a sinuous, free-flowing form.
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