in 1476 leonardo da vinci was charged with sodomy, along with several other men. he was 24 years old. although he was never punished because the accusation was made anonymously, he was doubtlessly interrogated multiple times for his involvement in the incident.
leonardo was a very private person and rarely wrote about his own life in his notebooks. the few quotes I included in my comic, written during and after his trial, are some of the very few that can be related to him personally. “if there is no love, what then?” he writes, possibly referring to the public’s view of his attraction to other men, that is was not truly “love.” what is it then, he asks, that makes me willing to risk my life for this relationship, if not love? what then indeed, leonardo.
you can find the comic in one complete image here, and images of his writings here and here.
