How Leonardo da Vinci made a “satellite“ map in 1502

It was a feat of technological and symbolic imagination. And it was pretty accurate, too. Join the Video Lab to see Phil’s Q&A! Leonardo da Vinci’s known for his art and inventions — but also his groundbreaking maps, like this one of Imola, Italy. In this episode of Vox Almanac, Vox’s Phil Edwards explores how it was made. Further reading: 1) John Pinto’s History of the Ichnographic City Plan is useful to understand the history of these maps. 2) Check out Portraying the City in Early Modern Europe: Measurement, Representation, and Planning by Hilary Ballon and David Friedman for more info. 3) If you want to dig deeper into early maps, Jessica Maier’s Mapping Past and Present: Leonardo Bufalini’s Plan of Rome is fascinating. Please email Phil if you have trouble finding any of these papers. Drafting 1502’s equivalent to a “satellite” map was a massive undertaking, and Leonardo managed to pull it off. His early map helped Itali