Landscape near Pisa 1502

Leonardo da Vinci made this drawing, Landscape near Pisa, using pen and brown ink on paper. The quick strokes of the pen, and the thinness of the ink, allowed Leonardo to capture a fleeting moment, and the way that light falls on the contours of the hills. Pen and ink, while a traditional medium, allowed Leonardo to explore the world around him with a sense of immediacy. The paper itself, made from pulped rags, was a common and relatively inexpensive material, underscoring the accessibility of drawing as a means of inquiry. While Leonardo is celebrated for his paintings, drawings such as this reveal his deep engagement with the natural world. They are more than just sketches: they are records of his observations and experiments. We can appreciate how the intrinsic qualities of humble materials and techniques, can give rise to profound insights. In doing so, we challenge the traditional separation of art from craft, celebrating the knowledge embedded in the act of making.