Leonardo da Vinci's CV letter

"Yes, Mr. da Vinci, great CV, but why should we hire you over other applicants?"

In 1482, at the age of 30, Leonardo da Vinci wrote a letter listing all (some?) of his capabilities and sent it off to Ludovico Sforza - the Duke of Milan (then a military city-state), hoping to get employment. At the time, competition in the art world was fierce, and Leonardo, who had already earned a reputation as someone who never completed his commissions due to his perfectionism, found himself increasingly marginalized. In this letter, he focuses on his skills as an inventor/military engineer, aligning what he had to offer with the Duke’s needs.

The list is very impressive - and frankly a little humiliating too, considering that sometimes I’m not even able to make my bed in the morning.

“My Most Illustrious Lord,

Having now sufficiently seen and considered the achievements of all those who count themselves masters and artificers of instruments of war, and having noted that the invention and performance of the said instruments is in no way different from that in common usage, I shall endeavour, while intending no discredit to anyone else, to make myself understood to Your Excellency for the purpose of unfolding to you my secrets, and thereafter offering them at your complete disposal, and when the time is right bringing into effective operation all those things which are in part briefly listed below:

1. I have plans for very light, strong and easily portable bridges with which to pursue and, on some occasions, flee the enemy, and others, sturdy and indestructible either by fire or in battle, easy and convenient to lift and place in position. Also means of burning and destroying those of the enemy.

2. I know how, in the course of the siege of a terrain, to remove water from the moats and how to make an infinite number of bridges, mantlets and scaling ladders and other instruments necessary to such an enterprise.

3. Also, if one cannot, when besieging a terrain, proceed by bombardment either because of the height of the glacis or the strength of its situation and location, I have methods for destroying every fortress or other stranglehold unless it has been founded upon a rock or so forth.

4. I have also types of cannon, most convenient and easily portable, with which to hurl small stones almost like a hail-storm; and the smoke from the cannon will instil a great fear in the enemy on account of the grave damage and confusion.

5. Also, I have means of arriving at a designated spot through mines and secret winding passages constructed completely without noise, even if it should be necessary to pass underneath moats or any river.

6. Also, I will make covered vehicles, safe and unassailable, which will penetrate the enemy and their artillery, and there is no host of armed men so great that they would not break through it. And behind these the infantry will be able to follow, quite uninjured and unimpeded.

7. Also, should the need arise, I will make cannon, mortar and light ordnance of very beautiful and functional design that are quite out of the ordinary.

8. Where the use of cannon is impracticable, I will assemble catapults, mangonels, trebuckets and other instruments of wonderful efficiency not in general use. In short, as the variety of circumstances dictate, I will make an infinite number of items for attack and defence.

9. And should a sea battle be occasioned, I have examples of many instruments which are highly suitable either in attack or defence, and craft which will resist the fire of all the heaviest cannon and powder and smoke.

10. In time of peace I believe I can give as complete satisfaction as any other in the field of architecture, and the construction of both public and private buildings, and in conducting water from one place to another.

Also I can execute sculpture in marble, bronze and clay. Likewise in painting, I can do everything possible as well as any other, whosoever he may be.

Moreover, work could be undertaken on the bronze horse which will be to the immortal glory and eternal honour of the auspicious memory of His Lordship your father, and of the illustrious house of Sforza.

And if any of the above-mentioned things seem impossible or impracticable to anyone, I am most readily disposed to demonstrate them in your park or in whatsoever place shall please Your Excellency, to whom I commend myself with all possible humility.”

"Yes, Mr. da Vinci, great CV, but why should we hire you over other applicants?"

Based on this document, da Vinci was excellent at personal marketing too!

“Leonardo’s career coincided with the introduction of gunpowder into European warfare, and his many military drawings of the 1480s (see RCIN 912647, 912649-912653) include designs for both the old type of weapon – lances, chariots, enormous catapults and crossbows – and the new – guns, cannon and mortars. (…) A number of his ideas were derived from woodcuts in a printed edition of Roberto Valturio’s De re militari, a treatise on warfare written around 1450 and published from 1472 onwards, an edition of which was owned by Leonardo. He may have been considering producing a treatise of his own, with designs improving upon those illustrated in Valturio.” Read More

Ps: he got the job.