The Choirboy Scandal of Leonardo da Vinci: Genius on Trial in Renaissance Florence

When we hear the name Leonardo da Vinci, we think of a towering genius—painter of the Mona Lisa, inventor of flying machines, anatomist, and philosopher. But few know that in 1476, at the age of just 24, Leonardo was arrested and publicly accused in a scandal that could have ended his life before his legacy ever began. The offense? Alleged sodomy with a teenage male prostitute—a choirboy from Florence.

This blog dives into the lesser-known but riveting story of the Choirboy Scandal that haunted the young Leonardo and reveals how this episode shaped the course of his enigmatic life.

🎭 Florence in the 15th Century: Beauty and Hypocrisy

Florence in the 1470s was a city of paradoxes—an artistic paradise bursting with creative freedom, yet a deeply religious society where moral transgressions were punished severely. Homosexual acts, especially those involving minors or public figures, were criminal offenses under Florentine law, enforced by a special magistracy known as the "Ufficiali di Notte" (Officers of the Night).

Though same-sex relationships were common, they were also socially taboo and legally perilous—particularly for artists, who were often suspected of libertine behavior.

🧾 The Arrest: April 1476

On April 9, 1476, Leonardo da Vinci's name appeared in an anonymous denunciation submitted to the Florentine authorities. He was one of four young men accused of sodomizing a 17-year-old male prostitute named Jacopo Saltarelli, a choirboy with a known reputation as a sex worker.

The charges stated that the act took place in a workshop—possibly Leonardo’s own—and that payment had been exchanged. Alongside Leonardo, other names included members of noble and artistic families, such as Baccino (a goldsmith) and Lionardo Tornabuoni, a relative of the powerful Medici family.

⚖️ Leonardo’s Detention and Interrogation

Leonardo was arrested and briefly jailed. The Florentine legal process required that such charges be confirmed by witnesses. However, the law also dictated that if an accusation was unsigned or uncorroborated after a month, it would be dropped.

In Leonardo’s case:

• There were no witnesses willing to testify.
• The original letter was unsigned, possibly written by a rival or jealous artisan.
• The Tornabuoni family's political clout likely pressured the courts to let the case go quietly.

After two months of uncertainty and fear, the charges were dismissed on June 7, 1476, for lack of evidence.

🖤 The Aftermath: Silence and Shadows

Though legally exonerated, the incident left a lasting impact. Leonardo never married, never publicly expressed romantic interests, and rarely mentioned the scandal again. His journals and notes are notoriously silent on the topic.

But some scholars argue:

• His lifelong avoidance of public entanglements may have stemmed from this trauma.
• It may explain his fascination with androgynous beauty, seen in paintings like St. John the Baptist and even the Mona Lisa.
• Leonardo's later preference for male pupils and companions—such as Gian Giacomo Caprotti ("Salai")—may reflect a life lived in cautious defiance of society’s norms.

🎨 Scandal or Setup? Theories and Speculations

The anonymity of the complaint and the powerful names involved have led some historians to believe the incident may have been politically motivated—a warning or attempt to tarnish Leonardo’s rising star.

Others believe it may simply have been a common tactic: Florence’s police often received anonymous tips, and rival artists sometimes used such accusations to eliminate competition.

Whether true or fabricated, the scandal remains one of the earliest records in Leonardo’s life and one of the few that provide a glimpse into his private world.

🧠 Legacy of a Shadowed Genius

Despite the dark cloud of this early scandal, Leonardo da Vinci rose to extraordinary fame and creative triumph. But the Choirboy Scandal reminds us that even the greatest minds in history were vulnerable—caught between societal boundaries and personal truth.

In a time when being different could mean death, Leonardo not only survived but transcended his world through sheer brilliance. The scandal that once threatened to destroy him is now a footnote—albeit a fascinating one—in the epic story of a man centuries ahead of his time.

Sources & Further Reading

• Clark, Kenneth. Leonardo da Vinci: An Account of His Development as an Artist
• Isaacson, Walter. Leonardo da Vinci
• Saslow, James M. Ganymede in the Renaissance: Homosexuality in Art and Society
• Official Archives of Florence – Ufficiali di Notte Records, 1476
• Encyclopedia Britannica – Entry on Leonardo da Vinci
• JSTOR Journal: Sexuality and the State in Renaissance Florence

Related Posts 

• The Antikythera Mechanism: The World’s First Computer (Read Here)
• Cleopatra and the Poison Factory (Read Here)
• The First Recorded Strike: Workers' Rights in Ancient Egypt (Read Here)
• The Horrific Life of a Male Concubine in Ancient Rome (Read Here)
• Lost Empires of the World: Why Great Civilizations Disappeared (Read Here)