27/04/08
Leonardo da Vinci's Mother a Slave and of Arab Descent?
On Leonardo's 556th birthday, 12. April 2008, the following article appeared in "The Guardian", an English newspaper: "Da Vinci's mother was a slave, Italian study claims", in which two claims were put forward: 1. according to Francesco Cianchi Leonardo da Vinci's mother was a slave, and 2. according to another Italian academic a fingerprint of the famous painter would show a configuration which can only be found in Arabs.
As a historian I have to agree to the first claim. It is possible and also very likely that Leonardo's mother was a slave girl. In all of the 15th century Venice was the trading place where slaves could be bought easily, especially from Russia, Turkey, the Arab countries and Black Africa. We also know that particularly the rich Florentines, Cosimo de' Medici († 1464) amongst others, had bought female slaves from that market. Very popular were the blond or red-haired Tscherkessian women from the Caucasus. One of them was not only purchased by Cosimo de' Medici, but also became the mother of his son Carlo (1428/30-1492).
As a biologist I had difficulties with the second claim from the beginning. I believe it to be impossible to find out the race of a person from his or her fingerprint. Furthermore this article does not state, on which painting Leonardo da Vinci's print was found. Was this painting produced by him, and if yes, by him alone or in collaboration with one or more of his students, assistants or collegues? To be brief: can we be certain, that this fingerprint is from the great master at all? Since I finished by biology studies 23 years ago and I am perhaps not familiar with the latest developments in genetic research, I asked a specialist for fingerprints, Brevet Sergeant John Clements from the South Australia Police, whether it is possible to infer from a fingerprint the Arab descent of Leonardo da Vinci. I would like to share his response with all my readers here:
Maike,
In response to your query regarding the pattern type of Leonardo Da Vinci as being of a type normally found only amongst Arabs.
To my knowledge no pattern type exists that can be designated as belonging to a particular racial group. Certain (pure) racial types may have a greater trend towards certain pattern typing than other races, example, Caucasian - loops, Negroes (continental Africa) – whorls, Asians – arches, but this is only as a generalization as Pygmies and Bushmen (continental Africa) have as high a rate of arch type patterns as whorl. Also, there is no real dominance as to pattern typing with the mix of racial types.
Pattern type is formed from the shape and progression of growth of the volar pads during foetal development, although this will have influence from genetics there are also many other factors that can influence pattern typing of an individual.
If you wish to read more on racial variation of fingerprint patterns I would suggest to you "Finger Prints Palms And Soles an Introduction to Dermatoglyphics" by Harold Cummins and Charles Midlo.
So in short a single fingerprint would not tell you if a person were an Arab or of Arabic ancestry.
I trust this is of some assistance.
Brevet Sergeant John Clements
Training Coordinator Fingerprint Bureau
Forensic Services Branch (144)
South Australia Police
Forensic Science Centre, Divett Place
ADELAIDE SA 5000
www.police.sa.gov.au
SOUTH AUSTRALIA POLICE