TL;DR
Researchers with the Leonardo da Vinci DNA Project report extracting small amounts of DNA from the red‑chalk drawing 'Holy Child' and other Renaissance materials using gentle swabs. Analysis returned mixed environmental DNA and sparse male‑specific Y chromosome markers that the team places within the broad E1b1/E1b1b lineage, but they say definitive attribution to Leonardo is not established.
What happened
A team known as the Leonardo da Vinci DNA Project (LDVP) applied an extremely gentle swabbing protocol to the red‑chalk drawing called Holy Child and to related Renaissance artifacts, including letters tied to a da Vinci relative. From those swabs researchers extracted small quantities of genetic material and performed metagenomic and marker analyses. The samples yielded heterogeneous non‑human DNA and, in some swabs, sparse male‑specific human DNA signals. Y‑chromosome marker data from multiple independent swabs pointed to assignments within the broader E1b1/E1b1b clade — a lineage now present across parts of southern Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The team published results as a preprint and reported findings in Science, stressing both the promise of the method for cultural heritage science and its current limitations. Investigators say the data are suggestive but do not constitute an unequivocal identification of Leonardo da Vinci’s DNA.
Why it matters
- Demonstrates a non‑destructive workflow that can recover biological traces from fragile cultural objects.
- Offers a potential new line of evidence for provenance and authorship debates alongside traditional art historical methods.
- Highlights how environmental contamination and modern handling complicate attempts to link genetic traces to historical individuals.
- Sets a baseline for future conservation and forensic studies of artworks while underscoring limits of current reference material.
Key facts
- The work was conducted by the Leonardo da Vinci DNA Project (LDVP).
- Researchers used an extremely gentle swabbing method to sample the Holy Child drawing and other artifacts.
- Analyses recovered heterogeneous mixtures of primarily non‑human DNA and, in some samples, sparse male‑specific human DNA signals.
- Y‑chromosome markers from multiple independent swabs were assigned within the broader E1b1/E1b1b clade.
- The E1b1b lineage is today found in southern Europe, parts of Africa and the Middle East.
- Results were reported in a preprint posted to bioRxiv and covered in Science reporting.
- Authors note mixed DNA contributions consistent with modern handling of the materials.
- Researchers emphasize the difficulty of establishing an unequivocal identity for any recovered DNA signal.
- There are no confirmed reference DNA samples from Leonardo da Vinci to permit direct genetic comparison.
- Leonardo had no known direct descendants and his burial site was disturbed in the early 19th century, complicating recovery of a verified reference.
What to watch next
- Whether custodians of Leonardo’s works and notebooks will grant permission for broader or repeat sampling — not confirmed in the source.
- If additional sampling yields stronger, reproducible Y‑chromosome signals that clarify the lineage assignment — not confirmed in the source.
- How conservation scientists address contamination and handling‑related DNA in future studies to strengthen provenance claims — not confirmed in the source.
Quick glossary
- Y chromosome: The sex chromosome typically passed from father to son; used in population and paternal‑lineage studies because some markers change slowly across generations.
- E1b1b (clade): A broad Y‑chromosome lineage found across parts of Europe, Africa and the Middle East; used as a population‑level genetic descriptor rather than an individual identifier.
- Metagenomics: A set of techniques that sequences and analyzes genetic material recovered directly from environmental samples, allowing identification of mixed microbial and other DNA.
- Provenance: The documented history of an artwork or object’s ownership and origin, used to establish authenticity and historical context.
- Non‑destructive sampling: Methods that collect material from an object without causing visible damage, often required for fragile cultural heritage items.
Reader FAQ
Did the researchers definitively recover Leonardo da Vinci’s DNA?
No. The team reports Y‑chromosome markers consistent with a broad lineage that could include people from Tuscany, but they say an unequivocal identification is not established.
How was genetic material collected from the drawing?
Investigators used an extremely gentle swabbing method to sample surfaces and then extracted small amounts of DNA for analysis.
Can the recovered sequences be compared to a confirmed Leonardo reference?
Not confirmed in the source.
Why is linking DNA to a historical figure difficult?
Challenges include lack of confirmed reference samples, potential contamination from later handlers, and the absence of known direct descendants for comparison.
MARTA MUSSO SCIENCE JAN 7, 2026 6:23 PM Traces of Leonardo da Vinci's DNA May Have Been Discovered on a Red Chalk Drawing Called Holy Child Researchers suggest that they…
Sources
- Traces of Leonardo da Vinci's DNA May Have Been Discovered on a Red Chalk Drawing Called 'Holy Child'
- Exclusive: Have scientists found Leonardo da Vinci's DNA?
- Leonardo da Vinci's DNA may be embedded in his art
- The Race to Find Leonardo da Vinci's DNA Just Took a …
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