Reflections of the Artist: Sun & Venus in Taurus ~

Recently, I had the opportunity to attend a movie presentation of “The Genius in Milan”.   This 2016 production is a glimpse into the life and work of Leonardo Da Vinci.    It explores his work in a way never seen before, telling the story of the artist’s world and the treasures he left us.

As I sat in the theatre viewing this English subtitled film, I was struck by who this man really was.  A serious student of Astrology, I continue to be astonished by the ability to more deeply understand an individual and the story behind the persona through the lens of this ancient science.   With the vivid portrayal of Da Vinci in front of me, I quickly surmised that this man must have had his Sun in Taurus, and I highly suspected his Venus was well placed in his chart.  With this idea in my mind, the evidence continued to mount up throughout the two hour show.  I couldn’t wait to verify my observations.

When I arrived home, I immediately went to my computer and searched online for Da Vinci’s Natal Chart.  Fascinating!   Both Sun and Venus are in the sign of Taurus.  I should mention here that I did check a number of different sources to substantiate the information on Leonardo’s birth date and time.  I am therefore working under the assumption that the elements in the Natal Chart to which I will refer, are as probable as they can be with the benefit of rectification*.

If you read my preceding post on Taurus, much of what you are about to read may have a familiar ring.   While one could write an entire treatise on this famous figure, in keeping with the site’s intent to educate, I will stick to the basics and reference only those elements which have already been presented in the previous articles.  Consider this approach to be within the scope of a “courtroom proceeding”, so only particulars already produced will be considered admissible.

To begin, Leonardo Da Vinci’s chart shows a Taurus Sun in the 5th House.  One can interpret this as being reflected in his life through manifested creativity.  There can be no doubt of his incredible creative capacity, we have only to think of his famous paintings and other works of art to support that notion.   Since Taurus is ruled by Venus, you may draw in the elements of beauty and pleasure…he enjoyed painting beautiful subjects and the pleasure bestowed upon others who view his work is uncontested.  One step further, his love of nature and the natural world show up in various forms in many of his drawings, and paintings, not to mention his detailed diagrams of the human anatomy.

Venus in Taurus in the 6th House is also notable.  First of all, Venus is in Dignity as she is ruled by Taurus.  That means that she functions very well in the sign (she is at home) and can be expressed fully, in the House of work and service.  Da Vinci’s individual work assignments support this element since he was employed, in many instances, to produce beautiful works of art.  He undoubtedly loved his work and had a strong sense of beauty.

If we combine the Sun and Venus in Taurus, and consider for a moment the representative qualities of manifestation, beauty, art and “sticktuitiveness” or strong commitment to task, what might that suggest?  The four years it took for Da Vinci to paint the “Mona Lisa”, or the 3 years to paint “The Last Supper”, demonstrate the qualities of a man who was fully dedicated to his task, which was to complete these beautiful works of art.

Finally, let’s take a brief look at Leonardo’s Mercury in Aries.  Mercury, of course, is reflective of curiosity, thinking, ideas, and communication.  In the sign of Aries, particularly in Da Vinci’s case, it suggests an enthusiasm, adventurousness and a variety of interests.  Further, it has been presented as fact that his thinking was prolific, coming up with far more ideas for projects and inventions than he was ever able to realize.  How do we know this?  He documented his thoughts, diagrams, ideas, and plans so we are able to understand the vast scope of his thinking today.  He was significantly intrigued by the possibilities and was, by many accounts, a man ahead of his time…the pre-eminent pioneer of his age.

There is so much more that could be said about Da Vinci through Astrological analysis, and many have done just that.  Numerous examples can easily be resourced on the internet if you are interested in expanding on this particular chart.   However, while perhaps simplistic on the surface, the intent of this particular commentary is to bring to life some of the basic elements already presented in previous posts.   Using the examples of Taurus Sun & Venus, and Aries Mercury here, I hope you are beginning to see how we will continue to draw the threads of our learning throughout the remaining zodiac and planets.

*Rectification:  A method used to determine the time of birth, using the individual’s history (specific important dates and facts) in comparison with transits and progressions.   Using this procedure it is generally accepted that the probable time of birth can be inferred.