Why the first CV in history is still the best today

frafiomatale (77)in #history • yesterday

❗This is the English version of the post Perché il primo curriculum della storia è tutt'oggi ancora il migliore, originally published in Italian in the ITALY community.

Milan, 1482. A young artist has just moved from Florence, his hometown, in search of job opportunities. We are in the heart of the Renaissance: obviously no cars, luxury buildings, aperitifs, or managers in double-breasted suits working late into the night, nor trendy gyms or shiny shop windows. And yet, even in this era, Milan is the perfect place for those seeking great opportunities.

A sort of Renaissance metropolis, where wealth and courtly festivities alternate with construction sites, fortifications, and innovative projects. Ruling it is Ludovico Sforza, known as “il Moro”, a cultured, shrewd, charismatic ruler with strong leadership skills, who loves to surround himself with talented and unconventional figures to bring new ideas to his city.

_{The original manuscript, Leonardo da Vinci, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons}

That artist is Leonardo da Vinci, and in his pocket he carries one of the most precious documents of all time: a letter of introduction written in his own hand and addressed to the ruler, still considered today the first example of a curriculum vitae in human history.

Ten points, in which he tries to amaze the ruler by listing his skills in building innovative war machines: dismantlable bridges, lightweight cannons, futuristic tanks, or systems to dig tunnels beneath enemy walls—and only at the very end, a brief mention of his extraordinary artistic abilities.

The constant tension in which the city lives makes “visionary” engineers and inventors highly desirable, and the letter achieves its purpose: il Moro, intrigued by this unusual way of presenting oneself, summons him, listens to him, and immediately “falls in love” with him, commissioning several works such as fortifications and canals.

The genius of the greatest artist of all time had already taught, over five hundred years ago, one of the best methods for presenting one’s work: the value proposition. Understanding what the recipient needs, highlighting the skills useful to solve the problem, and seasoning everything with an irresistible and innovative presentation.

_{The court of Ludovico il Moro, by Giuseppe Diotti. Giuseppe Diotti, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons}

Leonardo would remain in Milan, in two distinct periods, for over twenty years. He would not build any of the futuristic machines hypothesized in the letter, but his works—such as canals and fortifications—would still prove extremely important for the city.

Under the Sforza, he would also create some of the most renowned masterpieces in art history, such as Lady with an Ermine, The Last Supper, and The Virgin of the Rocks, and would lend his genius to the study of movable stage sets used during festivities and recreational events.

He would leave the city only in 1499, when the French, led by Louis XII, invaded the Duchy of Milan, moving on to Venice and then returning a second time four years later, drawn back by the great admiration of the French king for his works.