"I went in, and was awestruck: the works emanated such unexpected warmth and humanity. I had studied Leonardo at A-level, but to see the drawings in person was something else. Leonardo was hugely interested in scientific matters—he dissected about 30 human corpses and many more animals, recording his findings in hundreds of detailed drawings and notes."
"I was fascinated not just by the stunning beauty of the line, but also by the insistence in his notes that everything in nature had purpose and form. I began to draw connections between his work and my own—at the time, mitral valve surgery was very much about imposing solutions on the valve, rather than trying to re-establish the body's natural physiology."
A cardiothoracic surgeon initially pursued art and music but redirected toward medicine after his mother's practical advice and a television documentary. He qualified in 1975 and became a consultant at Papworth Hospital, eventually repairing over 3,000 mitral valves. The pivotal moment came in 1977 when viewing Leonardo da Vinci's anatomical drawings at the Royal Academy. Leonardo's meticulous dissections and detailed recordings revealed his belief that everything in nature possessed inherent purpose and form. This encounter profoundly influenced the surgeon's perspective, prompting him to reconsider mitral valve surgery methodology—shifting from imposing external solutions toward restoring the body's natural physiology.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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