What form of locomotion did Leonardo da Vinci’s mechanical lion use in its reconstructions?

Leonardo da Vinci’s mechanical lion used walking on articulated legs in modern reconstructions.

Leonardo designed mechanical animals and theatrical machines for court ceremonies. A famous lion automaton is associated with a 1515 celebration in Lyon, where a mechanical lion reportedly opened its chest to reveal fleurs-de-lis. The original mechanism has not survived, so details of its construction remain uncertain.

Modern reconstructions based on Leonardo’s mechanical principles have used articulated legs to imitate walking. This makes the lion an example of a biomimetic machine: its movement is inspired by the structure and action of a living animal rather than by wheels alone.

The lion is sometimes mixed up with Leonardo’s mechanical knight, another automaton project. The knight was designed as a human-shaped machine, while the lion belonged to the tradition of animated court spectacles. Because the historical original is lost, claims about its exact internal mechanism should be treated cautiously.