Leonardo da Vinci Quote T-Shirt — "Iron Rusts From Disuse" | Front & Back, Cited to His Notebooks
Leonardo da Vinci Quote T-Shirt — "Iron Rusts From Disuse" | Front & Back, Cited to His Notebooks
BACK: “Even so does inaction sap the vigour of the mind.”
— Leonardo da Vinci, Notebooks (Codex Atlanticus, 289v)
One sentence, split across the front and the back. Someone has to watch you walk away to get the rest of the thought.
A note on what this shirt does not say. The line printed under Leonardo's name more than any other — “Knowing is not enough, we must apply” — is Goethe's, from Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship. It's a fine line. It just isn't Leonardo's, so it isn't on our shirt.
Every quote we print is traced to a real book, letter, or speech, and the source is named right here on the page. If we can't source it, we don't sell it.
The design
A period engraving of Leonardo on the front and the Vitruvian Man on the back, each in an ornamental frame, with the quote set in a classic Didone serif. White ink on black.
Product features
- 100% Airlume combed and ring-spun cotton (lightweight 4.2 oz/yd²) — breathable and soft
- Retail crew-neck fit with side seams and ribbed knit collar for shape retention
- Printed front and back with DTF/DTG for crisp lines and smooth tonal shading
- Shoulder tape for garment stability; tear-away label to reduce irritation
- REACH certified; ethically manufactured with responsible sourcing
Care instructions
- Machine wash: cold (max 30C or 90F)
- Non-chlorine: bleach as needed
- Tumble dry: low heat
- Iron, steam or dry: medium heat
- Do not dryclean
Size guide — find your fit in 90 seconds
Don't measure yourself. Measure a t-shirt you already own and like. Lay it flat and take two numbers: armpit seam to armpit seam, and the top of the shoulder straight down to the hem. Then match the closest line below.
- XS — chest 16½ in · length 27 in
- S — chest 18 in · length 28 in
- M — chest 20 in · length 29 in
- L — chest 22 in · length 30 in
- XL — chest 24 in · length 31 in
- 2XL — chest 26 in · length 32 in
- 3XL — chest 28 in · length 33 in
- 4XL — chest 30 in · length 34 in
This is a Bella+Canvas 3001 unisex tee in a retail fit — cut closer through the body than a boxy promotional shirt. True to size if you like a shirt that follows your shape. Size up if you want it loose or you are between sizes.
Still unsure? See the full size guide, or email us the measurements of a shirt you like and we will tell you which one to order.
Shipping and returns
Free shipping in the United States. Printed for you after you order: 2–5 business days to print, then 3–8 business days in transit.
If anything is wrong with the shirt — misprint, damage, wrong item — we replace it free. Send a photo within 30 days. Nothing to ship back.
Wrong size? Tell us within 30 days and we will send the right one for half price, and you keep the first. Full terms in our return policy.
How we verify this quote
Every line we print is traced to a primary source — the book, the letter, the speech — not a quote site. The source is printed on the shirt itself, underneath the quote. If we cannot source it, we do not sell it.