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Leonardo Da Vinci
The Biography
Leonardo da Vinci (2017) is an illuminating and thoughtful account of one of history’s most renowned individuals. Isaacson has studied previous biographies and accounts of Leonardo’s life – including the very first one, from the sixteenth century – as well as Leonardo’s wealth of notes. Isaacson paints a very human portrait of the legendary Renaissance artist and engineer. Though one of the few people in history who may truly be called a genius, Leonardo was only human and there is much that can be learned from his curiosity and approach to life.
- Artists and creative types
- Fans of Renaissance art and history
- Readers who love an inspiring life story
Walter Isaacson is the author of acclaimed biographies of Albert Einstein, Steve Jobs and Benjamin Franklin. He is the former managing editor of Time magazine and the current CEO of the Aspen Institute, a nonprofit organization striving to promote innovative ideas and leadership.
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Leonardo Da Vinci
The Biography
- Read in 21 minutes
- Audio & text available
- Contains 13 key ideas
Synopsis
Leonardo da Vinci (2017) is an illuminating and thoughtful account of one of history’s most renowned individuals. Isaacson has studied previous biographies and accounts of Leonardo’s life – including the very first one, from the sixteenth century – as well as Leonardo’s wealth of notes. Isaacson paints a very human portrait of the legendary Renaissance artist and engineer. Though one of the few people in history who may truly be called a genius, Leonardo was only human and there is much that can be learned from his curiosity and approach to life.
Key idea 1 of 13
Leonardo was an illegitimate child, but this worked in his favor.
Even in the best of times, being labeled “illegitimate” would hardly be considered a great plus. But for Leonardo da Vinci it turned out to be a distinct benefit.
Leonardo was born on April 15, 1452, to Piero da Vinci and Caterina Lippi, a 16-year-old peasant girl. They were not married.
Piero was a notary in the town of Vinci. In other words, he worked for merchants and upper-crust princes, resolving disputes and handling business transactions. It was a pretty respectable job as these things go – it even meant that Piero could use the honorific title “Ser.”
But because Leonardo had been born out of wedlock, he was under no compulsion to join Piero’s business.
Ser Piero’s father, grandfather and great-grandfather had all been notaries and, in normal circumstances, Leonardo would have become one, too. However, to be a notary you had to be a member of the guild. Needless to say, there were rules about who they let in. Certainly no children born out of wedlock, which is why the door was closed to Leonardo.
However, this exclusion gave Leonardo the opportunity to flourish. Nor was he the only one who benefited from being an illegitimate child. In fact, some of the most famous cardinals, princes and generals of the day had been born out of wedlock. The same was true of the Renaissance poets Giovanni Boccaccio and Petrarch, as well as the artist Leon Battista Alberti, who himself greatly influenced Leonardo.
Theoretically, Piero would have been able to fill out the paperwork to “legitimize” Leonardo at a later date. But there was little point – it was clear from early on that Leonardo was destined for life as an artist.
It made sense. He hadn’t been sent to any of the foremost Latin schools, and this further spurred Leonardo to learn through his unique personal curiosity and from experience. Another sort of life was in store.
Key ideas in this title
- Leonardo was an illegitimate child, but this worked in his favor.
- Leonardo excelled as an apprentice and eventually surpassed his teacher.
- Before he left Florence, Leonardo was already famous for pioneering bold new painting techniques.
- In Milan, Leonardo began to explore his many passions while entertaining the royal court.
- Leonardo took advantage of his access to great minds by collaborating and exchanging ideas.
- Leonardo’s Milan paintings show his revolutionary approach to narrative and psychology.
- The Last Supper is a masterpiece, as Leonardo captures an impossible moment.
- Under the employ of Cesare Borgia, Leonardo would reach his limit as a military engineer.
- Even Leonardo’s unfinished works proved to be influential.
- Leonardo’s insightful work on human anatomy was lost for centuries.
- King Francis I’s patronage allowed Leonardo to put the finishing touches on his final three paintings.
- In the Mona Lisa, we see the culmination of Leonardo’s interests and abilities.
- Final summary