Product Description
This masterly account of Leonardo da Vinci and his vision of the world has long been recognized as the classic treatment of the Renaissance giant, offering unparalleled insight into Leonardo's intellect and vision at every stage of his artistic career.
Martin Kemp, one of the world's leading authorities on Leonardo, takes us on a mesmerizing journey through the whole span of the great man's life, painting a fully integrated picture of his artistic, scientific, and technological achievements. Kemp shows how Leonardo's early training in Florence provided a crucial foundation in the "science of art," particularly perspective and anatomy, while his period in the service of the Sforzas of Milan enlarged his outlook to embrace a wide range of natural sciences and mathematics, as he searched for scientific rules governing both man and the universe. It was these rules, Kemp argues, which provided the basis for his imaginative reconstruction of nature in masterworks such as the Last Supper, The Mona Lisa, and St. John, which reveal his increasingly complex vision of man in the context of nature. And towards the end of his life, Leonardo became fascinated with the mathematics underlying the "design of nature," behind which lay the ultimate force of the "prime mover," as manifested with supreme power in his Deluge drawings.
Covering every aspect of Leonardo's achievement, generously illustrated, and now including a new introductory chapter setting Leonardo's work in its historical context, this fully updated edition provides unparalleled insight into the mind of this central figure in western art.

"Sensitive and original descriptions of the master's paintings... combining the achievements of Kenneth Clark's classic on the artist with V. P. Zubov's unsurpassed account of the scientist in the context of his age."
--E. H. Gombritch, The Times Literary Supplement (on the first edition) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Exceptionally Readable and Knowledgable
Kemp's book is exceedingly different from many accounts of the life of Leonardo da Vinci.It does not try to explain his entire life or place him on secret missions for the Church, nor does it find hidden meanings in his paintings.Leonardo da Vinci is a straight-forward text, and coupled with Kemp's easy-to-read writing style, is quite enjoyable.At times, Kemp becomes carried away with descriptions of Leonardo's work, but although it becomes tedious at times, this is done for a reason: he is following in the writing style of Leonardo himself.Kemp's narrative alludes to much, and while this works well in fiction, scholarly texts' facts should be clear when the point being made elevates the subject above others.This does not detract from the benefit all readers of this book would obtain from reading it, however, as it is insightful and thought-provoking.The sketches, illustrations, and paintings shown along with the corresponding text are not mentioned only once as just an example, but integrated extremely well into Kemp's vision of Leonardo and provides evidence for his thesis that the whole of his accomplishments could produce a clear understanding of Leonardo's "intellectual foundations."

... Read more

Product Description
The Anatomical, Physiological and Embryological Drawings of Leonardo da Vinci
With more than 1200 reproductions of drawings by the master's own hand, this book is the definitive and most complete collection of Leonardo's anatomical drawings currently in print.Here Leonardo's notebooks have been arranged according to the systems of the body in order to indicate the full extent of his anatomical work.This book will captivate curious laymen, medical professionals, and art and history enthusiasts alike.Also included are:
• Translations of Leonardo's anatomical notes which were written in his cryptic reverse handwriting. These translations provide an unusual glimpse into Leonardo's creativity and genius.
•Extensive commentary from the editors.
•A thorough background of Leonardo's life that reintroduces him to the world not just as a master artist, but as a brilliant scientist. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

the man is a genius!!
This book is so good I got a copy for my doctor as well!!

he loves it!!

Paul ... Read more

Product Description
This beautiful book is the first full-length study of Leonardo's beginnings as an artist. It discusses his years in Verrocchio's workshop and his subsequent work on his own, the development of his technique, and the relationship of his early paintings to each other and to their sources. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Identifies Leonardo's Involvement With Early Paintings
The title of this book should probably be 'Leonardo Da Vinci Origins Of An ARTISTIC Genius'. It was the title that intrigued me and made me want to read this book. Leonardo's education and maturation process in relation to painting is really not that unusual.

This book does demonstrate with a lot of precise details how Leonardo's involvement and association with paintings from his early period can be proven or disproven. In some cases advanced scientific techniques such as x-ray analysis are cited to disprove or clarify statements made by previous authors about Leonardo's supposed involvement in various paintings. This book would be very helpful if someone was, for example, writing a paper about Leonardo's early career as far as exactly what paintings he worked on.

However the mysterious aspect about Leonardo da Vinci is not his painting which he eventually grew tired of and he sometimes didn't even bother to finish his own paintings. The mysterious thing about Leonardo is how did he all of a sudden become (at least in his own mind) an engineer, architect, scientist, etc., when he was never trained in any of these things ? How did someone who was trained as a painter and artist make that transition ? That's where the mystery deepens about Leonardo da Vinci.

As far as the books I've read so far that mystery has never been fully explained other than he was self taught. His art was very important for this transition because it allowed him to record his basically limitless ideas at a time when photography didn't exist yet.

But a good follow on to this book would be called 'Leonardo Da Vinci Origins Of A RENAISSANCE Genius' or 'Scientific Genius' or something like that.

Whether some or most of Leonardo's scientific ideas were valid is I think open to debate. But he did have some of the characteristics required for true genius which are intense curiosity, being very observant, and having almost unlimited energy. And he was a good painter, that much can be stated positively. ... Read more

Product Description
Featuring engaging text and
numerous illustrations this book
brings Leonardo da Vinci to life
in a format that s both
entertaining and informative. This book explores da Vinci s unique artistic talents and at
the same time introduces Leonardo the mathematician,
urban planner, cartographer, poet, musician, astronomer, and
medical scientist. Readers will learn about the scientific
discoveries that inspired the young artist and the cultural
forces that nourished his creative spirit. This book features
high quality reproductions of his most famous works along
with notebook sketches of dissected bodies, flying
machines, and even robots. The artist s personal life is told
through fascinating anecdotes that look beyond the myth to
bring the man into clearer focus. Throughout, the author s
engaging tone allows readers to experience familiar
masterpieces with a fresh eye. ... Read more

Product Description
As the success of blockbusters like The Da Vinci Code shows, the incomparable and enigmatic Leonardo da Vinci continues to captivate. In this widely acclaimed biography, Charles Nicholl uncovers the man behind the myth of the "Renaissance master." Painter, sculptor, inventor, draftsman, anatomist—Leonardo’s life and career encompassed so many of the creative achievements that made his era spectacular. Nicholl skillfully captures it all while tracing his subject’s journey from an illegitimate child in Tuscany to his service with some of the most powerful families of Renaissance Europe. Rich with historical background, packed with black-and-white and color illustrations, and utterly engaging, this is the definitive look at a figure whose genius reaches out to us through the centuries. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Just about all you could ask for...
...in a book about Da Vinci.I mean, the guy lived half a millenium ago, for crying out loud -- you think it's easy piecing together information about his life?I think Nicholl did an amazing job assembling a slice of an image here, a quotation there, a passing reference written by somebody else over here, a hunch of a guess over there....

...Really, this book feels as close as we'll ever get to "the truth" about what Da Vinci did and thought, year to year.No, we'll probably never understand just how and why his mind worked the way it did, what made him who he ultimately was, but Nicholl wonderfully illuminates the world he lived in, and the paths he crossed along the way.If you're like me, you know a bit about the man, but not much.Well, this takes "not much" and expands it out significantly so that, by the end of the book, you feel that you have some glimmer of who this fellow was, that you'd recognize (and appreciate) him if you passed him on a street in Milan in the early 1500s.

The only thing holding me back from giving this 5 stars is the images.There were plenty, yes, but I think the color-plate paintings needed more space than they received, a full page rather than being squeezed 2-4 to a page. There must be some way to give better visuals to a book without turning it into a coffee table variety.Maybe enclose a CD?

Interesting insight into Da Vinci as a man
This is the first book on Da Vinci that I have read.Some of the other reviewers have commented that the book has shortcomings, notably that it only covers a limited set of all of Da Vinci's accomplishments.This is true, but what I found interesting about this book is Nicholl's descriptions of Da Vinci's humanity.Here was a man, born illegitimately, who strove his whole life for fatherly approval and never got it.Da Vinci had little formal education and regretted it - he studied under many men who advanced the arts and sciences and it is remarkable what Da Vinci achieved with such informal training in many areas.Da Vinci was a polymath - he had so much going on inside his head all the time- limitless imagination.It really is amazing he managed to complete anything.Also somewhat amusing is how Da Vinci did not always like his patrons, and Nicholl describes his lengthy relationship with one benefactress who Da Vinci continually put off or avoided, despite the promise of a hefty payment for an art work.I was also surprised to learn that Da Vinci was not really very financially successful.

I recommend this book if you want to get a picture of Leonardo complete with all human failings.Nicholl's book provides such insight.I enjoyed reading it.

Informative, but boring
The book "flights of the mind" by charles Nicholl, it one that has a lot of research behind it. I respect that, although when reading, I found a few problems. First of all, nicholl throws facts at you like a text book, and so you can lose track of where you are, and how it adds to Leonardo's legacy. Nicholl also tended to get sidetracked when explaining in depth something that had nothing to do with Leonardo. He also made a lot of assumptions that I feel he didn't make. I think he used a lot of information directly from other books, not that theirs anything wrong with that. He also would at times begin to repeat himself. The book had a huge amount of information within it. I found it was hard to pick out the important information and the information added as an overall picture. All in all, the book was heavy in facts, but with this it became a chore to read.

Reads like a text book
I was looking to learn more about this fascinating man.This book gave me details, but really no story.It was a laborious read.It read like a text book.It is filled with so many facts, that you lose track of what da Vinci accomplished.Really a waste of time.

Maybe it's just me
There are more life details in this book than I ever wanted to read.This made for a bit of a slow, boring read.I'm still looking for a good biography on Da Vinci. ... Read more

Product Description
"This work is an attractive and friendly resource for students... The strengths of this biography are its attractive illustrations, the time line of Da Vinci’s life across the bottom of each page, and the simple presentation of the facts of his life. Young readers will find the book visually appealing, and those searching for factual information on Da Vinci will find it helpful..." —VOYA ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Terrific Primer on Leonardo Da Vinci
Targeted at grade-schoolers, this book from National Geographic provides a beautifully illustrated overview of the life and works of the famous Renaissance Man. The book includes numerous photos and reprints of Da Vinci's most famous works, and well as reproductions of some of his designs.

While he's most famous for The Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, Da Vinci, in fact, only completed a few paintings during his lifetime, magnificent though they may be. Da Vinci painted, sculpted, created sets for plays, and designed numerous machines for war.

The book is well-written, and is designed and laid out beautifully. The amazing imagery used in the book makes for a great way to introduce Leonardo and the Renaissance. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
Beautifully illustrated throughout, this book exploresthe life and works of Leonardo da Vinci.Organized chronologically,we are taken step by step through time to learn more of the man andhis creations in relation to those of his time. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Incredible find!
This book has to be one of THE best books I have purchased over the years of Da Vinci's work.
Not only does it show his work, but compares it to the artists that influenced him.
I love the quality of the photos and the close ups of the art is wonderful, showing great details, but THE BEST part is the section devoted to the Last Supper! It show not only the "Before" the restoration but the "After."
I was blown away at how much color and details were stripped for the "restoration". The Before shows how rich the colors were and for those who are fans of Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code, it really makes you wonder if that isn't a portrait of Mary.
It is really worth every penny.I am so glad I got this one. I will not be letting go of it any time soon! ... Read more

Product Description
Clark's study of Leonardo is generally considered the clearest introduction available to the work of the controversial genius. This edition contains 128 plates, integrated into the text; a revised list of dates; an updated bibliography; and a new introduction. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

a poetic and literally account about Leonardo
It was a pleasant surprise to me reading that book. I was really impressed byKenneth Clark's style.It is a kind of poetic,I think.He also tries to analyse the symbolic language of the artist, to penetrate to Leonard's mind. Although the logic of the passage is not very clear,
Clark is trying to transfer the intellectual context of each picture.
In fact, he lacked a systematic knowledge of the manuscripts, but he conveys a penetraion that is at heart founded upon his intuitions of the paintings and drawings. Clark has tried to realise Leonardo's mind behind the paintings and writings. I am fond of the literary description he uses in a a way we are relatively unfamiliar, an old way.
When I started to read the book I was looking forward to reachthe "Last Supper". Clark exactlly described my own feelings when I saw the picture. 'It is a work of nature than a work of man.Before such a picture the difficulty is not to analyse our feelings as to have any feelings at all." He has tried to imagine and understand Leonardo's feelings and thoughts when he was painting the "Last Supper" and exactly that he tried to transmit to us, in such a sweet and poetic way. I could never had enough of this part.
I was also impressed from the way he describes the" Virgin of the rocks". After an elaborated description of the angel and the infant Saint John and the virgin as well he wonders if the whole picture has a deeper meaning. Besides, he also juxtaposes the two "Virgins of the rocks".
There are a few parts of Leonardo's drawings for the horses although it took him such a long time to draw them. He liked to draw horses very much. In fact, there aren't much about his drawings or his notes.
I didn't like the fact that pictures were not coloured. How can one imagine the coloures Leonardo used and the true tuxture of the painting?
It is a great disadvantage not having coloured plates.
In conclusion, I would liKe to cite the following: To Leonardo a landscape like a human being, was a part of a vast machine, to be understood part by part if possible, in the whole. Rocks were not simply decorative silhouettes. They were part of the earth's bones with anatomy of their own caused by some remote seismic upheaval. Clouds were not random curls of the brush, drawn by some celestial artist, but were the congregation of tiny drops formed from the evaporation of the sea andsoon would pour back their rain into the rivers.(discussion of the 'Mona Lisa").

Very disappointing plates
This really wonderful book by Clark, with its good introduction by Martin Kemp, was marred by the very bad quality of the plates. They're all black and white and every one is washed out (with the exception of the color cover), perhaps because the printing plates are old and worn out. Shame on Penguin for releasing such a poor quality product, especially in these days of quality reproduction. If you can be content with just the extremely good text (I was not), no problem, but be warned. The copy I received 3/11/09 was a 1993 reprint of the 1989 edition.

Refreshing
I uedd this text foran Art History classand it was not only useful and insightful, but also intriguing and well-organized. After having so many dry texts that are all fact, no fun, this was a refreshing change. It still had all the fact of a text book, but presented in a much more entertining and useful manner. I just wish all Art History texts were as easy to read while still being as informative

An excellent introduction to Leonardo
This work provides a good introduction to the fascinating subject of Leonardo and his creative genius. Clark writes with elegance and insight about the whole span of Leonardo's career. He focuses on the drawings and provides the reader with an understanding of Leonardo's technical and artistic accomplishment. Clark is also reserved in his claims of understanding the mystery of Leonardo's personality and human relation.
Like Leonardo in his inventions Clark does not supply the full and final detail that gives the complete picture. His work is a fascinating introduction which however gives a basic understanding of the subject.

The eternal genius
Kenneth Clark gives an unpropogating look at Da Vinci. All too often Leonardo's name has been attached to support a variety of causes of this or that nature. Being, seemingly, irreligious and unphilosophic while being the quintessential Renassaince Man. His name is often used as a mascot to justify the ideals of this or that group of whatever. He was clearly an animal rights lover, possibly a closet Franciscan, in all probability a homosexual (although not much of an activist). Leonardo was into his thoughts and had little patience for something that was already complete in his mind. He left scores of unfinished works, and minons of angry patrons - contrary to Bornstin's book that Leonardo was in constant search of patrons - Clark says he had many unhappy patrons. Leonardo was an animal lover who hated violence (although he designed armaments of various sorts). His depth of religious devotion could be argued, but he was not irreverant, as some have claimed. Leonardo was rather Franciscan and had a fondness for animals and individuality. He was free and valued his own individualism. Other than Da Vinci's notebooks nothing much authentic comes down to us. Every other work of Leonardo has been severally retouched or destroyed, what there is left of Leonardo's work is highly speculative - what bit is in his hand ect. Clark gives a healthy, vibrant, nonproselytizing look at a genius - something anyone might find interesting. ... Read more

Product Description
Explores the lives and works of the world's greatest artists. This book helps readers learn about the people, places and events that had notable influences on their careers. ... Read more

Product Description
Here are clear reproductions of over 1200 anatomical drawings by one of humanity’s greatest geniuses—still considered, nearly five centuries later, the finest ever rendered. Admired by artists and scientists alike. 215 plates.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Not for me
If you are thinking that buying this book would help you learning a secret of leonardo's drawing, this is not that book you are looking for .You would learn better with bridgeman's anatomy book or somebody else.This book is pure anatomy and science.

If you like reading texts and texts, then this is probably for you, but not me.

Leonardo's Masterpiece
Leonardo Da Vinci's anatomical drawings, due to his extreme curiosity, became one of his most profound works to date. Published by Dover from the original text 1952. The book is set up in 2 columns and broken up intoheaders of different anatomical structures; either of bones, muscles,ventricles of the heart or brains. The chapters are broken into systems:nervous, cardiovascular, myological, osteological, respitory, alimentaryand others. Within the text there are italicized words. These are the wordswritten on the drawing itself, in Leonardo's usual backward writing style.Some of you might be curious, beyond the drawings themselves to read whatLeonardo thought at the time. And from there is the authors commentary. Forthose interested in anatomy, drawing, painting or anything in the artfield, this book is highly reccoemended, for it has limitless referencevalue. I continually look at it for my drawings. One will also notice thatmany of the "models" are of the same body or person. This isbecause Leonardo asked a friend on his deathbed if he could cut him up,dissect him and then draw him. The friend, of course, consented to this,and so we have Leonardo's masterpiece. Highly reccomended! Alsoreccomended is his Notebooks, also printed by Dover. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (5)

Visually stimulating
Great fold out 3D type da Vinci contraptions. Visually stimulating with good write ups explaning devices.

Everyone loves this
I actually ended up buying more than one copy of this book for gifts (including one for myself!) Adults and kids alike are fascinated with all the informations and the pop-ups. It is a nicely made book.

fascinating
A fascinating book with very detailed imagery & pop-ups...a few even took it to a second level using pull tabs or string.Gave it as a gift and just had to have one for myself too!

Journal of Inventions
Bought this for my son for Christmas who is going to college for engineering. He absolutely loved it. The way the inventions pop up and can be moved is wonderful.

Punctual delivery, excellent condition...
Thank you for shipping the book so promptly. It arrived in the pristine shape that you had tagged it. ... Read more

Product Description
How did Leonardo da Vinci become interested in flight? What are some of his most famous paintings? Do his scientific ideas measure up to what we know today? Find out the answers to these questions and more in Magic Tree House Research Guide: Leonardo da Vinci, Jack and Annie’s guide to the mad genius himself. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

AWESOME BOOK!!!!
What a delightful experience you get with the Magic Tree House Books.
Go on a magic adventure with your kids and there imaginations.
Hands down winning by an easy victory for our Family!!!!!!!

Excellent book.
This is an excellent book about the life of Leonardo da Vinci.It gave information about his early years that was unknown to most people and it was an up lifting book.

Can be a stand-alone guide
//Leonardo da Vinci// is the non-fiction companion guide to //Monday with a Mad Genius//--an adventure by Jack and Annie involving Leonardo da Vinci, one of the greatest Renaissance men. This guide contains the facts behind the events in the //Monday with a Mad Genius//, including the explanation of why Leonardo freed birds from their cages, what really happened with the fresco in Palazzo Vecchio, and why his writings are inverted.

As a guide, this volume is very useful to a learner who is just starting to learn about things by himself. The information is well-organized (the table of contents can always help get one back on track, and the index is a wonderful memory jogger), the language is easy to understand and the illustrations and pictures do an effective job of making the text come alive. If the reader wants more, the guide is also very good in suggesting other things to do, or other books to read to get more information.

Our son has now taught us about da Vinci and Italy
These companion books are very well written.This one was his favorite, I think because it has a more personal and biographical side to it.They don't create the same excitement level as the fiction stories but the history lessons are encompassing enough that our son has been able to teach us a few things about Italy, da Vinci, and life in his time.Now our son wants to visit Venice to see where he lived, this raising of curiosity is enough for me to recommend the book.He also read through cover to cover, which can be tough for six year olds when it comes to non-fiction (fiction tends to flow better, so he always reads those straight through).The author has really hit on a winning formula for making book-learning fun for younger children. ... Read more

Product Description
The quintessential "Renaissance man," Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) is still recognized today for his accomplishments in science, architecture, and philosophy, as well as his artistic masterworks. Full-color reproductions and thorough text provide a quick yet solid introduction to this master. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

El personaje más fascinante del Renacimiento.
La serie Basic Art de la Editorial Taschen funciona como introduccion al tema, es una peque?a guia muy ilustrada y condensada para todos aquellos que viven sin tiempo para leer un trabajo mas profundo o solo desea comensar a entender sobre la vida y obra de su pintor favorito, asi que el libro es peque?o pero vale la pena darle una ojeada.

En esta edicion en ESPA?OL sobre la vida y obra de Leonardo Da Vinci (el personaje m?s fascinante del Renacimiento)la cual esta en el formato de pasta dura(hardcover) nos ense?a las primeras obras del gran maestro del Renacimiento, una cronologia de su vida y muchas ilustraciones de sus pinturas mas conocidas como tambien las que no son parte de un tour y estan en colecciones privadas, es una obra bellisima no es la obra definitiva ya que hay trabajos mucho mas completo sobre su vida e influencia pero si es un buen comienso para entender al famoso y controversial Da Vinci. 96 paginas totalmente ilustrada a color con muchos detalles de pintura y bosetos del pintor asi como sus dotes en otras ramas como la musica la escultura y las ciencias pero esta obra es dedicada por completo a su pintura.Muy recomendado. ... Read more

Product Description
For thirty years, the whole last half of his life, Leonardo da Vinci was obsessed with unlocking the secrets of nature. His notebooks are the mind-boggling evidence of a fifteenth-century scientist standing at the edge of the modern world, basing his ideas on observation and experimentation. Scrupulously researched, juicily anecdotal, this book will change children’s ideas of who Leonardo was and what it means to be a scientist.

Award-winning biographer Kathleen Krull will focus on five other "giants of science"—Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Marie Curie, Sigmund Freud, and Albert Einstein. Each book presents a compelling portrait of an individual as well as a picture of the world at a particular time and place. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Absolutely Inappropriate for Children!
Please be careful before purchasing this book for elementary or even early middle school children.The first half of the book's topics of being illegitimate and homosexuality are absolutely not necessary for a child to focus on in order to understand and appreciate the art and scientific achievements of Da Vinci!

NOT a children's book
This could have been a great book if chapter 4 had been left out.There was some great and easily accessible information that would make it an enjoyable read for children from ages 9-14.

My daughter chose this book for her biography book report.She was extremely upset when she came upon the adult theme of homosexuality and didn't want to read past page 36, the 1st mention of the allegation.And to the previous reviewer, Colleen, you should have been more honest when reviewing...his alleged homosexuality and the investigation is the theme of chapter 4, not just page 38 as you said.This was very upsetting to my 10 year old daughter who didn't want to read about that kind of stuff.Why must children have to deal with these issues?This book is definitely NOT for middle grade age students! I'm very disappointed in the author's choice to include this in a children's book.

The Other Side of Leo
Reading a boring story is one step short of wasting one's time. Amusing, insightful and an ending that is truly the definition of 20/20 hindsight! Da Vinci himself was a misunderstood genius, waaaaaayyyy ahead of his time. This "biography" is a product of mature speculation and takes a reasonable stab at his life. Who would enjoy this book? Mostly people who enjoy Science and want to know more about the development of the field. Definitely some of Leo's lesser qualities rise to the surface, intertwined with a historical timeframe.

I find that, as a teacher, relating some of the bizarre assumptions in the field of Science (before it was even named), mesmerizes students. This book, however, is not for a student under 7th grade. If you're infinitely curious, it addresses: Homosexuality, menstruation, dead bodies and the study/dissection there of. The details of this subject matter are not too deep, mostly one or two sentences for the first two. The latter would be covered, but not grotesquely. All in all, it is an outstanding book, definitely a worthy read.

Questionable content
My 8 year old read this for a school biography assignment. Told me he was confused about why Leonardo was thrown into prison. The book talks about how he was accused of having homosexual sex and how there was a special group which was formed to round up people accused of sex crimes. Thank you scholastic - I had been wondering how to broach the subject of homosexual sex with a boy who still covers his eyes when people kiss on TV. Don't buy this for your kids unless you want to have this special talk with them.

Leonardo da Vinci
Doing everything from dissecting humans to painting beautiful paintings, Leonardo da Vinci really was a man of wonder. Leonardo da Vinci was born in 1452 in Tuscany, Italy. Throughout his life he had wondered about everything. He always kept everything he saw and observed in notebooks. He worked in art during his childhood and then mostly researched for the rest of his life. He did everything to gain knowledge including dissecting humans, looking at bugs, and staring at water for hours. After a long life, Leonardo da Vinci died in1519 at the age of sixty-seven. I liked this book because it contained many interesting facts, it included artwork, and it told of the many characters in Leonardo's life.

One reasonI liked this book is that it contained many interesting facts. For example, Leonardo used to stare at water for hours until he came up with the theory that everything travels in waves. Another example, is that he dissected forty different human corpses in order to find out more about the body. Lastly, he wrote down everything he discovered in notebooks. At his death there were more than 10,000 pages. Half were lost throughout history.

Another reason I like this book is because it included vast artwork. For example, when the book said that he built a model of the solar system it included an interesting picture. Another example is that when it said that Leonardo used to buy birds just to let them go and study their flight, it included a picture. Lastly, when it said that he dissected bodies it included a picture of him leaning over a body.

One other reason that I liked this book is because it told of many characters in Leonardo's life. For example, the book described the characteristics of his mother and father. Another example is that the people he worked with were described. Lastly, all of his friends were described.

The last and most important reason that I like this book is that it covers Leonardo's life very well. This book has his birth date, his death date, the dates of most of his achievements, his friends, his parents, and his many interesting facts. I liked this book because it contained many neat facts, it included artwork, it told of the many characters in his life, and this book sums up Leonardo da Vinci's life up very well.

C. Copeland ... Read more

Product Description
Leonardo da Vinci (1910) remains among the mostfascinating, though speculative, works ofFreud's entire output.A detailedreconstruction of Leonardo's emotional lifefrom his earliest years, it represents Freud'sfirst sustained venture into biography from apsychoanalytic perspective, and also his effortto trace one route that homosexual developmentcan take. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

A POSTHUMOUS "PSYCHOANALYSIS" OF LEONARDO
Freud wrote this short work in 1910, and it was one of the earliest attempts to apply the techniques of psycho-analysis to figures of the past.Here are some representative quotations from the book:

"Observation of men's daily lives shows us that most people succeed in directing very considerable portions of their sexual instinctual forces to their professional activity. The sexual instinct is particularly well fitted to make contributions of this kind since it is endowed with a capacity for sublimation."
"Under the influence of this threat of castration (the boy) now sees the notion he has gained of the female genitals in a new light; henceforth he will tremble for his masculinity, but at the same time he will despise the unhappy creatures on whom the cruel punishment has, as he supposes, already fallen."
"Biologically speaking, religiousness is to be traced to the small human child's long drawn-out helplessness and need of help; and when at a later date he perceives how truly forlorn and weak he is when confronted with the great forces of life, he feels his own condition as he did in childhood, and attempts to deny his own despondency by a regressive revival of the forces which protected his infancy."

A mistake or two, still great
There are a couple of mistakes in this book.Freud translate "nibbio" into vulture instead of kite.He also questions Leonardo's "active" homosexuality, but this was a "well known fact" in Florence.The discussion on repression and sublimation reveals, in my opinion, some limits of his theory as these terms are hard to define.However the discussion on the two paintings, the Monna Lisa and Sant'Anna and the Madonna with the child and on some of the roots of homosexuality is great, and Freud is a great writer.

he did better with Gradiva....
In this small book Freud takes a mistranslated childhood memory of Leonardo's--one in which a kite (Freud thought it a vulture) opens the baby's mouth with its tail feathers--and makes a case for a genius born out of wedlock left alone too much with his mother, and therefore prone to homosexuality.Lame.

As always, though, Freud at least arrives in the ballpark, even if he doesn't understand the game.Initial memories are often strangely prophetic, even when constructed out of fantasy; and so perhaps the fantastic kite--known for its interesting flight configurations--suckled the young Leonardo's latent inventive urges, or even symbolized their later expression.

Note:in this study first appears Freud's use of the term Eros, which he later makes such a fundamental part of his theory.

Sublimation, Eros and Vultures
Freud's attempt to apply the concepts and generalisations of psychoanalysis to the Universal Man, Leonardo da Vinci. The formulations reached in the book have now become "pop-Freudian" cliches: the subject was doted on by his mother, neglected by his father and therefore developed a homosexual streak. What occured exactly, according to Freud, was an inordinate Oedipal development in which the subject took his father's domination of the mother as a "de facto" domination (hence prohibition on the father's part) of *all* women and hence it triggered a shift from heterosexual to homosexual tendencies. Freud applies his doctrine of infantile sexuality to address other topics such as Leonardo's prodigious genius, his scientific pursuits and the fact that he left so many works unfinished. The study is speculative and tendentious and, which is more, it is marred by an egregious error in the translation of one of Leonardo's notebooks. Its major shortcoming is its rather reckless and overconfident attempt to reconstruct the psycholgy of a man dead for centuries. For zealous partisans of psychoanalysis only, or for those who have an academic interest in the subject.

If you're interested in Fine art and psychoanalysis? READ it
I'm a graduate student majoring art history.i'd read this essey at April at seminar on Freud i made.i wanna know the interpretation of art not by classical art historian but by psycho-analysis doctor. it's so curious andfantastic to meet this strange world.In that,Freud would explain ongenius of Leonardo Da Vinci. 'Passion on completeness made him (Leonardo)left his works unfinished. So to speak, if he is unsatisfied with his, heleft them unfinished.And He thoughtthe reason of Leonardo dispositiontoward homosexual was on his infant period accident.He was fed by Onlyhis mother without Father!to be Absentof Father.Andhis OedipusComplex not happen like normal case. He depenedon his mother withoutobstacle-his father.He identified himself with his mom.And when he grewup, he loved boys like him.He took the role of his mom which feed him!His Libido made his investigation on everythins stronger than normal !Sotospeak, His primal desire(il primo motore)is changed not as heterosexual desire but as investigation desire.Frequently, you'd think youmeet dogmatic explanation on Leonardo. It's no bad because there are not'ONLY' truth! ^^And why dont you check your condition out according toFreudian way? ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (31)

Too many branches away from the life and accomplishments of da Vinci
While this book pays tribute to the incredible talent of Leonardo da Vinci, the coverage moves into areas of science that have little connection to what da Vinci did. While da Vinci was very modern (for the times) in his model of the universe and that model was the intellectual forerunner of modern science, it is a flimsy connection between what he did and modern physics. Atalay draws a sequential connection between da Vinci, Galileo, Newton, Einstein and the developers of modern quantum mechanics.
The most important fact stated in the book is that most of da Vinci's notebooks have been lost, although there are references to them. This is both sad and exciting; sad in the case that they be permanently lost yet exciting because there is the possibility that additional notebooks may be found. Even though so much is missing, da Vinci still ranks as one of the greatest artists and greatest experimental and theoretical scientists of all time. One can only imagine the wondrous contents of what has been lost.
I consider Leonardo da Vinci to have been the most talented person of all time; he truly was the dictionary entry depicting the Renaissance man. That opinion tends to sour my view of this book because there are so many branches away from the life of da Vinci. To me, nothing could be more interesting than the description of his life and achievements.

Good story, lack of insight
First of all, I think this book presents a good effort to demonstrate the often overlooked relation between art and science. The author jam packed lots of materials to tell the story from both perspectives. It is overall entertaining. I feel however the author laid out many ideas, being fact or speculations. It lacks of insight to answer a very simple question: Why can we expect mathematical or scientific explanation to intuitive subjects such as art.
Man did not create golden ratio. It is physics. In the physical world it represents steady structure; In natural world it is the most efficient configuration. Human simply observe. It is nature tells us what is steady, what is safe, what is efficient, and therefore give our perspective of beauty. So there's no wonder how Leonardo da Vinci who observes the nature to its finest details can present us art work with divine beauty.
I'd like to add though, the later part of the book is actually more interesting than the first part. Although the contents do not contribute to this particular title and can be found in many other science history books.

Science explained... so that even I could understand it
I absolutely love this book. Dr. Atalay has a wonderful way to explain scientific concepts so that even I could understand them. I wish the book would be translated in German though. It is an easy read, even for not-so-fluid-readers-in-English like me, but I would love to be able to give this book as a present to my German speaking family and friends.

Title and content of book did not align
I couldn't wait to read this book because the title grabbed my attention thoroughly.But I think I misunderstood the title.I expected the book to be a look at how math was integrated into the Mona Lisa and DaVinci's other works.That is a small portion of the book.The first half was certainly about "math."But related to architecture of the ancient world and did not connect with DaVinci.(It was about the golden ratio and the golden rectangle and was much a review of content for me so I ended up skimming large portions of it.)The second half of the book was more of an integration of math and the Mona Lisa and was closer to what I was anticipating.I enjoyed that the author brought in samples and details from a variety of artists, but would have liked more mathematical analysis about DaVinci's art specifically.

Densely Packed with Interesting Information
The title of this book is a bit of a misnomer. The main focus of this work is a very comprehensive and interesting history of math and science from Aristarchus to Einstein. Granted, additional emphasis is placed on Leonardo da Vinci and the impact science has upon art, but a reader interested in an in depth treatment of either may be left disappointed. The authors view that Leonardo is a scientist first and artist second is quite intriguing. In the end though, the pace of this book was quite frantic and the author tries to cover too much material.

If you are interested in a more compact and readable history of science, I would recommend Mlodinow's "Euclid's Window".

If you are interested in learning more about Leonardo, no one does it better than his contemporary Giorgio Vasari in the classic "Lives of the Artists".

Finally, if you are interested in learning more about the wonders of the Golden Ratio, then Livio's "Golden Ratio" is the gold standard.
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