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Leonardo da Vinci
In his youth, Leonardo da Vinci wrote confidently, "I wish to work miracles." By the time of his death in 1519, when he was sixty-seven and famed throughout Europe, it seemed that he had accomplished wonders aplenty as an artist, engineer, inventor, and scientist. Here, from author Jay Williams, is the moving story of the man behind the Renaissance myth.
154 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 19, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
April 25, 2019
'He was the son of Piero, a notary from the village of Vinci, near Florence, from which the family took its name. There Piero lived with his father, Antonio, also a notary.
Leonardo’s mother was a peasant girl named Caterina. Piero was twenty-five when she gave birth to their son and may have proposed marriage. But Antonio had a more suitable match in mind for his reckless son. The same year, he arranged for Piero to marry Albiera di Giovanni Amadori. She was only sixteen. Then , Antonio compelled another man, Accattabriga del Vacca, to take Catarina as wife. The illegitimate Leonardo spent his early childhood with his mother, in the Tuscan hamlet of Anchiano. Then, at age of five, he was baptized in the small Vinci church of Santa crice. He was to be raised by Piero and Albiera.'
...
'Verrocchio received a variety of commissions, so Leonardo was given the opportunity to try his hand in nearly all branches of his calling. His master was not only an artist but a skillful engineer with an interest in science, geometry, geology, and astronomy. Verrocchio passed on his knowledge and interest in these fields to his apprentice. Leonardo, always quick and eager to learn, took in everything....
Another occupation, this one rather more maudlin, fascinated Leonardo and Lorenzo during this time. For Verrocchio’s studio, the making of plaster death masks had become quite lucrative. Using a plaster that became as malleable as clay when wet and rock-solid as it dried, Verrocchio made molds of the faces of the dead. Their mourning loved ones lined up out the door of his studio for the momentos. Leonardo and Lorenzo often helped to fill these orders...
Leonardo’s reputation in Florence was not entirely due to his skill as a painter; he was also known as a musician. He studied the tones and acoustical properties of string instruments, some of his own design. He also had a beautiful voice and was known for making up rhyming songs on the spur of the moment.
’Music may be called the sister of painting’, Leonardo wrote,’ for she is dependent on hearing, the sense which comes second...painting excels and ranks higher than music, because it does not fade away as soon as it is born...’ ..'
Leonardo’s mother was a peasant girl named Caterina. Piero was twenty-five when she gave birth to their son and may have proposed marriage. But Antonio had a more suitable match in mind for his reckless son. The same year, he arranged for Piero to marry Albiera di Giovanni Amadori. She was only sixteen. Then , Antonio compelled another man, Accattabriga del Vacca, to take Catarina as wife. The illegitimate Leonardo spent his early childhood with his mother, in the Tuscan hamlet of Anchiano. Then, at age of five, he was baptized in the small Vinci church of Santa crice. He was to be raised by Piero and Albiera.'
...
'Verrocchio received a variety of commissions, so Leonardo was given the opportunity to try his hand in nearly all branches of his calling. His master was not only an artist but a skillful engineer with an interest in science, geometry, geology, and astronomy. Verrocchio passed on his knowledge and interest in these fields to his apprentice. Leonardo, always quick and eager to learn, took in everything....
Another occupation, this one rather more maudlin, fascinated Leonardo and Lorenzo during this time. For Verrocchio’s studio, the making of plaster death masks had become quite lucrative. Using a plaster that became as malleable as clay when wet and rock-solid as it dried, Verrocchio made molds of the faces of the dead. Their mourning loved ones lined up out the door of his studio for the momentos. Leonardo and Lorenzo often helped to fill these orders...
Leonardo’s reputation in Florence was not entirely due to his skill as a painter; he was also known as a musician. He studied the tones and acoustical properties of string instruments, some of his own design. He also had a beautiful voice and was known for making up rhyming songs on the spur of the moment.
’Music may be called the sister of painting’, Leonardo wrote,’ for she is dependent on hearing, the sense which comes second...painting excels and ranks higher than music, because it does not fade away as soon as it is born...’ ..'
February 18, 2018
Very Short Introduction เรื่องราวชีวิตขลุกขลักของลีโอนาโด ดาวินชี เขียนสั้นกระชับดี บอกเล่ารายละเอียดพอกำลังอ่านสนุก ชวนให้ไปหาประวัติเล่มใหญ่ของดาวินชีมาอ่านต่อ
November 20, 2017
Williams story of one of the most creative minds of the renaissance era is both enlightening and
entertaining. When you realize how many times Leonardo started a project only to fail to complete it, you get an idea of a mind that couldn't be contained. It tried to encompass so many disciplines, so many creative arts. He must have been frustrated that life is too short to do as much as he set out to do. Williams makes clear the genius that was Leonardo and at the same time, reveals the humanity of the man. A wonderful read.
entertaining. When you realize how many times Leonardo started a project only to fail to complete it, you get an idea of a mind that couldn't be contained. It tried to encompass so many disciplines, so many creative arts. He must have been frustrated that life is too short to do as much as he set out to do. Williams makes clear the genius that was Leonardo and at the same time, reveals the humanity of the man. A wonderful read.
January 2, 2021
Yet another book I can’t remember having ordered, but there it was, so I read it. While I was at it, I re-read the Da Vinci chapter in Vasari’s Lives of the Artists.
Leonardo was an undoubted genius, but not without his issues. I was thinking ADHD or some form of bipolar disorder (though there are elements of obsessive compulsion), so I Googled “Da Vinci mental illness” and it seems this is a common observation, e.g.: https://is.gd/98sRbS.
He had scores of ideas for every one project he actually started, and he walked away from many (most?) of the projects he began, leaving few complete works and a large unorganized mass of notebooks and sketches. For instance, he was given a commission in Milan for an equestrian statue. He spent months filling a book with obsessive documentation of horse anatomy, making detailed drawings and measurements of the precise angles of flexion and extension of horse’s joints in action, and so on. He made wax and clay models, which were widely admired, then gave up and went back to Florence to start an altarpiece which was also never finished. He said on his deathbed, “he had offended God and mankind by not working on his art as he should have done.”
Still, he was hugely admired in his day and ours, and this wildly creative artist, engineer, inventor, scientist, and true Renaissance Man will always be famed for the works he did leave us, and for the interesting story of his life. As Bernard Berenson (1896) said in The Italian Painters of the Renaissance, “No, let us not join in the reproaches made to Leonardo for having painted so little; because he had much more to do than paint, he has left us heirs to one or two of the supremest works of art ever created.”
Leonardo was an undoubted genius, but not without his issues. I was thinking ADHD or some form of bipolar disorder (though there are elements of obsessive compulsion), so I Googled “Da Vinci mental illness” and it seems this is a common observation, e.g.: https://is.gd/98sRbS.
He had scores of ideas for every one project he actually started, and he walked away from many (most?) of the projects he began, leaving few complete works and a large unorganized mass of notebooks and sketches. For instance, he was given a commission in Milan for an equestrian statue. He spent months filling a book with obsessive documentation of horse anatomy, making detailed drawings and measurements of the precise angles of flexion and extension of horse’s joints in action, and so on. He made wax and clay models, which were widely admired, then gave up and went back to Florence to start an altarpiece which was also never finished. He said on his deathbed, “he had offended God and mankind by not working on his art as he should have done.”
Still, he was hugely admired in his day and ours, and this wildly creative artist, engineer, inventor, scientist, and true Renaissance Man will always be famed for the works he did leave us, and for the interesting story of his life. As Bernard Berenson (1896) said in The Italian Painters of the Renaissance, “No, let us not join in the reproaches made to Leonardo for having painted so little; because he had much more to do than paint, he has left us heirs to one or two of the supremest works of art ever created.”
February 11, 2018
Reasonably informative
This book was interesting only because of the extremely interesting topic it covered. Unfortunately the presentation of an amazing life was done in a very blah way. It was still amazing to think about all that Leonardo Da Vinci was connected too. Enjoyed it ok.
This book was interesting only because of the extremely interesting topic it covered. Unfortunately the presentation of an amazing life was done in a very blah way. It was still amazing to think about all that Leonardo Da Vinci was connected too. Enjoyed it ok.
January 17, 2018
Good portrayal
A concise life sketch of a great character of history. Most of the stories that I knew about the great man has been narrated except the bitter rivalry between Michelangelo and Leonardo during his stay at Florence when David was being sculpted
A concise life sketch of a great character of history. Most of the stories that I knew about the great man has been narrated except the bitter rivalry between Michelangelo and Leonardo during his stay at Florence when David was being sculpted
September 18, 2018
Great read, well written
The story of Leonardo is well researched, well written and a fascinating tale of a great man and his accomplishments over his lifetime. I highly recommend it.
The story of Leonardo is well researched, well written and a fascinating tale of a great man and his accomplishments over his lifetime. I highly recommend it.
July 14, 2017
The book provides a good overview of the life and talents of Da Vinci, but is really just too short to be able to get into any great depth on his character and works.
November 25, 2017
Quick and Easy
A simple read that allows for a supple imagination of the people and places that encapsulated this prodigious time of human feat.
A simple read that allows for a supple imagination of the people and places that encapsulated this prodigious time of human feat.
January 8, 2018
Nicely written. Comprehensive annotations were though missing.
January 24, 2018
This is a simple, short, quick view about this amazing man. It touch's upon all his paintings, inventions.m, and ideas. If you want just a outline of L.D. buys this book.
February 4, 2018
Good read
Great quick overview of a brilliant talent. Not overly wordy wish there were pictures of his works it would have helped.
Great quick overview of a brilliant talent. Not overly wordy wish there were pictures of his works it would have helped.
May 20, 2018
Fantastic read!
What an amazing man! This was such good book. It is full of interesting tidbits and has a great flow. I recommend it.
What an amazing man! This was such good book. It is full of interesting tidbits and has a great flow. I recommend it.
June 10, 2022
Leonardo
Interesting, but too brief. Lots of interesting details make Leonardo come to life. I would have liked more context on the world of the renaissance.
Interesting, but too brief. Lots of interesting details make Leonardo come to life. I would have liked more context on the world of the renaissance.
July 24, 2022
A very food read and covered Leonardo's life the good and no-so-good parts.
Leonardo was certainly a giant among his peers particular;y with some of his ideas being used today.
Leonardo was certainly a giant among his peers particular;y with some of his ideas being used today.
December 30, 2016
A wonderfully, comprehensive, researched book into the fascinating life of an incredibly, brilliantly creative man. Williams reaches in the heart and soul of da Vinci in the manner every non-fiction and biographical/autobiographical author should to keep the main charactar authentic. He did a good job.
December 13, 2017
This was a short book about an amazing subject. He was the master of so many things. He was primarily an engineer but also studied anatomy and of course he was an artist. I t was a little too short for me so that the subject was not thoroughly covered but who wouldn't like something like this? Interesting to me that he did not get along with Michaelangelo.
August 15, 2015
Unbiased biography
This biography skimmed over most of Leonardo da Vinci's life and was less controversial than most biographies. A bibliography would've been nice to follow up on further investigation.
This biography skimmed over most of Leonardo da Vinci's life and was less controversial than most biographies. A bibliography would've been nice to follow up on further investigation.
March 26, 2016
This is a basic biography while chronicles the major highlights of LDV's life. Very little is known about his personality, leisure, or other personal habits but this is a good start. The gallery at the end of the book was useful.
April 5, 2016
A History of a Great Man and Mind.
Interestingly written information of a great man, that not only succeed as a great painter. But as a scientific mind ahead of his times. Enjoyed reading this testament of a life's work.
Interestingly written information of a great man, that not only succeed as a great painter. But as a scientific mind ahead of his times. Enjoyed reading this testament of a life's work.
July 26, 2014
Very basic information about his life and achievements. It left me dissatisfied and wanting so much more!
Read
December 16, 2014Short,simple,informative biography of Leonardo Da Vinca, the talented handsome Renaissance artist, scientist ,who also according to the author was a musician and storyteller.
May 18, 2015
Good reading about a man who, in many cases, was ahead of his time.
February 11, 2016
While interesting material, the writing style was that of a senior high school term paper.
July 26, 2016
Brief and very readable. Good introduction for Leonardo beginners.
Read
February 15, 2018What a Great mind is composed of, is not what you expect, but is more exciting than expected!
Fascinating!!
Fascinating!!
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews