François Quiviger

Bernard Palissy and the Arts of the Earth, by François Quiviger, delves into the life of Bernard Palissy, a French Renaissance artisan philosopher who challenged conventional views. Palissy perceived intelligence and consciousness across all forms of life—soils, plants, animals—boldly rejecting human superiority long before the advent of modern environmentalism. Palissy was renowned for his craftsmanship in creating ceramic ware, fountains,...

Published to coincide with the 500th anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci's death, this incisive and illuminating biography follows the three themes that shaped the life of Leonardo and forever changed Western art and imagination: nature, art and self-fashioning. Leonardo spent his childhood in the Tuscan countryside among farm workers before entering the most reputed artistic workshop of Florence. There he...