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Leonardo da Vinci

Self, Art and Nature
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( 16 ratings, 1 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Published for the 500th anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci's death, this biography explores three key themes that shaped his life: nature, art and self-fashioning. From his childhood in the Tuscan countryside to his rise as a leading painter in Florence, Leonardo evolved into an ideal court artist and polymath. The book follows his life chronologically, examining his roles as artist, courtier and thinker, and how these influenced his work across painting, sculpture, architecture, engineering, anatomy and more. It closes with reflections on Leonardo's enduring relevance as a multidisciplinary innovator who united imagination and science.
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Format: Hardback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book is ideal for readers interested in Renaissance art, history of science, and multidisciplinary creativity. It will appeal to those seeking an accessible yet scholarly biography of Leonardo da Vinci that illuminates both his art and intellectual pursuits.

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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.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

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 bloomed as one of the leading painters of his time, and began applying his skills to explore and question the world. By the 1480s, he had transformed himself into an ideal court artist and was a familiar of kings; by the 1510s, he left behind him the solemn image of a magus philosopher.

Following the chronology of his life, Leonardo da Vinci: Self, Art and Nature examines Leonardo as artist, courtier and thinker, and explores how these aspects found expression in his paintings, as well as his work in sculpture, architecture, theatre design, urban planning, engineering, anatomy, geology and cartography. It concludes with observations on Leonardo's relevance today as a multidisciplinary artist, one who combined imagination and science to shape his own self and the world.

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Well-Read Naturalist describes this as a book well worth the attention of history of science enthusiasts. Renaissance Quarterly praises it as a compact and pleasurable overview that reveals Leonardo as a skilled courtier and an intellectually curious individual embedded in his social milieu. The narrative is noted for deftly integrating analysis of his artistic works with the broad range of his scientific and humanist interests, making for a highly readable and insightful account.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781789140705

Publisher: Reaktion Books

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 10 June 2019

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Reaktion Books

Illustration: 70 illustrations, 60 in colour

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 138.0mm

Height: 216.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 224

About the Author

François Quiviger is a fellow of the Warburg Institute, University of London, where he previously worked as a librarian, curator of digital resources, researcher and teacher. He has written on Renaissance art theories, academies, wine, banquets and sensations.

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