Leonardo da Vinci
In a few short pages, Sherwin Nuland skillfully outlines the life of Leonardo da Vinci, a man whose life is often referred to as elusive. Nuland utilizes primary records (e.g., tax roll information), Freud’s analysis of the artist, and a variety of other works by Leonardo scholars to piece together a picture of his life. The book is organized into the time periods of the great artist/scientist/mathematician’s life and highlights his political settings, his patrons, and his continuous string of unfinished works. Yet he also credits this passionate man’s successes. Nuland, a medical history and bioethics authority (Yale), does not overlook Leonardo’s other talents, including his engineering, military, and mathematical accomplishments, and paints him as a true Renaissance man! The author’s eloquent use of the English language thoroughly enhances this monograph.
