Famed for the Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, and his astonishing drawings, da Vinci excelled in a multitude of arenas. The patronage of the Medici family was key, and this sumptuous new book offers a view of the artist in this context, alongside the work of others who benefited from the Medici, from Brunelleschi to Michelangelo.
Leonardo da Vinci was the epitome of the Renaissance humanist ideal, a logical polymath of epic proportions who excelled and had interests not just in art but in invention, anatomy, architecture, engineering, literature, mathematics, music, science, astronomy and more. His oeuvre is astounding and he is rightly famed for his masterpieces of painting such as the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, and his astonishingly technical and graceful drawings. The phenomenon that was Leonardo would not of course have flourished to such an extent had it not been for the patronage and sponsorship of the Medici family, who commissioned a large proportion of the art and architecture of the era and fostered a fertile climate for creativity. This sumptuous new book offers a broader view of this master artist in the context of this environment, alongside the work of other key artists who benefited from the Medicis, from Brunelleschi through Donatello to Michelangelo and Raphael. AUTHOR: Rosalind Ormiston is a researcher, lecturer and author in art, architecture and design history. SELLING POINTS: . 2019 marks the 500th Anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci’s death. . Authoritative art book as well as coffee-table gem. . Ideal for fans of powerful, evocative art. . A thoughtful examination of context and influences. . Gorgeous full-page reproductions of famous works. . New title in our bestselling Masterworks series 150 illustrations