Becoming Leonardo : an exploded view of the life of Leonardo da Vinci

Why did Leonardo Da Vinci leave so many of his major works uncompleted? Why did this resolute pacifist build war machines for the notorious Borgias? Why did he carry the Mona Lisa with him everywhere he went for decades, yet never quite finish it? Why did he write backwards, and was he really at war with Michelangelo? And was he gay? In a book unlike anything ever written about the Renaissance genius, Mike Lankford explodes every cliché about Da Vinci and then reconstructs him based on a rich trove of available evidence—bringing to life for the modern reader the man who has been studied by scholars for centuries, yet has remained as mysterious as ever. Seeking to envision Da Vinci without the obscuring residue of historical varnish, the sights, sounds, smells, and feel of Renaissance Italy—usually missing in other biographies—are all here, transporting readers back to a world of war and plague and court intrigue, of viciously competitive famous artists, of murderous tyrants with exquisite tastes in art .... Lankford brilliantly captures Da Vinci's life as the compelling and dangerous adventure it seems to have actually been—fleeing from one sanctuary to the next, somehow surviving in war zones beside his friend Machiavelli, struggling to make art his way or no way at all ... and often paying dearly for those decisions. It is a thrilling and absorbing journey into the life of a ferociously dedicated loner, whose artwork in one way or another represents his noble rebellion, providing inspiration that is timeless. While Leonardo Da Vinci Is One Of The Most Discussed Artists Of All Time, It's Shocking How Little Is Actually Known About Him -- At Least, According To Most Of His Biographies. Why Did He Leave So Many Projects Uncompleted? Why Did A Seeming Peace-lover Volunteer To Create War Machines For The Borgias? Why Did He Always Take The Mona Lisa With Him, Whereever He Went? Didn't He Have Any Friends? Was He Really At War With Michaelangelo? Was He Gay? And Why Did He Flee To France Seemingly, To Die? In Fact Much Is Known About Leonardo, But Modern Scholars And Biographers Have Routinely Avoided Making Assumptions Based On That Evidence, Either Out Of Academic Caution Or The Impulse To Be P.c. And Yet Evidence Abounds For Thoughtful Speculation. Enter Passionate Da Vinci Fan Mike Lankford, Who Has Written The First Biography Openly And Thoroughly Discussing That Available Evidence And What It Might Indicate -- Often In Rather Strong Terms. What's More, Lankford Presents Davinci's Life As The Exciting Narrative It Seems To Have Actually Been -- Fleeing From One Sanctuary To The Next, Somehow Surviving His Time In War Zones Beside His Freind Machiavelli, Struggling To Make Art His Way Or No Way At All ... And Often Paying Dearly For Those Decisions. It Is, In The End, A Thrilling And Fascinating Journey Into The Life Of A Ferociously Dedicated Loner, Whose Artwork In One Way Or Another Represents His Noble Rebellion, Providing Inspiration That Is, Quite Apparently, Timeless.--publisher's Description. King Death -- Everything's Big At First -- Hot To Trot -- Jailbird -- Strange Fruit Hanging From The Balcony Rail -- From The Edge To The Center -- The Musician From Florence -- Ingenio -- Horsing Around -- The Middle Is Off Center -- A Question Too Far -- Shadow Boxing The Self -- Leonardo, Exploded View -- Academia Leonardi Vinci -- Chaos On The Hoof -- Machiavelli Enters The Mix -- Here Be Dragons -- Florence Redux -- Fighting The Battle -- Jumping Off The Cliff -- I'm Outta Here! -- You Again? -- Milan Ii -- Rome -- Playing Kickball At Cloux -- Autopsy. Mike Lankford. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 271-279) And Index. A Wall Street Journal Book of the Year A Spectator Book of the Year “A truly intimate portrait of one of the greatest creators in human history,” this biography of Leonardo Da Vinci “has the pace, elegance, and authorial omnipresence of a novel,” bringing both artist and Renaissance Italy to life (Noah Charney, author of The Art of Forgery) Why did Leonardo Da Vinci leave so many of his major works uncompleted? Why did this resolute pacifist build war machines for the notorious Borgias? Why did he carry the Mona Lisa with him everywhere he went for decades, yet never quite finish it? Why did he write backwards, and was he really at war with Michelangelo? And was he gay? In a book unlike anything ever written about the Renaissance genius, Mike Lankford explodes every cliché about Da Vinci and then reconstructs him based on a rich trove of available evidence—bringing to life for the modern reader the man who has been studied by scholars for centuries—yet has remained as mysterious as ever. Seeking to envision Da Vinci without the obscuring residue of historical varnish, the sights, sounds, smells, and feel of Renaissance Italy—usually missing in other biographies—are all here, transporting readers back to a world of war and plague and court intrigue, of viciously competitive famous artists, of murderous tyrants with exquisite tastes in art . . . Lankford brilliantly captures Da Vinci’s life as the compelling and dangerous adventure it seems to have actually been—fleeing from one sanctuary to the next, somehow surviving in war zones beside his friend Machiavelli, struggling to make art his way or no way at all . . . and often paying dearly for those decisions. It is a thrilling and absorbing journey into the life of a ferociously dedicated loner, whose artwork in one way or another represents his noble rebellion, providing inspiration that is timeless. "I foundMr. Lankfordswriting thought-provoking and Mr. Isaacsons thought-stifling. Mr.Lankford proposes a great many insights...With immediacy and grace, Becoming Leonardo starts on a high note and gets better to the very end. " WALL STREET JOURNAL A Wall Street Journal 2017 Book of the Year A Spectator 2017 Book of the Year Why did Leonardo Da Vinci leave so many of his major works uncompleted? Why did this resolute pacifist build war machines for the notorious Borgias? Why did he carry the Mona Lisa with him everywhere he went for decades, yet never quite finish it? Why did he write backwards, and was he really at war with Michelangelo? And was he gay? In a book unlike anything ever written about the Renaissance genius, Mike Lankford explodes every clich about Da Vinci and then reconstructs him based on a rich trove of available evidencebringing to life for the modern reader the man who has been studied by scholars for centuries, yet has remained as mysterious as ever. Seeking to envision Da Vinci without the obscuring residue of historical varnish, the sights, sounds, smells, and feel of Renaissance Italyusually missing in other biographiesare all here, transporting readers back to a world of war and plague and court intrigue, of viciously competitive famous artists, of murderous tyrants with exquisite tastes in art . Lankford brilliantly captures Da Vinci's life as the compelling and dangerous adventure it seems to have actually beenfleeing from one sanctuary to the next, somehow surviving in war zones beside his friend Machiavelli, struggling to make art his way or no way at all ... and often paying dearly for those decisions. It is a thrilling and absorbing journey into the life of a ferociously dedicated loner, whose artwork in one way or another represents his noble rebellion, providing inspiration that is timeless.