What You'll Learn:
Leonardo da Vinci is an intimate examination of one of history’s greatest minds. Walter Isaacson’s sincere, humanizing account provides fuller context to Leonardo’s life: his humble origins, his growth as an artist and engineer, and the stories behind his masterpieces. Isaacson goes on to argue that more than simply admiring Leonardo’s qualities, we should strive to learn and emulate them.
Key Insights:
- Leonardo was a bastard, but this ultimately worked in his favor.
- Many of Leonardo’s most notable techniques were inspired by his teacher—only Leonardo learned to do them better.
- Leonardo was a lover of animals, of men, and of boys.
- Leonardo’s notebooks reveal his genius and his quirks.
- Leonardo’s Vitruvian Man was inspired by an ancient Roman military leader.
- Mona Lisa represents the apex of Leonardo’s integration of artistic and scientific genius.
- Leonardo’s status as a genius is well-earned, but it shouldn’t obscure his mortality.
- Leonardo is not merely someone we should admire—he’s someone we can emulate.
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