by Toby Lester
First published 2012
Award-winning author Toby Lester uncovers the forgotten intellectual journey that led to Leonardo da Vinci's most recognizable drawing. The Vitruvian Man appears everywhere today, from coffee cups to corporate logos to spacecraft, yet few understand the epic story behind its creation. Lester reveals how da Vinci used this modest sketch to attempt something extraordinary: measuring the harmonies of the universe and defining humanity's place within the cosmos. The book resurrects a lesser-known side of Leonardo, introducing readers to the colorful figures who influenced his work, including Brunelleschi of the famous Dome. Lester opens a window into the tumultuous period when medieval thinking gave way to Renaissance ideals, when art, science, and philosophy merged into a unified pursuit. Through vivid storytelling and original illustrations, he captures the brief but pivotal moment in Western thought when scholars believed a single human mind could comprehend the nature of everything. The result is an exploration of both an iconic image and the brilliant, restless mind that created it.
Genres: biography, history, non-fiction, art-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: historical-fiction
Setting: Western Thought
Period: Renaissance
277 pages · Hardcover · Free Press