Leonardo Da Vinci

Walter Isaacson’s 2017 book Leonardo Da Vinci takes a new look at Da Vinci’s life based on thousands of pages of his notebooks and new discoveries about his work. Isaacson presents a narrative that unites Da Vinci’s art with his science. The author also suggests that Da Vinci’s genius was based on skills that we ourselves can improve, including intense curiosity, cautious observation, and imagination. Taken together, Da Vinci’s diverse passions are a dynamic combination for creativity. Ultimately, Isaacson’s portrayal of Da Vinci reminds us of the significance of attaining knowledge while asking us to maintain a willingness to question it.

The book opens with an introduction to Da Vinci and an overview of the significance of his work. It then focuses on Da Vinci’s childhood. Born out of wedlock, he was free to discontinue the family legacy of being a notary. Instead, he became an apprentice to Florentine painter Verrocchio, whose studio may have significantly influenced Da Vinci’s early painting style through both solo and collaborative projects. He eventually established a reputation as a painter in Florence, but several of his works remained unfinished. Upon turning thirty, Da Vinci left for Milan, seeking new patronage.

Much of Da Vinci’s initial work in Milan was as a court entertainer, and Isaacson contends that several of his early inventions were meant for theatrical use. Soon, Da Vinci formed a relationship with Salai, a young man who was both a student and a companion. Isaacson suggests it is likely that Da Vinci’s relationship with Salai was also romantic or sexual in nature.



Da Vinci collaborated with other great minds in Milan, and furthered his interest in proportion and geometry, resulting in his rendition of the Vitruvian Man. He worked on several different projects for the duke, including portraits of the Duke’s mistresses and a large horse sculpture, but he also pursued his own interests through the experimentation and observation for which he is known. Among other things, Da Vinci designed and developed machinery, studied the flight of birds and human anatomy, and worked on geometric problems. These varied interests established a strong connection between the sciences and the arts in his work and life. During this period in Milan, he produced The Last Supper, arguably the most significant work of his time there. Isaacson considers the painting to be both a demonstration of and metaphor for the man’s genius.

He was forced to return to Florence in 1500 due to personal and professional problems, as well as the political contention between France and Milan. Approaching fifty, Da Vinci came to embrace his distinguishing characteristics, rejecting the pleas of wealthy patrons as painting their portraits held no appeal for him. Instead, he worked on several other projects, including the Mona Lisa. He also continued his study of anatomy and mathematics. Da Vinci was eventually also able to pursue his interests in military engineering due to the patronage of Cesare Borgia, a merciless military leader who had conquered various parts of a nearby country.

Da Vinci returned to Florence in 1503 to paint a battle scene on the wall of the Council Hall. Michelangelo, an up-and-coming artist at the time, was also commissioned to paint a scene on another wall. Neither man finished the project, and Da Vinci returned to Milan in 1506. One year later, he adopted Francesco Melzi as a student and son.



Da Vinci focused intensely on anatomical studies and performing dissections from 1508 to 1513. Isaacson reveals that several of the discoveries Da Vinci made would later prove accurate, but because he did not publish any of his work, it had to be rediscovered by scientists. His dissections would also influence the depiction of the subjects in his paintings. Isaacson draws a connection between his analysis of mouth and lip muscles with his portrayal of the Mona Lisa’s famous smile.

While studying the human body, Da Vinci also became interested in the earth. He began to compare veins and blood to tributaries and rivers. This resulted in research into water cycles, geology, and astronomy, among other things. Da Vinci moved to Rome in 1513 to take advantage of the patronage of Pope Leo X. Through this connection, Da Vinci would eventually meet the king of France, Francis I, his final patron.

Toward the conclusion of the book, the author focuses on some of Da Vinci’s later paintings, all of which feature a pointing gesture. He then takes an in-depth look at the Mona Lisa as the primary example of the culmination of his lifetime of research and work in multiple disciplines. Returning to Da Vinci’s own personal notes and the research of early biographers, Isaacson ponders what his final days may have looked like. The author ends the book by summarizing Da Vinci’s most admirable qualities and life themes. He encourages us to study his genius and to attempt to emulate these qualities in our own way.