Da Vinci's Ghost: Genius, Obsession, and How Leonardo Created the World in His Own Image
Almost everyone is familiar with the Vitruvian Man, an image created by Renaissance painter and inventor Leonardo da Vinci depicting a disrobed four-armed, four-legged man framed in a circle and square staring stolidly out at the viewer. The drawing, created by Da Vinci in 1487, has appeared on everything from coffee mugs to spacecraft and is often used by alternative-medicine purveyors as a symbol of homeopathic wellness. Few people may know, however, what motivated the artist to draft the illustration or what a rich history lies behind its creation. Lester, whose previous acclaimed book, The Fourth Part of the World (2009), told the riveting true story of the map that gave America its name, here provides an equally compelling survey of the social and artistic influences leading to Vitruvian Man’s creation. Along the way, Lester dissects the popular Renaissance notion that man’s God-given, perfect proportions justified using him as a template for architecture and paints a rare, vivid portrait of a younger, enthusiastic Leonardo, who promoted this idea. Highly recommended. --Carl Hays