Leonardo da Vinci (Hardback) - Rosalind Ormiston

Famed for the Mona Lisa , The Last Supper, and his astonishing drawings, da Vinci excelled in a multitude of arenas. The patronage of the Medici family was key, and this sumptuous new book offers a view of the artist in this context, alongside the work of others who benefited from the Medici, from Brunelleschi to Michelangelo.

"For lovers of art history, this lavishly illustrated and well-written book is an absolute gem." - Italia! Magazine

Leonardo da Vinci was the epitome of the Renaissance humanist ideal, a logical polymath of epic proportions who excelled and had interests not just in art but in invention, anatomy, architecture, engineering, literature, mathematics, music, science, astronomy and more. His oeuvre is astounding and he is rightly famed for his masterpieces of painting such as the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, and his astonishingly technical and graceful drawings. The phenomenon that was Leonardo would not of course have flourished to such an extent had it not been for the patronage and sponsorship of the Medici family, who commissioned a large proportion of the art and architecture of the era and fostered a fertile climate for creativity. This sumptuous new book offers a broader view of this master artist in the context of this environment, alongside the work of other key artists who benefited from the Medicis, from Brunelleschi through Donatello to Michelangelo and Raphael.

About the Author

Rosalind Ormiston (author) is a researcher, lecturer and author in art, architecture and design history. She lectured in art and architectural history at Kingston University, London, from 2002-13. Her publications include Vermeer & The Dutch Masters, Origins of Modern Art, William Morris: Masterpieces of Art, Art Deco: The Golden Age of Graphic Art and Illustration, Van Gogh: A Life in Letters & Art, J.M.W. Turner: Masterpieces of Art, Edward Hopper: Masterpieces of Art and Alphonse Mucha: Masterworks.
Constance J. Moffatt (foreword) received her PhD from UCLA in Art History, studying with the preeminent Leonardo da Vinci scholar, the late Carlo Pedretti. She taught art history for almost 30 years, recently retiring from Pierce College in Los Angeles. She has lectured widely and published in her fields of interest: Milanese history, architectural history, the Sforza family, and Leonardo. She is currently the Editor-in-Chief, along with Sara Taglialagamba, of the Brill book series, Leonardo Studies.