Table Of ContentIntroduction.Part I: The Mind of the Renaissance.Chapter 1: Leonardo: The Big Picture.Chapter 2: Living in Renaissance Italy.Chapter 3: Uncovering the Life and Mind of a Genius.Chapter 4: Influencing Leonardo.Part II: Building on What Others Knew: Leonardo's Scientific Mind.Chapter 5: The Art of the Human Body.Chapter 6: An Inquiring Mind: Leonardo and the Natural World.Part III: Reinventing the Wheel: New Machines for a New World.Chapter 7: Machines for Home and Work.Chapter 8: Leo the Defense Contractor: His Water Works and War Machines.Chapter 9: Leonardo's Flying Machines.Part IV: The Divinity of the Painter and Architect.Chapter 10: The Master of His (Artistic) Domain: Transforming Renaissance Art.Chapter 11: Mona Lisa's Smile and Other Mysterious Mugs: Leonardo's Portraits.Chapter 12: Town and Country: Leo's Landscapes, Maps, and City Designs.Part V: Leonardo, His Religious Artwork, and The Da Vinci Code.Chapter 13: Getting Religion: Leonardo's Religious Beliefs and Paintings.Chapter 14: Leonardo's (Faux) Fresco: The Last Supper.Chapter 15: Breaking The Da Vinci Code.Part VI: The Part of Tens.Chapter 16: Leonardo's Ten (Or So) Manuscripts.Chapter 17: Leonardo's Top Ten Masterpieces.Chapter 18: Ten Plus Places to Find Leonardo's Original Works.Chapter 19: Ten Fun Facts about Leo.Appendix A: A Brief Chronology of Leonardo's Life and Times.Appendix B: Outside Reading (And More) for the Overachievers.Index.
SynopsisThe fun and easy way to understand his work, his methods, and his mind Thanks to the phenomenal success of the bestselling The Da Vinci Code, interest in this famed Renaissance artist has never been higher. This friendly guide provides an easy-to-follow introduction to da Vinci's life and works, including the story behind celebrated paintings such as the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, the lowdown on his inventions, which include the helicopter and bicycle, and plain-English explanations of his groundbreaking scientific work in anatomy, zoology, botany, geology, optics, aerodynamics, and hydrodynamics. The book also discusses his famed notebooks, his relationship to the Catholic Church, and the factual basis of The Da Vinci Code. Jessica Teisch, PhD (Berkeley, CA) is Managing Editor of Bookmarks magazine and has written hundreds of profiles and book reviews for this award-winning publication. She has also written books and articles on subjects ranging from literature to technological, environmental, intellectual, and cultural history., Explore Leonardo's life, art, inventions, discoveries, and thought Get the truth about Leonardo da Vinci andseparate fact from fiction Leonardo da Vinci not only created the world's most famous painting, the Mona Lisa, but was also a pioneering scientist, inventor, and engineer whose contributions continue to impact everyday life. Of late, his reputation as a religious thinker has also grown. But just who was this quintessential Renaissance man? Da Vinci For Dummies delivers the straight scoop -- from his secret journals and inventions to his detailed research on human anatomy. Discover Leonardo's contributions and modern day influence Breakthrough scientific discoveries and inventions The real story of the Mona Lisa The religious symbolism in The Last Supper The facts, fiction, codes, conspiracies, & more!, The fun and easy way to understand his work, his methods, and his mind Thanks to the phenomenal success of the bestselling The Da Vinci Code, interest in this famed Renaissance artist has never been higher.