Renaissance Man: The unstoppable curiosity and invention of the da Vinci genius Filling notebook after notebook with sketches, inventions, and theories, Leonardo Da Vinci (1452 1519)not only stands as one of the mostexceptional draftsmenof art history, but also as amastermind and innovatorwho anticipated some of the greatest discoveries of human progress, sometimes centuries before their material realisation.From the smallest arteries in the human heart to the far-flung constellations of the universe, Leonardo saw nature and science as being unequivocally connected. His points of enquiry and invention spannedphilosophy, anatomy, geology, and mathematics, from the laws of optics, gravitation, heat and light to the building of a flying machine.In his painting, Leonardo steered art out of the Middle Ages with works such asThe Last Supperand the world-famousLa GiocondaorMona Lisadepicting not only physical appearances, but acompelling psychological intrigue and depth which continues to draw crowds of mesmerized visitors to masterpieces in Paris, Milan, Washington, London, and Rome.This book collates some of Leonardo's most outstanding work to introduce a figure of infinite curiosity, feverish imagination and sublime artistic ability, often described as having not enough worlds for to conquer, and not enough lives for to live (Alan Woods). About the Series: Each book in TASCHEN s Basic Art series features: a detailed chronological summary of the life and oeuvre of the artist, covering his or her cultural and historical importance a concise biography approximately 100 illustrations with explanatory captions "