Leonardo Da Vinci

Marwan Kahil shares a work of vivid pictorial complexity. The research is evident, and the details are wonderful. I appreciated this merging of graphic novel with historical biography. Well worth it in terms of reading and the affordances for the young adult classroom are wonderful, as well.

This is a good introduction to the life and talents of Leonardo Da Vinci- enough drama to hook the young adult reader and also enough factual information to clearly learn about the genius. The pace is brisk although the flash forwards to 1515 may need explanation to some learners. The imagery is soft and enables the story to flow. Some of the text/ dialogue is a little stilted/ clunky and doesn’t feel natural. However, the overall impact as a starter to learning about Leonardo is good and the references at the end will aid learners and new enthusiasts to delve deeper into the work of Da Vinci.

DaVinci has always been one of my favorite Renaissance artists and this graphic novel offered me many new insights on the life of DaVinci. I'm sure students will giggle and point at the nudity sprinkled with these pages, but I understand it fits the time period. Students should gain insight into his life and art, but I do wish the graphic novel would address his scientific studies a little more. I am thankful that the book included the additional readings at the end detailing more about the art and characters within the pages. This could be used as an additional resource for schools and readers should gain additional information about DaVinci after reading this title.

I’ve quickly discovered my favourite genre of graphic novels is Historical Non-Fiction. This form of literature is a useful and fun way to either reinforce what one may already know about a topic or to start learning about something completely new. I have read other books on da Vinci, so for me this is building on what I already know, it’s great revision.

Leonardo da Vinci by Ariel Vittori and Marwan Kahil is beautifully illustrated and depicts Leonardo’s interesting life in a very engaging fashion. I like the way the artist depicts some of his famous paintings (such as the Mona Lisa), they are done in a way that represent his work nicely – while not trying to exactly replicate it.

One example of how a book like this reinforces previous learning is, I completely forgot about his “Sforza Horse” in Milan, a bronze sculpture, created during his time living in that city – this little book reminded me what this piece was all about. I won’t forget it now.

His personal relationships and his interactions with other artists are described well. I particularly enjoyed the scenes between he and that other icon of the Renaissance, Michelangelo – antagonistic to say the least.

Da Vinci’s propensity to be easily distracted and not complete works comes through and his interest in ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING also shines. One can only imagine how brilliant he would be in today’s world where information is so easy to find. I reckon his impact would be even greater.

Some great quotes of his described in the book include:

"The noblest pleasure is the joy of understanding"

"Learning never exhausts the mind"

"While I thought that I was learning how to live, I have been learning how to die"

Wow…..that last quote is one to think about!!

This book goes the extra mile in providing plenty of additional material at the end (and a good Preface) to describe in further detail the characters involved in the life of da Vinci, his most famous works and many other interesting pieces of information.

In February of this year I had the pleasure of standing in Front of Leonardo’s famous painting ‘The Annunciation’ at the Uffizi Gallery in beautiful Florence. It was an emotional experience just knowing I was so physically close to him, I couldn’t have been happier. Understanding the man before I went, made it even more emotional. The wonderful thing about researching before travelling.

Even though I am hardly an objective appraiser of any material related to this great man, I still must give this charming piece of work as many stars as possible.

5 Stars

As a fan of Leonardo's work, I just had to read this and thank you for creating this comic. Lovely piece of art illustration with excellent content. Absolutely love it!

A very interesting and entertaining comic about what the life of an incomparable genius could be like.

"Learning never exhausts the mind".

I really liked it.
Leonardo Da Vinci is one of my favourite artists, so I had to read this.
Overall, I highly enjoyed it. I think this is a good idea to call the attention of young readers and it seems, to me, as a good teaching tool as well.

I absolutely recommend it.

Pub Date: 18 Aug 2020

Thanks to Papercutz / NBM Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I received an advanced copy of Leonardo Da Vinci: Renaissance of the World through Netgalley, so I could share my review with you!

Leonardo Da Vinci faced countless trials through his life as an artist, inventor, and a gay man. Pressures from the Church and his many peers often led to conflict in Da Vinci’s life. Political shifts forced constant adaptation in Da Vinci’s work, leading him in and out of favor with governmental powers. Only through his own innovation and excellence, Da Vinci came to be known as one of the great minds of history, in spite of the many factors trying to silence his voice.

You can get your copy of Leonardo Da Vinci: Renaissance of the World on August 18th from NBM Publishing!

Recently, I’ve been reading more graphic novel biographies, so I quite enjoyed learning more about the life of Leonardo Da Vinci! There were many references to his more famous work sprinkled throughout the story, hinting at his expansive legacy in the art world today. Marwan Kahil captured the essence of Da Vinci’s story in a relatively short book, which was very impressive! My favorite part of the book was easily Ariel Vittori’s illustrations, which brought life into this artist’s story.

My Recommendation-
If you enjoy learning about history, but wish it was in a more engaging format, you should definitely check out this book! This biography would be a good pick for anyone interested in learning more about the life and struggles of Da Vinci!