Leonardo da Vinci - spirits of invention

Leonardo da Vinci, a visionary and genius whose works have inspired – and repeatedly amazed and baffled – engineers, scientists and artists to this day, is the most prominent figure among the spirits of invention. The incredible wealth of his creations – sketches, illustrations and technical drawings – confronts experts with a conundrum. What influences from cultural history did Leonardo gather, redefine through his inventive spirit and dramatize with such confidence? How do these Renaissance impulses to survey and measure the world, to view it through the lens of technology and to clothe it in a garment of data impact our world today? This book offers soundly researched answers to these questions. In this trip through time to the age of antiquity, to the medieval nomadic cultures of Asia and to early modern times, Marc J. M. van den Broek confronts Leonardo da Vinci’s legacy with artifacts from China, Arabia and various Western cultures and discovers astonishing similarities. With numerous comparisons of drawings and serial illustrations, he allows readers to share in his discoveries step by step. Spirits of Invention is a kaleidoscopic work. Featuring more than 300 illustrations and lively narrative texts, it is both an intuitively comprehensible artist’s book and a multifaceted compendium of facts that guide the reader through Leonardo da Vinci’s universe. The author Marc J. M. van den Broek, Belgian painter and sculptor, studied both electrical engineering and art. This dual professional qualification, known in the United States as imagineering, has enhanced his appreciation for the artistic transformation of technical inventions and their constructive design. Marc J. M. van den Broek has been concerned with Leonardo and his work for over 35 years.