History

Leonardo da Vinci

A 15th century polymath of soaring imagination and profound intellect, Leonardo da Vinci created some of the most revered works of art of all time, but his artistic endeavors often seemed peripheral to his pursuits in science and engineering. Through his paintings and thousands of pages of drawings and writings, Leonardo da Vinci explores one of humankind’s most curious and innovative minds.

Part Two: Painter-God

1h 46m

Leonardo works as a military engineer, designs fanciful flying machines, studies light and shadow, investigates gravity, dissects cadavers, and pens treatises on a vast array of subjects, all while seeking the perfect patron. In Florence, Milan, Rome and finally France, he pours the sum of his scientific and artistic knowledge into a portrait that would become the most famous painting on earth.

Episodes

  • Part Two: Painter-God: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Part Two: Painter-God

    S1 E2 - 1h 46m

    Leonardo works as a military engineer, designs fanciful flying machines, studies light and shadow, investigates gravity, dissects cadavers, and pens treatises on a vast array of subjects, all while seeking the perfect patron. In Florence, Milan, Rome and finally France, he pours the sum of his scientific and artistic knowledge into a portrait that would become the most famous painting on earth.

  • Part One: The Disciple of Experience: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Part One: The Disciple of Experience

    S1 E1 - 1h 56m

    Leonardo da Vinci grows up in a Tuscan village surrounded by nature, then moves to Florence, where the Renaissance is in full bloom, to apprentice as an artist and craftsman. He shows extraordinary talent but at times struggles to finish commissions. Later, in Milan, he joins Duke Sforza’s court, begins writing treatises, and paints a monumental fresco depicting the Last Supper.

Extras + Features

  • Leonardo da Vinci Investigates the Human Body: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Leonardo da Vinci Investigates the Human Body

    S1 E2 - 7m 22s

    Leonardo da Vinci resumes his investigation into human anatomy, merging rigorous scientific exploration with expert artistry. The scope of his studies grew, and he strove to describe human anatomy from the fetus to the fully grown man and women – their proportions, skeletal framework, muscular systems, and the nature of the senses.

  • Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and The Battle of Anghiari: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and The Battle of Anghiari

    S1 E2 - 10m 9s

    In October 1503, Leonardo da Vinci begins work on a monumental mural, The Battle of Anghiari. But the commission also put him in close proximity to his rival, Michelangelo, who was hired to paint a second mural in the council hall. Just as the central scene of Leonardo’s mural started to take shape, he stopped – abandoning yet another commission. It’s unlikely Michelangelo ever began his mural.

  • Leonardo da Vinci's The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Leonardo da Vinci's The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne

    S1 E2 - 7m 45s

    All of Leonardo da Vinci’s accomplishments are showcased in his unfinished painting The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne. From his scientific and artistic knowledge to observations on how atmospheric phenomena – light, haze, vapor, altitude and distance – affect the appearance of the landscape, the intensity of colors and the sharpness of details.

  • Leonardo da Vinci’s Scientific Experiments: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Leonardo da Vinci’s Scientific Experiments

    S1 E2 - 9m 53s

    Muslim scientists in the Middle East had been testing their theories with experiments for a long time. However, most natural philosophers in Europe continued basing scientific conclusions on observation alone. But, as Leonardo da Vinci ages, he becomes more of a scientist. His notebooks capture the experiments he performed with empirical observations to investigate the cause of outcomes.

  • Leonardo da Vinci and the Mona Lisa: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Leonardo da Vinci and the Mona Lisa

    S1 E2 - 8m 20s

    Toward the end of his life, Leonardo da Vinci finally finds the perfect patron – the King of France – and leaves leaving Italy for the first time. He stages spectacles, teaches, and continues to draw since painting becomes difficult. When giving a tour of his studio, Leonardo proudly shows his manuscripts and several unfinished paintings, including the culmination of all his work: The Mona Lisa.

  • Official Trailer: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Official Trailer

    S1 E1 - 1m 10s

    A 15th century polymath of soaring imagination and profound intellect, Leonardo da Vinci created some of the most revered works of art of all time, but his artistic endeavors often seemed peripheral to his pursuits in science and engineering. Through his paintings and thousands of pages of drawings and writings, Leonardo da Vinci explores one of humankind’s most curious and innovative minds.

  • Leonardo da Vinci’s Notebooks: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Leonardo da Vinci’s Notebooks

    S1 E1 - 8m

    More than 4,000 pages of Leonardo da Vinci’s notebooks remain. Over his lifetime, he made meticulous observations, drew fantastical flying machines, sketched castles and church architecture, invented weapons of war, and more. These surviving pages offer unique insight into the curious mind, knowledge and discoveries of Leonardo da Vinci.

  • Early Works of Leonardo da Vinci: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Early Works of Leonardo da Vinci

    S1 E1 - 8m 40s

    As a young artist, Leonardo da Vinci helped advance the art of single-point linear perspective, which brought the illusion of depth to a two-dimensional work. Two of his first independent works as a professional artist were the Annunciation followed by a commission to paint a portrait of Ginevra de’ Benci. This portrait highlights his early mastery of painting techniques like sfumato and spolvero.

  • The Vitruvian Man and Leonardo da Vinci's Anatomical Studies: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The Vitruvian Man and Leonardo da Vinci's Anatomical Studies

    S1 E1 - 8m 2s

    Leonardo da Vinci believed extensive knowledge of human anatomy was essential to depicting the human form. Since medical teachings were inadequate, he began a meticulous study of his own – and he didn’t stop at the surface. He also drew muscles, bones and organs, and he experimented with different techniques. He even studied ancient sources, which led to his famous depiction of The Vitruvian Man.

  • How Leonardo da Vinci Created Narratives in His Paintings: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    How Leonardo da Vinci Created Narratives in His Paintings

    S1 E1 - 6m 37s

    Leonardo da Vinci paints The Virgin on the Rocks – the most complex Madonna image of the entire Renaissance. But, after a disagreement over money, he withheld the painting. Meanwhile, Leonardo forms his own studio in Milan and finally begins getting commissions from Ludovico Sforza, including a portrait of a young woman who had caught his eye Cecilia Gallerani – or Lady with an Ermine.

  • Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper

    S1 E1 - 12m 8s

    Leonardo da Vinci started The Last Supper in the early 1490s. At the time, depictions of Christ sharing his final meal with his apostles were often sedate. Leonardo wanted to capture the drama of the emotional event. The mural would become one of his most well-known works, showcasing his gift for blending tones and colors, his mastery of light and shadow and his command of geometry.

Schedule

  • Image
    Leonardo da Vinci: TVSS: Banner-L1

    Leonardo da Vinci

    The Disciple of Experience

    Sunday
    Dec 8

    2 Hours 30 Minutes

    Leonardo da Vinci trains as an artist and craftsman in Florence; in Milan he paints a monumental fresco of the Last Supper.
  • Image
    Leonardo da Vinci: TVSS: Banner-L1

    Leonardo da Vinci

    The Disciple of Experience

    Monday
    Dec 9

    2 Hours 30 Minutes

    Leonardo da Vinci trains as an artist and craftsman in Florence; in Milan he paints a monumental fresco of the Last Supper.
  • Image
    Leonardo da Vinci: TVSS: Banner-L1

    Leonardo da Vinci

    The Disciple of Experience

    Friday
    Dec 13

    2 Hours 30 Minutes

    Leonardo da Vinci trains as an artist and craftsman in Florence; in Milan he paints a monumental fresco of the Last Supper.
  • Image
    Leonardo da Vinci: TVSS: Banner-L1

    Leonardo da Vinci

    Painter-God

    Saturday
    Dec 14

    2 Hours 30 Minutes

    Leonardo da Vinci designs fanciful flying machines, studies light and shadow, investigates gravity, dissects cadavers and paints the most famous portrait on earth.

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