Episodes
-
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
WETA Passport
Stream tens of thousands of hours of your PBS and local favorites with WETA Passport whenever and wherever you want. Catch up on a single episode or binge-watch full seasons before they air on TV.
Similar Shows
The U.S. and the Holocaust
History
The Dust Bowl
History
Mark Twain
History
Tales from the Royal Bedchamber
History
The Queen's Garden
History
First Civilizations
History
Dante: Inferno to Paradise
History
Trolley Park: Out West
History
Groundbreakers
History