Eyewitness: Leonardo & His Times

Here is a stimulating introduction to the world of the Renaissance -- from the achievements of Leonardo da Vinci to everyday life in an Italian city-state. Filled with superb, full-color photographs of works of art and beautiful artifacts, Leonardo brings the Renaissance to life, offering a unique "eyewitness" view of this exciting period of history. See Leonardo's design for exploding cannonballs, inside a Renaissance home, the original platform shoes, and one of the first pocket watches. Learn how one family dominated a city for more than two centuries, how gold leaf was applied to altarpieces, when mirrors were first used, and why the ancient world was an inspiration for the modern one. Discover how the invention of the printing press changed the world, how apprentices made pigments from ground beetles, why glue was used as a beauty aid, why Leonardo studied a bird's wing to make a flying machine, and much, much more!