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Back to: Leonardo da Vinci
S1E2
Part Two: Painter-God
November 19, 2024
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.
Full Episodes
Part One: The Disciple of Experience
S1E1
Leonardo trains as an artist and eventually paints a masterpiece: The Last Supper.
Clips & Previews
Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and The Battle of Anghiari
S1E2
Leonardo da Vinci’s The Battle of Anghiari commission pits him against his rival, Michelangelo....
Leonardo da Vinci’s Scientific Experiments
S1E2
Leonardo da Vinci becomes more of a scientist with age and performs experiments to test theories....
Leonardo da Vinci Investigates the Human Body
S1E2
Leonardo da Vinci’s study of human anatomy combine scientific exploration with expert artistry....
Leonardo da Vinci's The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne
S1E2
Da Vinci’s The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne showcases his scientific and artistic knowledge....
Leonardo da Vinci and the Mona Lisa
S1E2
Leonardo da Vinci spends 14 years working on the Mona Lisa, the culmination of all his knowledge....
Interviews
Atul Gawande on Leonardo's Scientific Genius
S2024E13
Ken Burns is joined by surgeon and writer Atul Gawande to dive into DaVinci's scientific genius....
Bjarke Ingels on Leonardo's Legacy on the World of Architecture
S2024E10
Ken Burns chats with visionary architect Bjarke Ingels on Leonardo's legacy.
Tavares Strachan on Leonardo's Transgressive Transcendence
S2024E12
Artist Tavares Strachan joins Ken Burns to discuss Leonardo's influence on the pursuit of meaning....
Debbie Millman on Leonardo's Legacy of Creativity
S2024E11
Ken Burns chats with Debbie Millman, host of Design Matters, about Leonardo's legacy on creativity....
Kevin Roose on How Leonardo Can Help Us Grasp Ideas Around AI
S2024E9
NYT's tech columnist Kevin Roose chats Ken Burns about da Vinci's cross-disciplinary thinking....
Krista Tippett on Leonardo's Views of Humanity, Spirituality and Science
S2024E14
Krista Tippett, host of On Being, joins Ken to dive into Leonardo's wholesome humanity.
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