A Historical Novel About Leonardo da Vinci Leonardo da Vinci was not only a genius as an artist, but also as a scientist and engineer. If he were alive today he would hold the status of an Einstein or Hawking. He invented various ›flying machines‹, an early robot and pumps which are still in use today. But above all he left a fascinating legacy of artwork, the most famous of which is probably his Mona Lisa and her mysterious smile. Numerous art experts, historians and authors have courted or used the mystery-cloaked work of Leonardo da Vinci in their writing. John Vermeulen's main aim – as in all his historical novels – was to discover the man behind the name. He imagined what he was like, how he dealt with his loneliness as an illegitimate child and – surrounded by female admirers – with his homosexuality, how he perceived his models, patrons and clients and what it was like during his residences at the various rulers' courts. A historical novel, which is so gripping and vivid that you feel as though you were actually there.