da Vinci's realistic paintings makes art real for the young 
By A1WA904HAI2JNX on 2000-06-08
"Leonardo used what he learned from nature and science to make his paintings look real", p 9 The young reader will learn about Leonardo's beginnings in Vinci, the time he spent in Florence learning more about painting, his painting years in Milan and his final years of painting in France.
Leonardo's depictions were noticeable more "alive" than his Renaissance contemporaries. His use of beautiful backgrounds behind the main object of attention makes this a good choice for the young. Their attention will initially be drawn to the main figure in the painting and then will be sustained by the natural settings in the background. His paintings almost appear that they are done while the person being painted in on vacation. The young will intuitively pick up on the relaxed composure of the main figures
Venezia's illustrations are humorous. His narrative is delightfully entertaining. His approach brings the artist within reach of the young. His illustration of some folks deciphering Leonardo's notes and their findings is cleverly presented.
The size of the book is perfect for smaller hands. It enables the young to have art within their grasp. Venezia gives the locations of the paintings and as result if the child lives near one of the museums or will be near one on vacation, she/he would be able to see the original.
This is the 4th in Venezia's "Getting to know the World's Greatest Artist" series. He also has a similar series on composers. Venezia's back cover illustration ties back to the subject. "Mike's portrait was painted by an artist who claims to be a direct descendant of ...".
The price of the book is well worth paying. The book contains the following: da Vinci's Paintings (10.5), Drawings (8) and Underpainings (2), Venezia's Illustrations - 7, Others' paintings - 1.5.
