The Young Leonardo

This book explores Leonardo's origins and the beginning of his career as an artist.

Introduction; 1. Childhood; 2. Florence and Cosimo the Elder; 3. The cultural climate of Florence; 4. First years in Florence and the Verrocchio workshop; 5. First works in Florence and the artistic milieu; 6. Early pursuits in engineering - hydraulics and the movement of water; 7. The Bust of a Warrior and Leonardo's creative method; 8. Early participation in the Medici court; 9. Leonardo's personality and place in Florentine society; 10. Important productions and collaborations in the Verroccio shop; 11. Leonardo's colleagues in the workshop; 12. Leonardo's Madonna of the Carnation and the exploration of optics; 13. The Benois Madonna and continued meditations on the theme of sight; 14. The Madonna of the Cat; 15. Leonardo, the Medici, and public executions; 16. Leonardo and Ginevra de'Benci; 17. Leonardo as portraitist and master of the visual pun; 18. The young sculptor; 19. The Madonna Litta; 20. The Adoration of the Magi and invention of the High Renaissance style; 21. The Adoration and Leonardo's military interests; 22. Leonardo and allegorical conceits for the Medici court; 23. Early ideas for the Last Supper; 24. Leonardo and the Saint Sebastian; 25. Saint Jerome; 26. First thoughts for the Virgin of the Rocks and the invention of the Mary Magdelene-courtesan genre; 27. Milan; 28. Leonardo and the Sforza court.