Creator of some of the greatest works of art in human history, but at
the same time barely able to finish them, Leonardo is possibly the
most easily distracted genius who ever lived. Mark Steel gets close
to some of Leonardo’s greatest works, and finds out what The Last
Supper has in common with EastEnders.
Packing in not just a life of Leonardo but also a brief canter
through the political geography and the latest technological
advances of the world he was born into, Mark begins by exploring the
standards of great art and great beauty as they were before Leonardo
truly made his mark. Then it’s a whistlestop tour round Italy as
Leonardo builds a reputation both for genius and not doing what he’s
paid for.
