Walter Isaacson: Leonardo da Vinci

Standing at the crossroads of the humanities and the sciences, Leonardo da Vinci might have been history’s most creative genius. Best-selling biographer Walter Isaacson comes to CHF to discuss his magisterial new biography, which shows a wide-ranging da Vinci–he painted the "Mona Lisa" and explored the math of optics–at ease with being a bit of a misfit: illegitimate, gay, vegetarian, easily distracted, and, at times, heretical. Isaacson shows how da Vinci’s creativity was based on skills we can improve in ourselves: passionate curiosity, a willingness to question, careful observation, and an imagination so playful that it flirted with fantasy.

This program recognizes John McCarter who received our Humanist of the Year Award in 2016, and is presented in partnership with the Art Institute of Chicago.

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[seamusoluasigh]

What a wonderful and passionate lecture, well suited to the subject.

[chiralhead]

a truly incredible speech, he not only truly knows about the subject he is talking about but the way he feels when he speaks is really great.

[TheSuzberry]

It would be nice if the recording could be split screen, showing the speaker and the slide show simultaneously.

[billdenbrough]

Way off on his estimate for the Salvator Mundi. Ended up selling for over 450 million.

[TheRealFranc]

Talk on Leonardo's Salvator Mundi painting of Jesus Christ begins at 39:36 and and on the orb at 43:43 and rightfully at 44:00. I will add that Walter Isaacson does not get too much into detail or is not knowledgeable about the mysticism and deeper meaning and hidden message to be deciphered only by someone with divine knowledge of the "sacred geometry" involved and understanding of Egyptian/Freemason geometry secrets.