Da Vinci and the code he lived by [the unique vision and determination of the Renaissance master]

It's unfortunate that the title of this film implies a link to Dan Brown's popular novel because the program is in fact an excellent documentary on the life and career of Leonardo Da Vinci. Produced for the History Channel, it examines his life through vibrant dramatic re-creations along with location shots that look at both the man and the times in which he lived. It begins with the fall of Constantinople to the Ottomans in 1453 and considers the rise of humanism in Renaissance Italy, the world into which Da Vinci was born. He apprenticed in the studio of Verrochio during the heyday of the Medici in Florence, then worked for 17 years in Milan for the Sforza family. Painter, sculptor, engineer, and scientist, Da Vinci left an incredible record of his genius through thousands of pages of notebook entries and sketches. This documentary tries to balance his professional and personal lives and succeeds very well. The reenactments are vivid and beautifully photographed. The program does an excellent job of placing the artist in historical context in an artful and entertaining manner. Bonus footage includes a behind-the-scenes featurette on the making of the film. Recommended especially for academic and public libraries.-Tom Budlong, Atlanta (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

It's unfortunate that the title of this film implies a link to Dan Brown's popular novel because the program is in fact an excellent documentary on the life and career of Leonardo Da Vinci. Produced for the History Channel, it examines his life through vibrant dramatic re-creations along with location shots that look at both the man and the times in which he lived. It begins with the fall of Constantinople to the Ottomans in 1453 and considers the rise of humanism in Renaissance Italy, the world into which Da Vinci was born. He apprenticed in the studio of Verrochio during the heyday of the Medici in Florence, then worked for 17 years in Milan for the Sforza family. Painter, sculptor, engineer, and scientist, Da Vinci left an incredible record of his genius through thousands of pages of notebook entries and sketches. This documentary tries to balance his professional and personal lives and succeeds very well. The reenactments are vivid and beautifully photographed. The program does an excellent job of placing the artist in historical context in an artful and entertaining manner. Bonus footage includes a behind-the-scenes featurette on the making of the film. Recommended especially for academic and public libraries.--Tom Budlong, Atlanta (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.