LEONARDO DA VINCI An Untraceable Life

The challenge for narrator Susan Ericksen is to construct while deconstructing. Tart, dismissive, at times even derisive, Ericksen captures the spirit of the author's dour reassessment of art history's most hallowed figure. Here is a very different portrayal of Leonardo da Vinci, one that strips away hyperbole and idolatry to focus on what's verifiable about da Vinci's life and work, which isn't much. Placed in the milieu of artists and intellectuals of his time, however, a more nuanced and complicated person emerges. What Ericksen conveys most effectively is an argument for clarity and moderation free from the legendizing of critics and historians. The result is refreshing in installments and up to a point but may be too academic for many listeners. D.A.W. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2025]