Ross King (1)

Leonardo and the Last Supper Ross King In Leonardo and the Last Supper, Ross King presents a portrait of one of history’s artistic geniuses, exploring how—surrounded by war and political and religious turmoil, and plagued by his own insecurities—Leonardo da Vinci created the masterpiece that would forever define him. Ross King is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Brunelleschi’s Dome, Michaelangelo & the Pope’s Ceiling, The Judgment of Paris, and Machiavelli: Philosopher of Power, as well as the novels Ex-Libris and Domino. Parkway Central Library 1901 Vine Street Philadelphia, PA 19103 (between 19th and 20th Streets on the Parkway) This is a TICKETED event; $15 General Admission, $7 Students. For more information, please call 215-567-4341, or click here

Location: Street: Free Library of Philadelphia Additional: 1901 Vine Street City: Philadelphia, Province: Pennsylvania Postal Code: 19103-5207 Country: United States (added from IndieBound)… (more)

Harvard Book Store is pleased to welcome art historian ROSS KING for a discussion of his new book, Leonardo and the Last Supper.

Early in 1495, Leonardo da Vinci began work in Milan on what would become one of history's most influential and beloved works of art: The Last Supper. After a dozen years at the court of Lodovico Sforza, the Duke of Milan, Leonardo was at a low point personally and professionally: at forty-three, in an era when he had almost reached the average life expectancy, he had failed, despite a number of prestigious commissions, to complete anything that truly fulfilled his astonishing promise. His latest failure was a giant bronze horse to honor Sforza's father: His 75 tons of bronze had been expropriated to be turned into cannons to help repel a French invasion of Italy. The commission to paint The Last Supper in the refectory of a Dominican convent was a small compensation, and his odds of completing it were not promising: Not only had he never worked on a painting of such a large size-15' high x 30' wide-but he had no experience in the extremely difficult medium of fresco.

In his compelling new book, Ross King explores how, amid war and the political and religious turmoil around him, and beset by his own insecurities and frustrations, Leonardo created the masterpiece that would forever define him. King unveils dozens of stories that are embedded in the painting. Examining who served as the models for the Apostles, he makes a unique claim: that Leonardo modeled two of them on himself. Reviewing Leonardo's religious beliefs, King paints a much more complex picture than the received wisdom that he was a heretic. The food that Leonardo, a famous vegetarian, placed on the table reveals as much as do the numerous hand gestures of those at Christ's banquet. As King explains, many of the myths that have grown up around The Last Supper are wrong, but its true story is ever more interesting. Bringing to life a fascinating period in European history, Ross King presents an original portrait of one of the world's greatest geniuses through the lens of his most famous work. (ablachly)… (more)

So familiar and iconic an image that we barely register it, da Vinci’s The Last Supper repays a close look. King, author of the bestselling Brunelleschi’s Dome and The Judgment of Paris, combines history and a deep knowledge of the painting to set the 1495 masterpiece in the context of both the Italian Renaissance and its creator’s life.

Street: 5015 Connecticut Ave NW City: Washington, Province: District Of Columbia Postal Code: 20008 Country: United States (added from IndieBound)… (more)

Venue: St. Louis County Library

Ross King explores how in 1495--amid war and the political and religious turmoil around him, and beset by his own insecurities and frustrations--Leonardo created The Last Supper, the masterpiece that would forever define him. King unvelis dozens of stories that are embedded in the painting, fascinating details about the models for the Apostles (including Leonardo himself), and how Leonardo's own religious beliefs and even his vegetarianism played into this work. This event is sponsored by the St. Louis Art Museum.

Location: Street: St. Louis County Library Additional: 1640 S. Lindbergh City: Saint Louis, Province: Missouri Postal Code: 63131 Country: United States (added from IndieBound)… (more)

Early in 1495, Leonardo was at a low point personally and professionally: at forty-three, in an era when he had almost reached the average life expectancy, he had failed, despite a number of prestigious commissions, to complete anything that truly fulfilled his astonishing promise. This compelling new book from Ross King, author of Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling, explores how - amid war and the political and religious turmoil around him, and beset by his own insecurities and frustrations - Leonardo created the masterpiece that would forever define him. As King explains, many of the myths that have grown up around The Last Supper are wrong, but its true story is even more interesting, bringing to life a fascinating period in European history and an original portrait of one of the world's greatest geniuses through the lens of his most famous work.

Location: Street: 695 E. Colorado Blvd City: Pasadena, Province: California Postal Code: 91101 Country: United States (added from IndieBound)… (more)

Ross King reads from Defiant Spirits.

Ross King is the author of Brunelleschi’s Dome, Michelangelo and the Pope’s Ceiling, and the novels Ex-Libris and Domino. Born and raised in Canada, he now lives near Oxford, England.Ross will be joining us for a reading and book signing of his new book Defiant Spirits. Sumptuously illustrated, rigorously researched and... drawn from archival documents and letters, Defiant Spirits constitutes a “group biography,” reconstructing the Group of Seven's aspirations, frustrations and achievements. It details not only the lives of Tom Thomson and the members of the Group of Seven but also the political and social history of Canada during a time when art exhibitions were venues for debates about Canadian national identity and cultural worth (tardis)… (more)