A list of 10 Novels about Leonardo da Vinci

  1. The Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone

    While this celebrated novel focuses on the life of Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci appears as a significant rival and contemporary. The story portrays Leonardo through Michelangelo’s eyes: an established, revered master whose genius is both admired and envied.

    Their artistic competition and philosophical differences offer a fascinating look into the tensions and ambitions that defined the High Renaissance.

  2. Oil and Marble: A Novel of Leonardo and Michelangelo by Stephanie Storey

    This novel imagines the intense rivalry between Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as they work on their signature masterpieces in Florence. Leonardo, struggling with his monumental fresco, The Battle of Anghiari, is juxtaposed with the younger Michelangelo, who is carving the iconic David.

    The story vividly portrays the artists' contrasting personalities, with Leonardo emerging as a brilliant but distracted perfectionist, wrestling with his patrons and his own boundless curiosity.

  3. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

    Dan Brown’s blockbuster thriller places Leonardo’s art at the center of a modern-day conspiracy. Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon uncovers cryptic clues hidden within da Vinci's most famous works, particularly the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper.

    The narrative creatively reinterprets Leonardo as a grand master of a secret society, embedding heretical messages in his art. Brown weaves art history and suspense together, exploring the idea that da Vinci’s legacy holds secrets powerful enough to challenge history.

  4. The Secret Supper by Javier Sierra

    Javier Sierra’s historical thriller investigates the creation of Leonardo’s masterpiece, The Last Supper. As rumors of heresy swirl around the painting, a Vatican investigator is sent to Milan to decipher its hidden symbols and question the artist’s intentions.

    The novel blends art history with suspense, portraying Leonardo as a daring intellectual whose innovative and potentially unorthodox ideas fascinated and unsettled the Church.

  5. Leonardo's Swans by Karen Essex

    This novel explores the court of Milan through the lives of the ambitious Este sisters, Isabella and Beatrice, who become da Vinci’s patrons. Both sisters commission portraits from Leonardo, hoping to be immortalized by the master artist.

    Set against a backdrop of political intrigue and courtly love, the story portrays Leonardo as an enigmatic genius at the center of the sisters' rivalry. Here, art intertwines intimately with their personal and political passions.

  6. I, Mona Lisa by Jeanne Kalogridis

    Told from the perspective of Lisa Gherardini del Giocondo, this novel offers a dramatic account of the life of the woman believed to be the subject of Leonardo's most famous portrait. Amid the political turmoil of Renaissance Florence, Lisa’s story is one of love, betrayal, and secrets.

    Leonardo da Vinci is a pivotal character, the perceptive artist who captures not just her likeness but the complex story hidden behind her enigmatic smile.

  7. The Smile by Donna Jo Napoli

    Aimed at a younger audience, this novel offers a more intimate and gentle imagining of the story behind the Mona Lisa. The narrative follows a young Florentine girl named Lisa as she sits for her portrait, developing a unique bond with the artist.

    Leonardo emerges as a kind and curious observer of humanity, fascinated by the subtleties of human emotion. Napoli focuses on the quiet moments behind the iconic painting, offering a window into the artist's introspective side.

  8. The Medici Seal by Theresa Breslin

    In this young adult adventure, a young boy named Matteo finds himself embroiled in a dangerous conspiracy in Florence after his master is murdered. He finds a new mentor and protector in the brilliant Leonardo da Vinci.

    The novel showcases Leonardo’s skills not only as an artist but as an inventor and engineer, as Matteo helps him build his flying machine while trying to solve the mystery and evade the powerful Borgia family.

  9. The Four Horsemen by C.C. Humphreys

    This historical adventure novel features Leonardo da Vinci in a central role as a military engineer for the ruthless Cesare Borgia. When a book of secret Greek wisdom is stolen, Leonardo and a group of mismatched companions are drawn into a thrilling chase across Italy to recover it.

    The story highlights Leonardo's practical genius, using his knowledge of codes, war machines, and human nature to navigate a world of spies and soldiers.

  10. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (Novelization) by Oliver Bowden

    Based on the popular video game, this novel features Leonardo da Vinci as a key ally to the protagonist, Ezio Auditore, in Renaissance Rome. Leonardo is portrayed as a brilliant inventor and loyal friend who supplies Ezio with ingenious weapons and gadgets, from hidden blades to a flying machine.

    This fictional take showcases Leonardo’s versatility beyond his art, casting his inventive genius as a crucial element in a fast-paced story of action and intrigue.