Leonardo: A Return to Florence: The Life and Travels of da Vinci, #4

By Catherine McGrew Jaime

Join Leonardo da Vinci as he returns to Florence, works on several painting commissions, and then joins the ruthless Cesare Borgia as his military advisor. This family-friendly historical novel covers about two and a half years of Leonardo's life - and his interactions with a number of contemporary luminaries: including Luca Pacioli (mathematician), Donato Bramante (architect), (Niccoli Machiavelli (Florentine ambassador and writer) and Cesare Borgia. Much of Leonardo's time with Borgia was spent travelling through the countryside of Romagna (central Italy) - examining fortifications and making military recommendations. This novel takes a look at the other things he was doing at the same time - sketching bell towers, examining interesting windows, sketching pigeon houses, and much more!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Catherine Jaime
• Release date: Jul 10, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393802020

Catherine McGrew Jaime

Catherine has a passion for writing, traveling, and history that spans decades. One topic she goes back to again and again is Leonardo da Vinci. After teaching her first classes about this incredible Renaissance man, she wrote her first non-fiction book about him, Da Vinci: His Life and His Legacy. His Life and His Legacy joined countless other non-fiction books she had already written, including, but certainly not limited to, An American Looks at Wuerzburg, Sharing Shakespeare with Students, and Stars Over Central America (her journal of a trip from the Panama Canal Zone across Central America when she was nine-years-old). It would be many years later before she would try her hand at writing fiction, not surprisingly turning first to historical fiction. She started with one novel on her favorite topic, Leonardo the Florentine, showcasing some of his adventures as an apprentice and during his early years as an artist. That first novel is on its way to becoming the nine book series, The Life and Travels of Da Vinci. Catherine’s first published short stories included The Attack in Cappadocia, The Attack at Shkodra, and The Attack on Wuerzburg – all historical fiction, of course, and all available individually, or together in The Attack Trilogy. She recently published her first short story about Leonardo da Vinci, in the anthology, Touch the Sky, Stories Inspired by the Saturn V. (Yes, she did manage to find a way to connect Leonardo to the Saturn V.)

Book preview

Chapter One

Luca almost tripped over Leonardo as he suddenly stopped just in front of him on the dirt road. Leonardo reached into the leather pouch on the side of his belt. He quickly drew out a small notebook and began to sketch.

Luca laughed as he regained his balance and stood next to Leonardo, trying to follow his gaze off towards the mountains. What are you sketching this time, my friend? I think you have already made enough sketches on this journey to keep one paper supplier in business for quite some time.

Leonardo said nothing for a few moments, concentrating on the landscape that spread out in front of him. But soon he was putting away the notebook and ready to walk again. I like the way that bridge looks, between the hills to our north, and I wanted to record it quickly. It may be useful in a future painting, who knows? Besides— Leonardo turned to look behind them to the two men some distance down the road. It will give our servants more time to catch up with us. We make much better time just walking than they do with the little carts they must push along.

Luca nodded his agreement. I am sure they have little concern of us getting too far ahead of them, as often as we stop to examine things.

Leonardo shrugged and continued walking. We have no particular need to hurry. No one in Florence awaits us, and the weather is especially pleasant for this time of year. I am pleased to be able to enjoy the countryside on this journey, rather than rushing from place to place as we have had to do on our last couple of travels.

Luca agreed again. Yes, we were in quite the hurry when we rode from Milan to Mantua, and then again from Mantua to Venice. I don’t recall you doing much sketching on either of those trips.

I recall stopping to sketch the amphitheater in Verona, and of course the equestrian statue in Padua, but little else. Both times we were in such a hurry that time for sketching seemed a luxury we didn’t have. But on this trip, time is ours to spend as we wish. The travel time to Florence will be a couple of weeks, more or less, regardless of our speed, so I don’t think a day or two more will matter much. Unless you have some reason for hurrying that you have not yet shared.

Luca pretended to pout. I wasn’t complaining about the stops, Master Leonardo. I was merely pointing out how much you were sketching. I keep most of my mathematical work floating around in my head when I work on it, but you entrust most of your studies to paper. It is a difference, not a fault.

Leonardo had to agree that he used quite a bit of paper for his sketches and was glad that the price of paper had dropped so much in recent years. I don’t know what I would be doing for sketchbooks if paper was not so inexpensive. It is certainly difficult for me to imagine having to be frugal with it. It is the one thing besides food that I feel compelled to spend money on, even in difficult financial times. Though with what we were paid for our six weeks’ work in Venice, I would not consider this one of my most pressing financial times.

Luca laughed again and pointed at the servants behind them that had just come back into view after rounding a curve in the road. Of the money you spend on paper for sketchbooks, there is no doubt. Our overflowing carts are testimony to that. I don’t believe we have much in them besides your papers.

Leonardo thought for a moment before answering. Well, there are a few books that I bought in Milan that I hadn’t wanted to part with when we left there, and a couple of small, unfinished paintings; but, you are right, other than those, it is mainly my papers that they are transporting for us.

As the two men turned back to the dirt road in front of them, Leonardo spoke again. I have enjoyed our time in Venice, but I am actually glad to be leaving. I always felt like a foreigner while we were there.

Luca nodded. It was good to be back in Venice after so many years, but I too felt like a foreigner this time around for some reason. Luca wondered if his friend was nervous about returning to Florence after an absence of so many years, and wondered whether this was a good time to bring up the topic. He finally decided it was and plunged right in. So, what do you think Florence will be like after all the years that you have been away? Do you think it’s changed much since you left for Milan almost twenty years ago?

Leonardo didn’t seem too concerned about the change in topic, answering easily as they continued their walk, I didn’t kept up with the politics in Florence much; keeping up with the politics of Milan while I was there was more than enough for me. Until recently I never planned to return to Florence. I did hear that my old master, Andrea del Verrocchio passed away and that the Medici are no longer in charge there, so those are two big changes, of course. It will be interesting to see what has become of Verrocchio’s workshop and how the city is faring in its new republican form.

I have heard that the city is still recovering from the four years of Fra Savonarola’s control. Even two years after Savonarola’s death and the end of his countless bonfires of the vanities, it seems that the city is still reeling from his influences.

Leonardo laughed. I didn’t think as a Franciscan friar you would have paid much interest to the comings and goings of a Dominican friar.

Luca laughed also. It was difficult not to follow the news, even from many miles away. As a Franciscan friar, I have taken a vow of poverty and simplicity, so I am not caught up in the fancies of this world that Savonarola was so concerned about. And I can understand how as a Dominican friar who had been trained to preach and teach that he felt the need to tell people of their sins and transgressions, but it does sound like things got out of hand when he was trying to rid the city of its vices. It is one thing to preach the need to end sinful behaviors, but it is quite another to try to violently force that on folks. Or even worse, to involve children in the act of gathering up the supposedly evil articles of musical instruments, perfumes, mirrors, and paintings. I believe he went much beyond what God had called him to do.

Leonardo was accustomed to his religious friend trying to bring God into their conversations, but he was still surprised to hear him speak in this manner. He had always thought that religious men looked out for one another and supported each other’s actions, no matter how extreme they might be. It was good to know that Luca wouldn’t put a stamp of approval on someone as violent as Savonarola, regardless of the religious claims Savonarola had made.

Luca looked pained as he dwelled on Savonarola’s religious extremism and Leonardo decided it was time to change the conversation to a more pleasant topic. Speaking of news from afar, what do you think of the news of the Genoese explorer, Cristoforo Colombo?

As Leonardo had hoped, Luca did brighten up immediately. I have heard that Master Colombo has now made several journeys across the Atlantic Ocean at the request and expense of the Spanish crown. I don’t think he was successful in finding the Spanish a new route to the Orient, but he may have discovered new lands for the Spanish instead.

Yes, but I believe his journeys were at least partially funded by wealthy private Italian investors. The Italians and the Spanish are becoming more and more entangled these days.

Luca nodded, thinking the Spanish pope currently residing in Rome was proof enough of that. As a man of the cloth who has taken a vow of poverty, it is hard for me to imagine having that much money to invest in anything, let alone a voyage such as the one that Colombo proposed. But from the sounds of it, they may all be well rewarded for their investments. It does make one appreciate how much more there is to the world God made than most of us have ever realized, doesn’t it?

Leonardo smiled at yet another religious reference from his friend, and then responded, Yes, indeed. He was glad they had moved on to this new topic. They would walk and talk for many miles to come; it would be nice for most of their time to be on subjects that were pleasant for both of them!

Leonardo continued, "I am glad that men like Colombo want to explore the world beyond Italy and Spain.