Aditi Nichani
I’ve always been fascinated with everything related to the Renaissance, ever since I first learnt about it back in middle school. Yet, the minute after I flipped open L.M. Elliot’s Da Vinci’s Tiger, I knew that my knowledge about this period or about one of the most renowned painters in history was in fact, barely amounted to anything at all. Da Vinci’s Tiger weaves a tale around the subject of Leonardo Da Vinci’s first portrait with finesse, bringing to life the Renaissance in Florence and the voice of a woman whose life was dictated by men before this portrait. My Thoughts: 1. The first thing that hit me about this book was how much this book felt like living in Florence in the 1400’s. Whether it was the clothing, the dialogue or the Medici, every time I flipped open Da Vinci’s Tiger, I honestly felt like I’d been transported over 600 years into the past. “But he, awestruck, marvels more at your modest heart, Your old-fashioned virtue, and your Palladian hands, He is inflamed with Holy Love" 2. I LOVED meeting a young Leonardo Da Vinci. I’ve read about hit, seen a few episodes of DaVinci’s Demons but seeing him through the eyes of Ginerva was a different experience. I saw a budding artist about to make a name for himself and become one of history’s biggest painters and this new take on him was BRILLIANT! "Outside, my dear, you may be placed within a gilded cage of men's perceptions of you... It is a lonely thing to be turned into an ideal, especially when one is young and has a heart that beats and yearns." 3. I can’t believe I forgot to mention this but ISN’T THE COVER JUST BEAUTIFUL? It’s simple and yet it catches your eye and I LOVE IT SO MUCH. "I will not yield to you in this way, signor," I cried. "No matter how much you track me around this room. No matter how many arguments you make to convince me it is my obligation to reward you with my body" 4. I loved Ginerva’s poetry, and I loved the fact that she wrote poetry and that it was so important to her. I feel like we barely got to see any of her poetry, despite the fact that it was being mentioned all the time with the exception of one or two pieces. I especially loved this line: “I beg your pardon. I am a mountain tiger” 5. More than Ginerva’s poetry, I loved Ginerva herself. Despite the fact that she was confused and growing up, she had this innate strength and thirst for knowledge that made me love the fact that I was in her head! A book unlike anything I’ve read before. A richly delicate book that will bring Renaissance Florence to life before your very eyes.
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