Leonardo's Knots by Caroline Cocciardi - Book Review

 

This book presents a completely different facet of Leonardo da Vinci's work.  As a polymath and genius in mathematics and engineering (as well as other disciplines), da Vinci was fascinated with knots!  

Have you seen his Mona Lisa?  If you did, did you see the ornamentation (embroidery-like pattern) on the bodice of her dress?  In reality, that section is only 1" x 4" of the painting.  But he spent years (almost a decade) plus many sketchbook pages developing the knot pattern now known as the Mona Lisa Knot.  For the actual painting, da Vinci may have spent a year painting just that area.  

Based on the book, a place that would have been impressive to see in da Vinci's time -- was the Sala delle Asse: The Room of Knots at the Sforza Castle in Milan.  He painted a floor to ceiling design in a circular ballroom of the north-eastern tower with thousands of mulberry leaves, hundreds of branches intertwining with a single gold cord meandering through the pergola as a continuous thread converging at the dome.  This was where a large shield with a combination of the Sforza and d'Este families' coat of arms were combined.  It symbolized the marriage of Ludovico Sforza, Duke, and Beatrice d'Este in January 1491 though the room was not conceived until 1497.  That is the year in which Beatrice died in childbirth.  Da Vinci completed the room in 1498. Due to the politics of the time, the Duke would have little time to enjoy it as he had to flee the castle in 1499 never to see it again.  As with many art masterpieces such as Sala delle Asse, restorations over time have likely diminished how spectacular it must have been back thens.    

'Leonardo's Knots' is informative and has some very good models, but it isn't an easy read.  Some of the da Vinci sketchbook pages that appear are hard to read--because it has been 500 years since they were created with pencil and charcoal...and sometimes ink.  So they've been worn by time, and inconsistent handling, care, and stewardship.  The book does a good job though in revealing the exploration, thought, and precision with which da Vinci developed an amazing ability to render knotting patterns and utilize them in his works.