The Codex: Leonardo da Vinci Meets Bill Gates
Hint: Scientific writings from one of the most prominent artists of the Renaissance Age. The author is the famous Leonardo da Vinci. He is considered to be one of the greatest painters ever. A conversation starter is complete with Leonardo da Vinci. One key reason is his status as a Renaissance man. The ideal Renaissance man.
The great painter was also into philosophy, science, architecture, and sculpting. He was an inventor.
Leonardo da Vinci helped to put Florence, Italy on the map. His political contemporary was Lorenzo de’ Medici, the Italian ruler of the Florentine Republic.
What is the most expensive book in the world? The Codex Leicester is a collection of scientifics writings.
The manuscript holds the record for the sale price of any book, when it was sold to Bill Gates at Christie’s auction house on November 11, 1994 in New York for $30,802,500. The Codex consists of 18 sheets of paper, each folded in half and written on both sides, forming the complete 72-page document.
The manuscript does not take the form of a single linear script, but is rather a mixture of Leonardo’s observations and theories on astronomy; the properties of water, rocks, and fossils; air, and celestial light.
The Codex is put on public display once a year in a different city around the world.
