Memo to straights: hands off Leonardo da Vinci
IN PRINT / Portrayal of artist as heterosexual 'against all historical evidence'
Xtra staff / National / Thursday, February 28, 2013
Share |

Leonardo da Vinci, the painter of such iconic masterpieces as The Last Supper and The Mona Lisa, was almost certainly gay. He had male lovers and likely never had sex with women, but popular culture continues to insist he was straight.
 
“I think he needs to be reclaimed,” says Ross King, author of the spellbinding book Leonardo and the Last Supper. 
 
King’s book, which focuses on the painting of The Last Supper, won the Governor General's Award for Non-Fiction and is up for the Charles Taylor Prize, which will be awarded in Toronto on March 4.
 
Ross says that the portrayal of da Vinci as straight -- in The Da Vinci Code, for instance -- is done “against all historical evidence.”
 
Below is a video interview with Ross King done by Fab magazine’s History Boys columnist Michael Lyons.




 
da Vinci was gay


Share |


Reader Comments


 
tourist attraction
Not all tourist are looking for nightlife - you can get that at home 24/7/365. It rains all over the planet where ever you go. "Different, hip, urban, edgy and adventurous with liberated nightlife, friendly locals, exotic beaches and challenging culture." Vancouver is so different that people are moving here monthly to live and work - and play by the thousands and little condos cost a half a million plus for 500 sq ft. If you have enough money in your pockets, you can find everything different, hip, urban, liberated nighlife in any city on the planet. Friendly locals can be found anywhere. Wreck beach is more exotic any other beach on the planet. Vancouver has lots of people from every country on the planet - and they get along regardless of their differences and challenging cultures.
humblecanadian, vancouer bc
03/02/13 9:44 PM EST
Report this comment to moderator.