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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. When Sigmund Freud wrote a short book psychoanalyzing Leonardo's memory of a bird hovering over his crib, Freud mistakenly analyzed the symbolism of what type of bird visiting Leonardo?

2. What family controlled the republic in place in Florence at the time of Leonardo's arrival in the city?

3. In the late years of what decade did Leonardo begin to devise contraptions that would enable human flight?

4. At one point Leonardo "listed the many practical applications that could come from harnessing the power of" (192) what river?

5. Lorenzo de' Medici, a great supporter of the arts in Florence, founded and funded Florence's first public what?

Short Essay Questions

1. What were the main techniques Leonardo adopted from his mentor, Andrea del Verrocchio, that would go on to be featured prominently in all of Leonardo's later works?

2. What was the main source of information used by Walter Isaacson in his writing of Leonardo's biography?

3. What was the reason that Leonardo's horse monument was never completed?

4. Who was Salai and what were some of his character traits?

5. What major difference does the author depict when comparing and contrasting Leonardo's personality with Leon Battista Alberti's personality?

6. In what way did Leonardo's illegitimacy grant him certain freedoms?

7. What did Leonardo mean when he wrote, "He who has access to the fountain does not go to the water-jar" (176)?

8. What occasion prompted Leonardo to paint The Last Supper?

9. What qualities of Leonardo's character are discussed as qualities that would have made him a misfit in any place besides Florence?

10. When Leonardo joined a competition of architects, what was the assigned task for the contest?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the author's treatment of the suspenseful unfolding of the story behind La Bella Principessa and what techniques he uses in order to build suspense for the reader.

Essay Topic 2

How is the theme of obsession portrayed in Walter Isaacson's biography of Leonardo da Vinci? Examine the author's treatment of and messages regarding obsession throughout the book.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the author's decision to include full-color images of Leonardo's work within the text. What purpose did he have in mind when including these images and how does the inclusion of these images support the overarching themes and messages of the text? Back up your strong, specific claim about the author's use of photographs with concrete details from the images he includes in the book.

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