Leonardo da Vinci is the most mysterious of all the great artists, continuing to inspire and intrigue centuries after his death. Who lies behind the legend of the "Renaissance genius"? What is the real story behind his elusive masterpieces and tantalizing notebooks?

Charles Nicholl's compelling, lyrical biography opens up Leonardo's life – from his beginnings as an illegitimate child in Tuscany to the creation of his great works and his final days – as never before. Delving into hidden corners of his manuscripts and unravelling years of myth and mystery, he brilliantly illuminates the man behind the enigma.