Nice way to see DaVinci personally

Last week, we finished reading the Second Mrs Gioconda, which was written by E.L. Konigsburg. This book was published in 1975, by Atheneum Books, and has a total of 140 pages. As a reader, this book both intrigued me and confused me. Its genre is historical fiction, but with a hint of art and literature from the Renaissance. I would rate this book four out of five stars, and my reasoning is in the paragraphs below.

Our story begins in the Renaissance city state of Milan. A young boy is picking pockets and purses in the streets. His name is Salai, and he is very sneaky. In an attempt to cut a purse from a man, he is caught “red-handed” by Leonardo da Vinci. After some scolding, the young thief is offered an apprenticeship opportunity from the world famous artist. Following consultation with his father, Salai starts his apprenticeship position. He is tasked with helping da Vinci with a number of tasks, including planning festivities, and providing advice. While doing so, he meets people in court, such as Duchess Beatrice d’Este and Duke Ludovico. As well, he travels with the Master to a variety of places, including the University of Pavia.

At first, the story was a little hard to grasp. Chapter 1 was a preview of what was going to be in the following pages, but I didn’t realize that until after the chapter. Personally, I really admire how E.L. Konigsburg brought Leonardo da Vinci into the story. He was a major Renaissance figure, and incorporating him into the story was neat. Another thing I really enjoyed about this novel was the fact that the author tried immersing readers in Renaissance culture. While reading about the wedding festivities, I felt as if I was really there. The use of foods such as Anise comfits, and traditions like arranged marriage also made this novel more enjoyable. In this story, Salai, Leonardo da Vinci, Duke Ludovico, and Beatrice d’Este can all be considered protagonists. A character that may be thought of as an antagonist is Isabella d’Este (Beatrice’s sister). For the majority of the story, the point of view is the narrator’s. At some points in the story, the point of view is Salai’s.

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone wanting a good, historical read. However, if you are not a fan of paintings, romance, and Renaissance literature, I would not advise you to read this book. In my opinion, in order to fully appreciate this piece of writing, you might want to re-read a couple of chapters. Each chapter leads to the next. On the other hand, there is a lot of suspense in this book, as well as unexpected events. When you read this novel, you will gain admiration for some characters and dislike others. Enjoy the book!

My kids loved Salai and really the whole story. This was a school read aloud. The fact that Ill Moro cheated on his wife repeatedly was done in a way my younger kids thankfully did not understand.

Leonardo da Vinci a dedicat trei ani din viață unei picturi înfățișând-o pe madonna Lisa, a două soție a unui negustor oarecare, în timp ce regi și nobili de seama din Europa îl implorau să le facă un portret. Numai o povestitoare desăvârșită că E.L. Konigsburg, de două ori câștigătoare a medaliei Newbery, poate dezlega misterul celei mai faimoase picturi a tuturor timpurilor.
Cel mai mare artist al Renașterii: Leonardo da Vinci. Salai, un ucenic cu trecut de pungaș. Beatrice d’Este, o tânăra ducesa iubitoare de artă. Felul complex în care se intersectează aceste trei vieți ar putea fi cheia enigmaticului surâs al Mona Lisei.
Fiul unui cizmar sărac, Salai este un tăietor prins în flagrant de stăpân, a cărui înțelegere și chip îi confundă cu mâna și fața lui Dumnezeu. Leonardo îl ia ca ucenic, fără taxă, și practic ca servitor. Salai rămâne un ticălos care trece de la furturi mărunte la vânzarea schițelor stăpânului său și mai târziu la vânzarea publicului său.

This was a nice light read. Nothing more, nothing less.

Cute. Easy to read.

Based on the facts of Leonardo da Vinci's life, this story spins a tale of how Mona Lisa could have come to be.

Could be used with study of the Renaissance, Leonardo da Vinci or painting. Classroom library as well for 4th through 6th grade.

A wonderful little book!

This was the very definition of an impulse read. It came to my attention that Ioved this book when I was a child. Curious, I picked up this very short book to remind myself why I had liked it so much.

And what a delight! This slim novel was a lot of fun. I loved the characters most. From Salai to Beatrice and even Leonardo himself. In just a few penstrokes, they completely came to life. I liked how realistic the story felt, and the ways that both Salai and Beatrice grew up over the years. It was sweet to see how their bond remained special through it all.

It might not satisfy the curiosity for a full story about the Mona Lisa herself, per say, but it answers the question of why Leonardo painted her, and it does so in such a unique and surprising way. And even though the writing style is very much for children, I enjoyed it as both a kid and an adult.

The Second Mrs. Gioconda / E.L. Konigsburg
Simon and Schuster: 1975, 140 pages
YA Historical Fiction
A journey embarked after a surprising encounter between Leonardo da Vinci his peasant and a duchess, paved way to the creation of the Mona Lisa. With a creative twist, Konigsburg brings history to life answering this very mystery.

When Salai, a skilled thief, is discovered by the arguably best artist of his time, Leonardo da Vinci, he is quickly taken as an apprentice in 1490 Milan, Italy. Salai soon becomes accustomed to a life observing the royal court and mentally supporting his master. An integral part of the plot is their encounter with the Duchess Beatrice d’Este as Salai and her share their parallel affection for mischief. Beatrice also says Leonardo “needs a wild element…[a]ll great art needs it; something that leaps and fickers (page 95)” when she begs her friend to stay with da Vinci. The relationships depicted in Salai’s story are constantly growing, even through times of darkness and despair.
tThe Second Mrs. Gioconda really gives the reader a chance to experience a world without technology. Based upon diary entries, it gives insight on the Renaissance and the reasoning behind Leonardo’s questioning decisions. By incorporating humour and emotion in this piece, it makes it fascinating to read. I genuinely recommend this book to someone looking for a creative way to learn about a period of art. However, the only comment I would make is that there were some unnecessary contributions to the plot, such as when they were in the “shop of the silversmith (page 64)”. My reasoning behind this is because there was no clear plot or character development. Other than that, I enjoyed reading this novel.
tUltimately, I think that this is a good book to read and students learning about the Renaissance would especially benefit from it. Characters such as Leonardo da Vinci and Salai, were given such unique personalities that it further supported the intentions of the novel. The writing style is appropriate, but it could improve with more complex vocabulary. Overall, this book features an intriguing plot that makes the Mona Lisa, more than a piece of history.

A book about Leonardo's assistant (NOT a book about the Mona Lisa, anyone who wrote that didn't actually read the book), could be used in an art class. This book suffers the same fate as movies with a misleading trailer. Folks go to the movie theater expecting one thing, and then leave dissatisfied and unhappy because they didn't get it. Good movies have died at the box office for just this reason, and I think this book falls into that category because of misleading dust jacket.

This is the story of Leonardo's personal assistant Salai, and the dynamics of his relationship with his employer from the first day when Salai tried to steal Leonardo's purse, to the day Mona Lisa walks into their studio. It is NOT NOT NOT about Mona Lisa. Leonardo wrote about Salai a little in his notes, is thought to have sketched him one (the sketch is included) and left him a house in his will, all of this was in spite of the fact that he describes Salai as a thief and a scoundrel. The author apparently wondered why, and this story is the answer to her own question... and incidentally it's about the Mona Lisa

The book's cover, and its title, promise to answer the question of who was Mona Lisa, and why did Leonardo painted her.... and it does, but only in the last 3 pages so that when you're 3/4's through you begin to wonder if it will ever happen. By the final page Leonardo has not met her yet, just Salai, who knows that his master will want to paint her and why... in other words, everything up until that point is a set up and as a result, the book feels unresolved. We get a mild sense of Leonardo and of the period, a sense of the wars between France and the city states of Italy.... but mostly the book is about Salai.

So, when handing this book to a student say, "this book is about Salai, the personal assistant of Leonardo, and you will learn a bit about Leonardo and about Italy. Ignore the emphasis on Mona Lisa on the cover, that's just the sales pitch to get you to buy the book."

Some of E.L. Konigsburg's finest novels debuted in the 1970s. Featuring witty, assertive main characters and original plot ideas, these books were a cut above most of their peers, and The Second Mrs. Giaconda may be Ms. Konigsburg's most intriguing concept from that decade. It takes us back to 1490s Milan, Italy to explore perhaps the biggest mystery of the Renaissance: why did Leonardo da Vinci paint the Mona Lisa, arguably the greatest piece of art ever made? The model for it was the plain-looking wife of an ordinary Florentine merchant. Important men across Europe clamored for Leonardo to immortalize their wives on canvas, yet he saved his utmost creative passion for a portrait that offered limited profitability and notoriety. In this book, we discover a possible answer as to why.

Gian Giacomo de' Caprotti, called Salai, is a ten-year-old pickpocket when Leonardo accepts him as an apprentice. Salai shows no artistic promise, yet vaults to prominence among Leonardo's apprentices. The master loves the boy's sense of mirth and irreverence, his cleverness if not his artistic vision. When Leonardo's patron, Duke Ludovico Maria Sforza (known as Il Moro), becomes entangled in a pledge to marry the second daughter of the Duke of Ferrara, Salai meets this daughter and the two form a fast friendship. Beatrice is not physically attractive like her elder sister Isabella, but Isabella is promised to another noble, so Il Moro has to settle for Beatrice. Il Moro can't be bothered to tend to her with any regularity, but Salai finds Beatrice to be an intelligent companion whose opinions on art and philosophy equal those of any renowned critic. Leonardo, a genius of artistic and scientific advancement, turns to Beatrice as a worthy partner for conversation, and his esteem causes Il Moro to take a second look at his homely wife. Perhaps she is a spouse to be proud of after all.

Salai revels in his own relationship with Beatrice, but their time together dwindles as Il Moro grows to love his wife and treat her as a valued member of his household. Salai now only interacts with her during brief conversations on the street, little more than hasty exchanges of greeting. In the meantime, Salai secretly uses his association with Leonardo to earn extra income for his father and sister, who live in poverty. He occasionally swipes unfinished sketches by the master and sells them to artists, who then create inferior versions of Leonardo originals. The master scarcely notices, if he does at all, and Salai progresses to selling in-person meetings with Leonardo, a privilege that Italy's richest pay good money for. Salai's family won't go hungry as long as he's capitalizing on Leonardo's reputation. In those rare moments over the years when Salai is able to visit Beatrice, he learns she hasn't lost her mischievous humor and knack for appraising art, and her commentary on Leonardo's new pieces provide Salai a fresh take on his master's work. Beatrice has had a decent life as Il Moro's wife, but his original tepidness returns when another woman captures his fancy, and Beatrice's declining years are not destined to be happy. Salai cherishes her, as does Leonardo, but the master won't express his feelings in any way common to man. He has a grander tribute in store for Beatrice, seizing his opportunity to link her to his legacy as a demigod among artists. Even Salai will agree the master has done justice to their friend.

The creative zeal and wide-ranging erudition of the Renaissance coalesce in Beatrice, whose mind is wondrous even as her face excites no suitor. She is not ugly, merely plain, which may be worse for attracting a man of prestige to seek her hand in marriage. Compared to Isabella's comeliness, Beatrice is a severe downgrade, but she is the one that any man of substance would wish to call his life partner. She grasps the nuances of Leonardo's staggering genius as few can, a fact made evident in her critique of the horse sculpture he worked on for a decade as a commission for Emperor Maximilian of the Holy Roman Empire. Salai is impressed by the twenty-six-foot high sculpture, but Beatrice privately shares with him her disappointment. "(Leonardo) needs a wild element," she says. "All great art needs it: something that leaps and flickers. Some artists can put that wild element into the treatment itself, but Leonardo cannot. He is too self-conscious. When he has an important commission from an important client on an important subject, he ties up all his instincts. He strives, not to let himself go, but to be perfect." Beatrice points to the raw outline the master has started on his wall painting for a group of monks, a work that will become The Last Supper. Even in its roughest stage, it contains an unencumbered passion that Maximilian's horse bears none of. An artistic genius must let his instincts run free, yet temper the wildness with discipline if the end result is to stand the test of time. The admixture is one that not even Leonardo da Vinci always gets right, but is present in every transcendent work of art.

When Salai shows Beatrice The Last Supper close to completion, she recognizes its import. "No one who sees this will ever be free of Leonardo's vision. From this time on every painter of the Last Supper will be a follower. No one...can see this painting and be but different for having seen it." When an artist like Leonardo creates a definitive masterpiece of its type, the anxiety of influence bleeds down through the centuries, coloring the perception of every artist so that even the best work of that type is, subconsciously, an attempt to recreate the original. Lasting anxiety of influence is the ultimate measure of greatness, and this is what Beatrice predicts for Leonardo and The Last Supper. Most consumers of high art will never know who she was, but Beatrice is inextricably entwined with Leonardo's excellence.

The Second Mrs. Giaconda is a novel of depth and character, one I can only imagine coming from E.L. Konigsburg. The ending could have been more emotionally resonant, so I'll go with a two-and-a-half-star rating, but I'm rounding up to three. Salai and Beatrice are fully realized characters, brimming with the energy of life; Leonardo is as distant and enigmatic as history says, a strong depiction of one of the remarkable individuals in the human record. There are E.L. Konigsburg novels I prefer to The Second Mrs. Giaconda, but if you want a taste of her unique storytelling style, this one is a good option. It was no accident that Ms. Konigsburg won two Newbery Medals in her career.