Exhibition: Leonardo da Vinci (1452 – 1519) Date: October 24, 2019 to February 24, 2020 Venue: the Louvre museum The text below is the excerpt of the book Gay Art, written by James Smalls , published by Parkstone International. Leonardo has long been considered the epitome of the universal genius for his achievements in the arts and sciences. He is, along with Michelangelo, the most written-about figure of the Italian Renaissance. Many writers and scholars have taken a keen interest in Leonardo’s sexual orientation and its effects on his artistic and scientific works. Interpreters of Leonardo’s art and life have used fragmentary notebook jottings, his choice of shop assistants, the androgyny of some of…