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Chiaroscuro (comics)
Encyclopedia
Chiaroscuro: The Private Lives of Leonardo da Vinci is a Vertigo comic book
limited series
published from 1995
to 1996
, which was later repackaged in 2005
as a single volume
. The series was written by Pat McGreal and David Rawson and illustrated by Chaz Truog and Rafael Kayanan
. The original series covers were done by Stephen John Philips and Richard Bruning
.
, Chiaroscuro narrates the life of Leonardo da Vinci
from the point of view of Gian Giacomo Caprotti da Oreno (almost exclusively called Salai in the story), a beautiful young man Leonardo
adopted as a boy. It shows the influence of their relationship on Leonardo's life and work. In characterizing Salai as scheming, ambitious and selfish, the novel posits that several events in Leonardos's life occurred at least partly because of his manipulations.
The work also speculates a possible homosexual relationship
between Leonardo and Salai. Salai is clearly depicted to have had homosexual
relations with Leonardo's main rival, Michelangelo
and Ludovico Sforza
's captain, Sanseverino, while anything occurring between him and Leonardo is simply implied. It is clear, however, that Leonardo used him as a model
for his artwork. The relationship between Salai and Leonardo is often tumultuous, culminating with Salai betraying Leonardo by serving as the model
for Michelangelo
's David.
Chiaroscuro
is an art term meaning the play of light and dark in a work.
from 1995 to 1996 before being collected as a trade paperback
in 2005. It was nominated for the Eisner Award
in 1996 for Best Limited Series.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
limited series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
published from 1995
1995 in comics
-January:*After Xavier: The Age of Apocalypse is launched. All X-titles change to different names for the next four months.* Thor marks his 400th appearance in Marvel Comics with issue #482....
to 1996
1996 in comics
-Year overall:* Malcolm Jones III commits suicide at circa age 37.* Boody Rogers, creator of Sparky Watts, dies at c. age 92-January:* January 19: Bernard Baily, co-creator of The Spectre and Hourman, dies at age 79.* January 28:...
, which was later repackaged in 2005
2005 in comics
- January :* January 3: Will Eisner, creator of The Spirit, dies at age 87.-April:*April 13:**DC Comics announces the discontinuation of its Humanoids and 2000 A.D. titles....
as a single volume
Trade paperback (comics)
In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
. The series was written by Pat McGreal and David Rawson and illustrated by Chaz Truog and Rafael Kayanan
Rafael Kayanan
Rafael Kayanan is a Filipino-born naturalised American comic book artist and Filipino Martial Arts master in the Sayoc Kali system.-Biography:...
. The original series covers were done by Stephen John Philips and Richard Bruning
Richard Bruning
Richard Bruning is an American graphic designer and comics creator who is currently the Senior Vice-President-Creative Director of DC Comics.-Biography:...
.
Plot
A work of historical fictionHistorical fiction
Historical fiction tells a story that is set in the past. That setting is usually real and drawn from history, and often contains actual historical persons, but the principal characters tend to be fictional...
, Chiaroscuro narrates the life of Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was an Italian Renaissance polymath: painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist and writer whose genius, perhaps more than that of any other figure, epitomized the Renaissance...
from the point of view of Gian Giacomo Caprotti da Oreno (almost exclusively called Salai in the story), a beautiful young man Leonardo
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was an Italian Renaissance polymath: painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist and writer whose genius, perhaps more than that of any other figure, epitomized the Renaissance...
adopted as a boy. It shows the influence of their relationship on Leonardo's life and work. In characterizing Salai as scheming, ambitious and selfish, the novel posits that several events in Leonardos's life occurred at least partly because of his manipulations.
The work also speculates a possible homosexual relationship
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
between Leonardo and Salai. Salai is clearly depicted to have had homosexual
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
relations with Leonardo's main rival, Michelangelo
Michelangelo
Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni , commonly known as Michelangelo, was an Italian Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, poet, and engineer who exerted an unparalleled influence on the development of Western art...
and Ludovico Sforza
Ludovico Sforza
Ludovico Sforza , was Duke of Milan from 1489 until his death. A member of the Sforza family, he was the fourth son of Francesco Sforza. He was famed as a patron of Leonardo da Vinci and other artists, and presided over the final and most productive stage of the Milanese Renaissance...
's captain, Sanseverino, while anything occurring between him and Leonardo is simply implied. It is clear, however, that Leonardo used him as a model
Model (art)
Art models are models who pose for photographers, painters, sculptors, and other artists as part of their work of art. Art models who pose in the nude for life drawing are usually called life models...
for his artwork. The relationship between Salai and Leonardo is often tumultuous, culminating with Salai betraying Leonardo by serving as the model
Model (art)
Art models are models who pose for photographers, painters, sculptors, and other artists as part of their work of art. Art models who pose in the nude for life drawing are usually called life models...
for Michelangelo
Michelangelo
Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni , commonly known as Michelangelo, was an Italian Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, poet, and engineer who exerted an unparalleled influence on the development of Western art...
's David.
Chiaroscuro
Chiaroscuro
Chiaroscuro in art is "an Italian term which literally means 'light-dark'. In paintings the description refers to clear tonal contrasts which are often used to suggest the volume and modelling of the subjects depicted"....
is an art term meaning the play of light and dark in a work.
Inspiration
- Chaz Truog's official website mentions that Chiaroscuro was inspired by AmadeusAmadeus (film)Amadeus is a 1984 period drama film directed by Miloš Forman and written by Peter Shaffer. Adapted from Shaffer's stage play Amadeus, the story is based loosely on the lives of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri, two composers who lived in Vienna, Austria, during the latter half of the...
and Immortal BelovedImmortal Beloved (film)Immortal Beloved is a 1994 film about the life of composer Ludwig van Beethoven . The story follows Beethoven's secretary and first biographer Anton Schindler as he attempts to ascertain the true identity of the Unsterbliche Geliebte addressed in three letters found in the late composer's private...
.
Works of art
The following works by da Vinci were also depicted in the story:- Mona LisaMona LisaMona Lisa is a portrait by the Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci. It is a painting in oil on a poplar panel, completed circa 1503–1519...
- The Last SupperThe Last Supper (Leonardo)The Last Supper is a 15th century mural painting in Milan created by Leonardo da Vinci for his patron Duke Ludovico Sforza and his duchess Beatrice d'Este...
- St John the BaptistSt. John the Baptist (Leonardo)St. John the Baptist is an oil painting on walnut wood by the artist Leonardo da Vinci. Completed from 1513 to 1516, when the High Renaissance was metamorphosing into Mannerism, it is believed to be his last painting. The original size of the work was 69x57 cm. It is now exhibited at the Musée du...
- Vitruvian ManVitruvian ManThe Vitruvian Man is a world-renowned drawing created by Leonardo da Vinci circa 1487. It is accompanied by notes based on the work of the famed architect, Vitruvius. The drawing, which is in pen and ink on paper, depicts a male figure in two superimposed positions with his arms and legs apart and...
- The Battle of AnghiariThe Battle of Anghiari (painting)The Battle of Anghiari is a lost painting by Leonardo da Vinci at times referred to as "The Lost Leonardo", which some commentators believe to be still hidden beneath later frescoes in the Hall of Five Hundred in the Palazzo Vecchio, Florence...
- several vignettes and images from his notebooks, diaries and sketches
Publication history
Chiarocuro was originally published in serial formSerial (literature)
In literature, a serial is a publishing format by which a single large work, most often a work of narrative fiction, is presented in contiguous installments—also known as numbers, parts, or fascicles—either issued as separate publications or appearing in sequential issues of a single periodical...
from 1995 to 1996 before being collected as a trade paperback
Trade paperback (comics)
In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
in 2005. It was nominated for the Eisner Award
Eisner Award
The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, and sometimes referred to as the Oscar Awards of the Comics Industry, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books. The Eisner Awards were first conferred in 1988, created in response to the...
in 1996 for Best Limited Series.
Collected editions
- Chiaroscuro: The Private Lives of Leonardo da Vinci (trade paperbackTrade paperback (comics)In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
collects issues 1-10, October 2005, ISBN 1-4012-0498-8)