Legendary documentary filmmaker Ken Burns is famous for his deep dives into topics of American history, ranging from the American Revolution, Benjamin Franklin, the Civil War, and the history of baseball, to name just a few.  Now Burns is delving into the fascinating life of 15th century genius Leonardo da Vinci, examining his life and his numerous roles as a draftsman, painter, and scientist.

Leonardo da Vinci’s Fetus in utero\ (ca 1511). Fetus in Utero by Leonardo da Vinci. Circa 1511. Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III, 2024 / Bridgeman Images.

This venture marks the first time the director has tackled a subject that is not American. The film, which is divided into two, two-hour segments was co-written by his daughter Sarah Burns along with Dave McMahon, and was directed and produced by all three. Leonardo’s many notable achievements are explored via close examination and analysis of his prolific personal notebooks alongside accounts of his life and on-camera interviews with leading scholars, contemporary artists, engineers, and some famous fans like biographer Walter Isaacson and filmmaker Guillermo del Toro.

Leonardo da Vinci, Compositional Sketches for the Virgin Adoring the Christ Child, with and without the Infant St. John the Baptist (ca 1480). Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Leonardo da Vinci also marks a departure from Burns’s traditional filmmaking style, in which a pan or zoom added in post-production across a still image gives the illusion of movement.  That style of filmmaking has become so closely associated with his material that it has garnered his own filter in iMovie software as what else? “The Ken Burns effect,” of course. However, here, the filmmakers use split screens with images, videos, and sound effects from a range of time periods to highlight da Vinci’s many achievements through his artistic and scientific explorations, along with the original music commission from celebrated composer Caroline Shaw. It creates a compelling effect and new stylistic approach for the iconic documentarian. This week, Burns joins me to discuss the endlessly revelatory and fascinating life of Leonardo.

—Eileen Kinsella