Giants of History presents Leonardo da Vinci, episode number two.

Welcome to Giants of History and thank you for joining us. Poor is the pupil who does not surpass his master.

Leonardo da Vinci.

One of Leonardo's earliest works as a painter, which would have been when he was around the age of 22, is a painting that is now lost to history.

It only exists in the form of the story that is told about it.

Some doubt if this painting ever existed at all.

But the story that is told by Vassari, who was again one of Leonardo's earliest biographers,

contained so many details that most believe there is some credence to it.

It goes.

One day, while Leonardo's father, Piero, was at his own house in the country, one of his farm workers came and paid him a visit.

The peasant farm worker had cut down a fig tree, and from the wood of the trunk had made a circular shield called a Ratello.

He came to see Piero to ask him if the next time that he was in Florence on business,

if he would find someone who could potentially paint the shield for him.

This farm worker was very valuable to Piero as he was, quote, very adept at snaring birds and catching fish,

which was important to Piero from a food source standpoint while he was in the country.

Piero very much wanted to keep this man happy.

Thus he of course stated he would take the shield to the city and find someone to paint it for him.

Piero brought the shield to Leonardo the next time that he was in Florence and he asked

him if he could take on the small project.

Leonardo apparently looked upon the shield with contempt as it was, quote, warped and crudely

made, end quote.

But he accepted the project for his father and he went to work.

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