As the second episode of Leonardo begins, we see Leonardo da Vinci (Aidan Turner) locked away and flashbacks in between. Stefano Giraldi (Freddie Highmore) asks him about the pile of ashes outside his studio and the piece of a letter they found. Leonardo explains that the letter came from Father Pacioli and it is about the painting he made for the priest. When asked why they didn’t find any paintings or drawings of Caterina, Leonardo confesses that she got angry and burned them all. He isn’t sure why Caterina (Matilda De Angelis) was angry at him though. Leonardo admits Caterina never had the chance to explain before we jump ahead to her funeral when Stefano confronts Tommaso Masini (Alessandro Sperduti). Tommaso doesn’t think it is strange that Leonardo didn’t have any sketches of Caterina in his studio.

Giraldi introduces himself and says he is from Podesta Prison. Tommaso tries to leave, but Stefano threatens to finish the conversation at the Podesta Prison. They sit down before Tommaso calls Leonardo a mass of contradictions and difficult to understand. When asked about their friendship, Tommaso says nobody got closed to Leonardo. Although Caterina did, it might be the reason she died. Stefano asks if he believes Leonardo is capable of murder to which he responds Leonardo is capable of anything. Tommaso explains Leonardo’s genius is forged in pain which could drive a man to commit terrible acts. We jump back to the unveiling of Leonardo’s painting as he tries to follow Tommaso and Caterina out. He is stopped by Verrocchio (Giancarlo Giannini) who tells him his name is on everyone’s lips before Leonardo steps outside. Outside, he is confronted by Jacopo Saltarelli (Kit Clarke) who compliments his work.

Leonardo explains he paints what he sees and the angel’s face was a peasant boy he had seen earlier. Jacopo reveals he has modeled for all the artists in the city, and it would be an honor to model for Leonardo. They go back to Jacopo’s place and Leonardo looks at his sketches. He asks Leonardo if he has ever kissed a man before and whether he wants to now. Jacopo kisses him and Leonardo quickly repays the favor. An anonymous note is dropped off with the authorities before Jacopo’s property is raided and both men are taken to jail. In the morning, Caterina goes to Tommaso to accuse him of setting up Leonardo although Tommaso denies it. Before she leaves, she tells Tommaso he will never be half the man that Leonardo is. Then, she goes to the jail and leaves a note for Leonardo telling him not to be afraid. She also gives him paper so he can sketch some of the other inmates. Tornabuoni (Luca Guastini) approaches Leonardo and asks to see his sketches including the one of him.

He isn’t sure how long they’ll be there. Guards enter and prepare to take them away while Tornabuoni hides the sketch in his jacket. Caterina is in the courtroom while the charges are read to the defendants. They’re told sodomy is a sin and he won’t show leniency since God himself won’t. The defendants are named as Leonardo Tornabuoni, Bartolomeo di Pasquino, and Leonardo da Vinci. An important man enters with another and talks to the man in charge. Seconds later, the charges against the defendants are dismissed. Once they leave, Caterina and Leonardo agree it is odd that he was arrested just an hour after he arrived at Jacopo’s house. She calls him an innocent man, but Leonardo says otherwise and admits he awoke feelings in him. She says it is okay before asking him how he feels. Leonardo says he is frightened, confused, and grateful. He rushes off to the studio to try to square things with Verrocchio.

Once he arrives, Verrocchio admits people aren’t going to forget the accusations and it doesn’t help that his primary client is the church. He is concerned they won’t give him commissions if a man accused of sodomy is allowed to work on them. Tommaso listens from a distance as Leonardo says he’ll get his things and leave. As Leonardo leaves, he is given a letter which he quickly reads. Moments later, he meets with Amerigo Benci (Sergio Albelli) who is the director of the Medici Bank. Amerigo shows him the sketch of Leonardo Tornabuoni before revealing he is a cousin of the Medici. He has heard that Leonardo is exceptionally gifted and his work exceeds that of Verrocchio. He explains his daughter Ginevra (Poppy Gilbert) is going to be married and he wants to honor that with a portrait of her. Leonardo is introduced to his daughter.

Leonardo meets with Caterina and admits he has a problem because the portrait is supposed to be a happy one, but Ginevra isn’t happy at all. Caterina advises him to take his second chance, paint what he is asked, and don’t complicate things. Then, he reveals the Benci need a servant and they’ll pay twice as much as the candlemaker. She just needs to be there in the morning. They go to the Benci place together in the morning and Leonardo tries to get Ginevra to cooperate with him. She confesses she doesn’t want the portrait before learning it might take them a week or two to finish it. Ginevra complicates things for Leonardo when she decides to read a book. Meanwhile, Caterina through their belongings. Ginevra catches her looking through her book and learns she can read the words her father taught her. She offers to let her borrow it, but Caterina admits she’d rather borrow her gold than her books. She quickly apologizes and confesses her bluntness is a fault.

Ginevra learns her name before excusing her. Next, Leonardo visits his father Piero da Vinci (Robin Renucci) who knows about the scandal. Piero argues that his money was wasted getting Leonardo into Verrocchio’s classes although Leonardo denies it since he has been commissioned now. Leonardo asks his father to advance him funds to open his own workshop and he can repay him. When Leonardo is asked if he was guilty, he says no. Piero tells him to return tomorrow because he is having dinner with his family. Later that night, Caterina convinces Leonardo to get into bed with her before asking what is bothering him. He begins telling her about his earliest memory in his mother’s house outside Vinci and a bird swooping down and landing on his crib. His mom was a peasant girl and very superstitious so she was terrified and didn’t know what to do. He was taken to the old woman in the village who told his mom to take him away from Vinci because he is cursed.

He wondered if the curse meant he was supposed to be alone forever, but Caterina denies that. Leonardo was sent to live with his father who was a notary with no use of a bastard. One morning, his father gave him a gift before taking him to his grandfather’s place. Leonardo screamed as his father left without him and he was shut in the barn. He goes on to say his father lives in Florence with his new wife and son, and he spoke to him tonight. He tells her about the visit and his request before she tells him he is not alone anymore. The next day, Ginevra tells Leonardo she doesn’t want to smile because she is not happy. He explains the portrait is going to live beyond her. Leonardo asks how she’d like to be remembered and she responds that she wants to be known as an honest woman. Her attitude changes when she learns that Bernardo Bembo (Flavio Parenti) is outside. Caterina opens the door, lets him inside, and introduces herself.

Ginevra rushes down to ask Bernardo to rescue her now that she has been ordered to marry this awful man, but Bernardo says Luigi Niccolini (William Michael Roberts) is a generous man from a prosperous family. When Amerigo joins them, Bernardo reveals he has brought Ginevra a copy of Bruni’s translation of Aristotle’s Ethics. Bernardo is introduced to Leonardo briefly. Later, Leonardo is introduced to Father Bandelli by his father Piero. Leonardo learns that the monks of San Donato a Scopeto want to commission a painting on the Adoration of the Magi. Bandelli wants reassurance that the charges against Leonardo were baseless before Leonardo says he’d be honored to take this work. He is reminded of Rogier van der Weyden’s painting on the subject because it is Father Bandelli’s favorite. Leonardo is instructed to follow its composition exactly and he doesn’t put up an argument.

Once Bandelli leaves, Leonardo thanks his father for his support before his father informs him that his career will go nowhere without help from the church. He has arranged for Leonardo to use the stable next door and he’ll advance the cost of materials and wages. Leonardo promises he won’t disappoint his father before returning to Caterina who tells him how happy she is when they’re together. He asks her about the scar on her back. She finally admits she got it when she was 17 and walking when she got trampled by a carriage that came racing out of nowhere. She nearly bled to death and the physician said it was a miracle that she survived, but she can never bear children. Caterina confesses she came here to look for a better life and didn’t realize she’d be alone. She agrees she is not alone now. Next, Ginevra learns Leonardo is going to start with the landscape because the painting must have mystery to possess beauty.

He tells her it is a juniper tree like her name. He goes on to say it is a traditional symbol of virtue. She admits he is clever although she isn’t sure he’ll ever be able to paint the truth because her father is paying for it and he refuses to see the truth. Alfonso (Andrew Knott) tells Tommaso he can’t show his sculpture to Verrocchio because it is crude and he expects better from a first apprentice. Then, he learns that Leonardo got a commission and Marco and Giulio are going to be working with him. Leonardo shows them what he intends to do before telling Giulio not to worry about Joseph because he is going to model him after someone he knows. Amerigo gives a toast to his daughter and Luigi. Work continues on the Magi commission and Ginevra’s painting. Late one night, Leonardo watches as his father hangs out with his other son. Then, his father tells him that the Abbot will return in four days to inspect his progress. When his father leaves, we see that Leonardo has been sketching his father’s face.

Meanwhile, Ginevra asks for Caterina. When she arrives, she asks her about being able to read. She gives her the book while saying she believes she’ll find that Ovid enriches the mind more than gold. Ginevra argues it’ll give her something to talk about with Bernardo who is smitten with her now. Although Caterina says she is only a servant, Ginevra says she is far too bright to only be a servant. Leonardo leads Ginevra just a day before her wedding and shows her the finished painting. He explains she is seated at an angle because it creates depth before she says she is speechless because he has painted her as she is. He admits he sees the pain of his own when he looks into her eyes. Leonardo admits the leaves in her hands are drawn from Bernardo’s crest because he brings her joy. She tells him she is so proud to have sat for him. Then, Leonardo shows the painting to the Abbot. He claims the painting is a mess before leaving in a hurry. Leonardo’s father tells him that he lost the commission.

Leonardo promises to pay his father back when Benci pays him. His father admits he was a mistake and the consequence of drinking too much wine that evening. Leonardo lashes out at him while saying he gave him nothing and made him feel like nothing. Piero says he knew he’d always be nothing, but Leonardo responses that nobody should be left alone. Piero recites what the old woman said about his son being cursed. Next, Amerigo takes Leonardo to the painting and says he should’ve told him what he was doing. Leonardo asks what he has done before Amerigo tells him there were already rumors about Bernardo sleeping with his daughter. The painting has been cut in half and Amerigo is adamant that Leonardo will not be paid for this. When Leonardo leaves, he returns to Caterina who reveals she is going to be Bernardo’s mistress. She is going to travel with him while he provides for her family, but that means Leonardo is likely going to be alone.

He says he is happy for her before lying about both paintings being successes. He says he has had an offer from Ludovico Sforza (James D’Arcy) and will be opening a studio in Milan. Tommaso visits Leonardo and learns he has painted himself and his father in the painting for the monks. Leonardo confesses he overreached and tried to add too many ideas into a single piece before Tommaso admits he turned him into the Podesta when he was with Saltarelli. Leonardo already knew because Tommaso wanted his place, and he isn’t mad anymore because he did him a favor in some ways. Tommaso pleads with him to take him to Milan with him. We jump forward as Stefano asks Tommaso what he learned from Leonardo. Tommaso says more than he wanted to know about ruthlessness. He argues that Leonardo is indeed cursed. Stefano returns to Leonardo to learn that he did not confess to the murder. He says the sky is not blue and is actually every color of the rainbow.

Stefano tells him about Tommaso saying he thinks he is capable of murder and seems to pity him. Leonardo calls the curse nonsense. Stefano goes on and on until Leonardo finally admits the old woman said he would destroy what he loves.

 

Leonardo Review

Leonardo is ambitious but perhaps a bit misguided as the story hasn’t really defined its purpose. While it is fun getting to learn more about Leonardo and his history, the story might’ve gone a bit too far with the artist being locked away and accused of murder. Despite being a bit aimless, the episode had at least one excellent moment when Ginevra de Benci was allowed to see the finished portrait.

It was an uplifting moment that made it all worthwhile until Leonardo proceeded to get crapped on by her father, the priest, and his father. Leonardo has me torn because it has the potential to transform into a gripping drama, but it hasn’t reached that point yet. I am still waiting and hopeful that the series will become something special in the next few episodes.

The second episode was slightly better than the first but still hasn’t managed to elevate the show past mediocrity. It scores a 7 out of 10. All recaps of Leonardo will be available on Reel Mockery here.