BOOK REVIEW: The Last Leonardo: The Secret Lives of the World's Most Expensive Painting

For all of you artists, lovers of art or folks who just like an intriguing story . . . this may be of interest!

I have been reading a book entitled: The Last Leonardo: The Secret Lives of the World's Most Expensive Painting by art critic, historian and writer, Ben Lewis.

In this fascinating account, Lewis traces the intriguing story of the last known painting by Leonardo da Vinci called the Salvator Mundi. This painting which once sold in 1958 for 45 pounds and in 2017 sold for 450 million dollars.

Towards the end of the book, the author speculates on the future value of art. At the time of publishing, NFT's were still not a "thing". He does point out how there has been a major paradigm shift globally in attitudes toward art, collectors and patrons. It will be interesting to see in the coming years as a digital world begins to dominate where a lot of these issues land.

Rating: 5 out 5 stars *****

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? #10 ~ PAUL SPILSBURY

Next up in my, "Where Are They Now" series is speaker, author, professor, artist and Prairie alum, Paul Spilsbury.

Paul Spilsbury is the Academic Dean and Professor of New Testament at Regent College and holds a PhD in early Christian and Jewish history and literature from the University of Cambridge.

Paul’s teaching and research interests include New Testament studies, the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, and Christian thinkers from the first few Christian centuries. 

Paul has authored two books, The Image of the Jew in Flavius Josephus’ Paraphrase of the Bible (Mohr Siebeck, 1998), and The Throne, the Lamb and the Dragon: A Reader’s Guide to the Book of Revelation (InterVarsity, 2002). He is co-author of Judean Antiquities 8–10: Translation and Commentary (Brill, 2005), and Judean Antiquities 11: Translation and Commentary (Brill, 2017); has published numerous book chapters, articles, and reviews; and has travelled extensively throughout the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries associated with the ancient church. He is also a frequent speaker at churches, retreats, and conferences.

In addition to his academic pursuits, Paul is also a talented artist. Much of his art has been displayed in galleries in addition to it being for sale. Check it out!

Paul is married to Bronwyn (also a Prairie alum) and they have two sons, Elliot and Oliver.

GIVE JESUS A HAND

 

Coming soon . . . 

Where Are They Now? #9 ~ Daniel Coleman

Daniel Coleman

Next up in my, "Where Are They Now" series I am featuring, writer, professor, former classmate and PHS alum, Daniel Coleman.

Daniel Coleman was born and raised the child of Canadian missionary parents in Ethiopia, an experience he has written about in The Scent of Eucalyptus: A Missionary Childhood in Ethiopia, perhaps his most well known book. "Engaging and thought-provoking." says the Globe and Mail. Another reviewer notes: "Daniel Coleman's vivid memoir of Ethiopia has relevance for today's NGOs ... Fascinating ... Coleman vividly relives emotions as well as sensations and reveals his own spiritual struggles." ― FFWD

Daniel moved to the Canadian prairies in the 1980s and completed his PhD in Canadian Literature at the University of Alberta in 1995. He went on to publish scholarly books on Canadian immigrant writing. Since 1997, he has lived in Hamilton, Ontario, where he teaches Canadian Literature at McMaster University.