Leonardo´s horse by Jean Fritz.

Fritz’s narrative opens as Leonardo da Vinci earns a commission from the duke of Milan to create a sculpture to honor the duke’s father a bronze horse three times larger than life. Though this creative genius spent years on the project, he died without realizing his dream and, writes Fritz, “It was said that even on his deathbed, Leonardo wept for his horse.” The author then fast-forwards to 1977: an American named Charles Dent vows to create the sculpture and make it a gift from the American people to the residents of Italy. How his goal was accomplished (alas, posthumously) makes for an intriguing tale that Fritz deftly relays. An inventive introduction to the Renaissance and one of its masters. From Home School Share, where you can find more information.

See how it happened in real life:

Learn more about Leonardo at DaVinci Science Center.