The uncanny

Leonardo da Vinci fascinated Freud primarily because he was keen to know why his personality was so incomprehensible to his contemporaries.

In his biographical essay on da Vinci, included in this volume, he deconstructs both his character and the nature of his genius.

As ever, many of his exploratory adventures lead to the subject's sexuality - why did da Vinci depict the naked human body the way he did?

What of his tendency to surround himself with handsome young boys that he took on as his pupils?

Intriguing and often contentious, this volume contains some of Freud's best writing.