King earns another recognition

Former North Portal resident Ross King has earned another recognition for his book, “Leonardo and the Last Supper.”

King is one of five authors shortlisted for the 2013 Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction, presented by RBC Wealth Management. The announcement was made on January 9.

"'Leonardo and The Last Supper' is the latest in Ross King's studies of medieval Italian masters from Machiavelli to Brunelleschi to, now, the grand master of all, Leonardo da Vinci,” stated the jury citation.

“The Last Supper is the most famous painting in the world, excepting only for another by the same painter, the Mona Lisa, and it is the painting that raised da Vinci from the status of a highly promising but exasperatingly unproductive painter, to the rank of the greatest artistic genius of all time.

“'Leonardo and The Last Supper' is a masterly exercise in the art of popular biography.”

King was born in Estevan and raised in North Portal. Late last year, he was recognized with the Governor General's Medal for Non-Fiction for “Leonardo and the Last Supper.” It's the second time he has won the Governor General's Award.

This year marks the 12th awarding of the Charles Taylor Prize, which is Canada's most prestigious award for non-fiction. The winner of the $25,000 prize will be announced at a gala luncheon and awards ceremony in Toronto on Monday, March 4.

The prize commemorates Taylor's life and work. He was one of Canada's foremost essayists and a prominent member of the Canadian literary community. Taylor was a foreign correspondent with The Globe and Mail and the author of four books.

It is awarded annually to the author whose book best combines a superb command of the English language, an elegance of style, and a subtlety of thought and perception.