Leslie Geddes

Leslie Geddes is an Assistant Professor of Art History at Tulane University, specializing in Italian Renaissance and Baroque art and architecture. Her research explores the intersection of art and science, focusing on how early modern artists, architects, and engineers observed and manipulated nature. Her notable work includes Watermarks: Leonardo da Vinci and the Mastery of Nature (2020), which examines Leonardo’s hydraulic engineering alongside artistic practices. She is currently researching the role of mechanical instruments and art theory in early modern cartography (1580–1640).

Her academic achievements include prestigious fellowships such as the Robert Lehman Fellowship at Villa I Tatti, a Huntington Library Short-Term Fellowship, and support from the Newberry Library. These grants have enabled her to advance projects like Weapons of Atlas: The Art and Science of Early Modern Cartography.

Geddes has contributed reviews to Renaissance Quarterly and Renaissance and Reformation, critiquing works on Leonardo da Vinci’s artistic and scientific methodologies. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges art history with technical studies of Renaissance engineering and environmental representation.