Overview

The archetypal ?Renaissance man?, Leonardo da Vinci?s genius expressed itself in almost every area of life. Best known now for his wonderful, evocative paintings, he was also a skilled scientist, engineer and architect, although many of his designs were not realized in his lifetime. The first part of this fascinating book contains an exploration of Leonardo?s life. Beginning with his birth in the small Italian village of Vinci in 1452, it details his childhood, early career, influences and relationships. Leonardo completed an apprenticeship with Andrea del Verrocchio in Florence, then moved to Milan, where he was commissioned to paint several portraits, and began a study of human proportions that would lead him to create one of the most iconic images of the Renaissance era, his ?Vitruvian Man?. In 1495, Leonardo began work on a vast fresco, the Last Supper. Even before it was completed, it was hailed as a work of genius. Although famed for his paintings, he often left them unfinished in his eagerness to pursue his other interests. He continued to study human and animal anatomy and the natural world, as well as designing buildings and bridges. Around 1503, he created his masterpiece, the Mona Lisa, one of the most famous paintings in the world. The second part of the book contains a gallery of over 300 of Leonardo?s major paintings, drawings and designs. These superb reproductions are accompanied by analysis of each artwork and its significance within the context of his life, his technique and his body of work as a whole. This comprehensive new book is an essential volume for anyone who wants to learn more about this intriguing man, and to survey his greatest works in one beautifully illustrated collection.

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9780754823261

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Rosalind Ormiston is a researcher, lecturer and author with a wide range of interests in art, architecture and design history. Since 2002 she has been a lecturer in art and architectural history at Kingston University, London with a specialist field of Renaissance Italy. She writes for academic publications and consumer periodicals. Published work includes The Colour Source Book (2007), Alphonse Mucha: Masterworks (2008) and Art Deco: The Golden Age of Graphic Art and Illustration (2008).

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