Shop Blog > Recommendation > Leonardo da Vinci, 1452-1519: Sketches and Drawings
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Leonardo da Vinci, 1452-1519: Sketches and Drawings
- Taschen
- 2006
- 420566Rank
- $8.00
- See details at Amazon
- Write an introduction
A nice collection of The Genius' drawings
Very little text, a lot of drawings. If you're looking for analytical reviews and explanations of Leonardo's art, this isn't the book for you. If you are an admirer of his incredible drawings, this IS the book you need. This volume is an oversized hardback (the copy I have is) with nice reproductions of his pencil, ink, chalk and other dry media drawings. He did way more drawings than paintings, but it seems people most often remember the Mona Lisa or the Last Supper. His anatomical drawings, horse sketches and studies, preliminary layouts for paintings, machines, drapery studies, notebook sketches and notes are here, full color (for the colors he used, like sanguine and sepia) and large enough to appreciate.It is amazing that a of his couple head studies look very similar to MRIs I have had taken of my head. There are machine drawings for flying machines and other mechanical things that weren't to be for centuries. Detailed skeleton and organ sketches, proportional scales for anatomy, grotesque heads with great expressions. It is fascinating to see how many subjects interested him, and how well he analyzed and understood each one. There's a lot to be learned from this book, despite minimal text. The proper human body proportions are in here, the bones and muscles and such are an excellent study of anatomy for an artist, the drapery studies, besides exhibiting great patience on his part, are an excellent exploration of shadows and lighting. It is a tremendous lesson if one were to copy a drawing of his, to see how a master drew and to learn from his pencil marks and pressure and shading.Obviously, I highly recommend the book. It's a great price for a superb collection from this brilliant artist.
