Leonardo Da Vinci, 1452-1519 (Basic Art) (Paperback)

by Frank Zollner (Author) "Remarkable, extraordinary, almost always favourable - that is the picture of Leonardo da Vinci handed down the writers and critics of the past..." (more)
Key Phrases: Last Supper, Windsor Castle, Virgin of the Rocks (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Opening this lavishly illustrated book is one of sumptuous celebration of the visual aspects of Leonardo's oeuvre." --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Description
One of the most fully achieved human beings who has ever lived, Leonardo remains the quintessential Renaissance genius. Creator of the world's most famous painting, scientist, philosopher, builder, he is credited with defining the accomplishments of the great flowering in human consciousness. And yet, so wide-ranging and prolific were his interests that he brought hardly any major undertaking to a final end. If he seems so modern, it is perhaps because of his non-speciality, his magpie mind and curiosity, and his thousands of notes and sketches. In these pages he would anticipate some of the great discoveries and inventions that would follow him, from key points in anatomy - such as the principles behind blood circulation - through to plans for armoured military vehicles, planes, helicopters and submarines. As well as all that, he also managed to advance numerous artistic techniques, and implicated a complex psychology into his paintings of the "Last Supper" and the enigmatic "La Gioconda", or "Mona Lisa". Famous horseman, rival to Michelangelo, military engineer to the Borgias, he died in 1519, in a chateau given him by the King of France, Francis I. Not bad for the illegitimate son of Florentine notary.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Taschen; Revised edition (May 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 3822859796
• ISBN-13: 978-3822859797
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #464,468 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Dark and brownish reproductions, October 15, 2003

By	Eugene Tenenbaum "reluctant reader" (Bronx, NY USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Some painting and drawing works are reproduced too dark with murky spots, where most details are indistinguishable. Additionally, the colors are distorted by a brownish (sepia) hue. So, on many dark works only basic elements are visible, e.g.: The Virgin of the Rocks on p. 28 and 31, Portrait of a Young Man on p. 48, The Last Supper on p. 53 as well as Burlington House Cartoon (too dark cartoon) on p. 60. Other works may also be affected. The Last Supper is divided between two pages connecting thru Christ's face, and a whole center of the fresco is sunk in a groove between the pages. The printing is good, and on good paper.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simple but sophistocated, August 18, 2000

By	James N. Welch (Washington, DC USA) - See all my reviews

If you don't know much about art but know what you like, this might be the sort of book for you. Leonardo's life is described in this basic biography, focusing on his famous works of art (finished and unfinished) and on his supporting works as well (sketches, architectural and mechanical ideas). The book is printed on glossy high grade magazine paper with color illustrations on almost every page. It brings the artist and his works to the reader in a presentation that caters to those who enjoy have an appriciation, though not an expertise, for art.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Leonardo's Opus is a Taschen Masterpiece, October 13, 2008

By	T. Mario - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Leonardo Da Vinci: 1452-1519: The Complete Paintings and Drawings (Taschen 25th Anniversary) (Hardcover)

Taschen seems to be forging ahead in the publishing world with their off-beat, sometimes extreme, always interesting and esoteric attractively priced books. Leonardo is one of them. A large book, this is no bedside table read. The print quality is very good, and the larger than life pictures of Leonardo's paintings and drawings give you a real sense of the intricacy that went into his work, and lets you get a lot closer than you could today to his work if you wanted to see it live. The Mona Lisa is behind bullet proof glass, most of his notebooks in temperature controlled libraries far from prying hands and eyes.. so if you really want to get close, to see the brush-strokes and minute scrawls in his ink drawings, then this book is it.
For who is it? Anyone interested in beauty, in art and painting, as well as anyone interested in genius and the multifaceted Renaissance man. You'll need a sturdy coffee table or a large library to house it, but you won't be sorry you bought it.
I only gave it 4 stars because I really dislike the 25th anniversary badge that is going on all Taschen books of late.. Good for you that you've reached that milestone Taschen, but don't expect me to want to advertise it in my bookshelf. The book comes in a slip-case, and just as well because the Amazon.com packaging was really atrocious and the box arrived quite banged around. Their cost-cutting in packaging means that my slip case is totally destroyed on the top, but thankfully the book has managed to survive (mostly) unscathed. Amazon will be getting a stern letter from me about this..