Leonardo by Leonardo

- Blurb -

Leonardo by Leonardo is a landmark publication on Leonardo da Vinci, theimmortal Renaissance artist universally considered one of the greatestpainters of all time. Published to coincide with Leonardo's 500th anniversary commemoration in2019, and written by Martin J. Kemp, one of the world's leading authorities onLeonardo da Vinci, Leonardo by Leonardo presents an astonishing gallery of themaster's 27 existing paintings, as well as the preparatory drawings that formed thebasis of his masterpieces. Martin J. Kemp's narrative is accompanied by extensivewritten reflections by Leonardo, and is further highlighted by perspectives from hiscontemporaries. The utmost care and state-of-the-art digital capture technology has beenapplied to the new photography of the artworks presented in this collection. Noexpense has been spared to reproduce the artworks with the highest fidelity to colour,tone, and surface. The quality of imaging, ultra-fine resolution printing, archival paper,and binding has produced a book like no other. The result is a power and intimacybetween artist and viewer that takes us inside the artist's mind, eye and spirit.The legacy of Leonardo da Vinci is a perennial fascination. Not only did he paintwhat is considered by many to be the world's most famous painting, the Mona Lisa,but he radically changed every genre of painting - religious and secular portraiture,devotional tableaux, and drawing. Leonardo is the genius that towers over the historyof Western art. The large scale and unparalleled quality of reproduction in this volumeallows 'the strange, living presence of his paintings' to exercise their full power andmagnetism on the viewer.With a lifetime of scholarship and insight, Martin J. Kemp takes us inside theworld of each masterwork: the artist's relationship to his patrons; how and why theworks were commissioned; their iconography and symbology; the experimentalpainting techniques he applied; stories of how the paintings survived and changedowners across the centuries: restoration and condition; and finally, the unsolvedpuzzles that remain to this day.