Corpus of the Anatomical Studies

Corpus of the Anatomical Studies – Giunti Editore – Royal Library at Windsor Castle (Windsor, United Kingdom)

Italy — 1483–1513

With studies on the Virgin of the Rocks and the Last Supper: the discovery of human anatomy by the greatest genius of all time

  1. A compendium of 400 drawings from the famous anatomical studies of Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519)

  2. Arranged chronologically, it traces their development from morphological to physiological studies

  3. It also contains studies of the Virgin of the Rocks and The Last Supper, caricatures, landscapes, and more

Corpus of the Anatomical Studies

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  1. Description
  2. Detail Picture
  3. Single Page
  4. Facsimile Editions (5)
Description
Corpus of the Anatomical Studies

Leonardo da Vinci was a passionate researcher of the human body, its structure, and its functionality. This theme pervades his entire body of work, and countless masterful drawings provide insight to this day into this passion of the natural scientist and universal genius: the famous anatomical studies, assembled here into a compendium of 400 drawings from the Royal Library at Windsor Castle.

Corpus of the Anatomical Studies

The study of a hand with its tendons and bones, the state of an unborn fetus in the womb of the mother, the allocation of organs in the human abdomen or a male body with the fascinating play of muscles under the skin: all of that and more were themes that Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) studied and recorded in numerous masterful drawings. These findings fascinated the universal genius from both a naturalistic and artistic perspective, helping him on the other hand by developing the human body in his masterful sculptures and paintings.

An Important Aspect of the Masterwork

A grandiose bundle of anatomical studies can be found in Windsor Castle’s impressive collection of Leonardo drawings. 400 drawings from a 30 year period – from 1483 to 1513 – were chosen for the selection at hand. Arranged chronologically, the sheets allow one to understand the development of the drawings from morphological to physiological studies and simultaneously give a wonderful overview of Leonardo’s graphic works.

The Human Body as a Whole and in Detail

Alongside the famous full-body depictions of a human with a glimpse of the inside of the body, with the routes of the blood vessels, the layout of the organs, the construction of the skeleton, and the interplay of the bones are treated in numerous depictions of individual parts of the body as well – e.g. the head or the foot. Thus, for example, one finds a study sheet of the hand in the bundle, which is covered all over with notes and drawings, which wonderfully emphasizes Leonardo’s passion with this work. With accurate, almost medical precision, the universal genius pursued systematic studies of the human body, which are presented in the collection at hand. The bundle of anatomical studies was appended with preliminary studies of the Virgin of the Rocks and The Last Supper, a few landscapes, caricatures, and other figurative representations.

Codicology

Alternative Titles
Il Corpus degli Studi Anatomici
Korpus der anatomischen Studien
Leonardo da Vinci - Anatomische Studien
Size / Format
400 pages / 48.0 × 33.0 cm
Origin
Italy
Date
1483–1513
Language
Illustrations
400 drawings
Artist / School

Available facsimile editions:
Corpus of the Anatomical Studies – Giunti Editore – Royal Library at Windsor Castle (Windsor, United Kingdom)
Giunti Editore – Florence, 1980
Limited Edition: 998 copies

Corpus of the Anatomical Studies – Prisma Verlag – Royal Library at Windsor Castle (Windsor, United Kingdom)
Prisma Verlag – Gütersloh, 1978
Limited Edition: 300 copies

Corpus of the Anatomical Studies – Giunti Editore – Royal Library at Windsor Castle (Windsor, United Kingdom)
Collezione Apocrifa Da Vinci – Ottaviano, 2014
Limited Edition: 499 copies

Corpus of the Anatomical Studies – Collezione Apocrifa Da Vinci – Royal Library at Windsor Castle (Windsor, United Kingdom)
Collezione Apocrifa Da Vinci – Ottaviano, 2014
Limited Edition: 499 copies
Detail Picture

Corpus of the Anatomical Studies

The Anatomy of a Bear's Foot ca. 1488–90

Bears were still common in the mountains of Italy during the late 15th century and were both hunted for sport as well as kept in captivity for entertainment. Like humans, bears also have a plantigrade gait, meaning that they walk with their feet flat on the ground. Da Vinci’s study of the skeletal structure, musculature, and tendons of the lower leg and foot of a bear would also yield insights concerning the anatomy of the human foot, specimens of which were considerably harder to obtain.

Corpus of the Anatomical Studies – Giunti Editore – Royal Library at Windsor Castle (Windsor, United Kingdom)
Single Page

Corpus of the Anatomical Studies

The Major Organs and Vessels ca. 1485–90

This drawing of a man standing with his legs apart and arms extended outward reveals Leonardo’s understanding of the major organs and vessels before he had the opportunity to participate in any substantial human dissection. It is a fusion of two typical medieval anatomical images: the “situs figure” showing the position of organs and the “bloodletting figure” showing the paths of vessels.

Although the colors are now somewhat faded, brown was used for the veins while the arteries were painted green. The figure is depicted as a living man rather than a cadaver and Da Vinci has given him a detailed face that is probably an accurate portrait of the model. This effect is completed by simultaneously showing the outer musculature as well as the internal organs

Corpus of the Anatomical Studies – Giunti Editore – Royal Library at Windsor Castle (Windsor, United Kingdom)
Facsimile Editions

#1 Il Corpus degli Studi Anatomici

Giunti Editore – Florence, 1980

Publisher: Giunti Editore – Florence, 1980
Limited Edition: 998 copies
Binding: In leather-covered case with gold embossing
Commentary: 2 volumes (474 + 558 pages) by Kenneth D. Keele and Carlo Pedretti
Languages: English or German
1 volume: Exact reproduction of the original document (extent, color and size) Reproduction of the entire original document as detailed as possible (scope, format, colors). The binding may not correspond to the original or current document binding. Total of 3 volumes. The first first volume is preceded by an introduction editorial notes, followed by transcriptions, translations and anatomical notes by Kenneth D. Keele. The second volume is a commentary on the reassembled leaves and their sequence by Carlo Pedretti. The third volume contains the facsimile plates.
Price Category: €€€€ (7,000€ - 10,000€)
Edition available
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#2 Leonardo da Vinci: Atlas der anatomischen Studien

Prisma Verlag – Gütersloh, 1978

Publisher: Prisma Verlag – Gütersloh, 1978
Limited Edition: 300 copies
Binding: In leather-covered case with gold embossing
Commentary: 2 volumes (474 + 558 pages) by Kenneth D. Keele and Carlo Pedretti
Languages: English or German
1 volume: Exact reproduction of the original document (extent, color and size) Reproduction of the entire original document as detailed as possible (scope, format, colors). The binding may not correspond to the original or current document binding. Total of 3 volumes. The first first volume is preceded by an introduction editorial notes, followed by transcriptions, translations and anatomical notes by Kenneth D. Keele. The second volume is a commentary on the reassembled leaves and their sequence by Carlo Pedretti. The third volume contains the facsimile plates.
Price Category: €€€ (3,000€ - 7,000€)
Edition available
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#3 Leonardo da Vinci: Corpus of the anatomical studies in the collection of Her Majesty the Queen at Windsor Castle (English Edition)

Maruzen-Yushodo Co. Ltd. – London, 1978

Publisher: Maruzen-Yushodo Co. Ltd. – London, 1978
Limited Edition: 998 copies
Binding: In leather-covered case with gold embossing
Commentary: 2 volumes by Kenneth D. Keele and Carlo Pedretti
Language: English
1 volume: Exact reproduction of the original document (extent, color and size) Reproduction of the entire original document as detailed as possible (scope, format, colors). The binding may not correspond to the original or current document binding. Total of 3 volumes. The first first volume is preceded by an introduction editorial notes, followed by transcriptions, translations and anatomical notes by Kenneth D. Keele. The second volume is a commentary on the reassembled leaves and their sequence by Carlo Pedretti. The third volume contains the facsimile plates.
Price Category: €€€ (3,000€ - 7,000€)
Edition available
Price: Log in here!

#4 Anatomia I

Collezione Apocrifa Da Vinci – Ottaviano, 2014

Publisher: Collezione Apocrifa Da Vinci – Ottaviano, 2014
Limited Edition: 499 copies
Commentary: 1 volume
Language: Italian
Price Category: €€ (1,000€ - 3,000€)
Edition available
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#5 Anatomia II

Collezione Apocrifa Da Vinci – Ottaviano, 2014
Price Category: €€ (1,000€ - 3,000€)
Edition available
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