Drawings of Leonardo da Vinci and His circle - American Collections

Drawings of Leonardo da Vinci and His circle - American Collections – Giunti Editore – New York Public Library (New York, USA) / Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, USA) / Getty Museum (Malibu, USA)

Italy — Last quarter of the 15th century – 16th century

Captivating studies of the "Last Supper" and humorous caricatures: a unique collection of 200 drawings from the exceptional collections of the Getty Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and many more

  1. A compendium of 200 sketches by Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) from collections across the United States

  2. Included among them are studies made by Leonardo for his famous masterpiece: the Last Supper

  3. The collection also includes 104 exact copies of now-lost 16th century originals by the famous polymath

Drawings of Leonardo da Vinci and His circle - American Collections

Facsimile Copy Available!
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Description
Drawings of Leonardo da Vinci and His circle - American Collections

This fascinating compendium of hand drawings collects 200 drawings from Leonardo da Vinci and his circle on 80 boards. These leaves originate from important American collections like the Getty Museum or the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This carefully selected compilation offers a wonderful overview of the hand-drawn art of the Italian Renaissance as a part of the impressive National Edition of the manuscripts and drawings of Leonardo da Vinci.

Drawings of Leonardo da Vinci and His Circle - American Collections

The art of drawing is considered to be the most direct and intuitive expression of artistic genius. This unmitigated inside view into the conceptual world of the artist in connection with the greatest draftsman of the Italian Renaissance signifies an abundance of graphic genius in the highest quality. Similarly, the circle of this master – Leonardo da Vinci – included the greatest artists of their craft and made their epoch a heyday of hand drawing.

Leonardo’s Art as Italy’s National Heritage

Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) is considered to be the most important universal genius of the Italian Renaissance. He occupied himself not only as a painter and industrious draftsman, but also as a scientist, design engineer, and researcher. He recorded his comprehensive work on thousands of sheets and pages. This priceless cultural heritage is divided throughout the world, scattered across collections big and small. An ambitious project was begun in Italy in the year 1964 in order to preserve the memory of the national hero Leonardo da Vinci: the great National Edition of the manuscripts and drawings of Leonardo da Vinci, known as the Leonardo Codices.

Drawings in American Collections

One of the volumes of this national edition has assembled the material from American collections. Numerous original drawings by Leonardo da Vinci and graphic works from artists in his circle are stored in American collections comprised of works inter alia from the New York Public Library, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Getty Museum in Malibu. Significant art-historical treasures are found among the leaves and include much previously unpublished material.

Body Studies, Caricatures, and the Last Supper

80 boards with 200 drawings altogether visualize the entire spectrum of this significant art-historical aspect of the Italian Renaissance. 15 drawings of Leonardo from his own hand – eight of which are from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York – give an inside view into Leonardo’s studies of the famous Milanese Last Supper (originating 1495) inter alia and in his work with human physiognomy. The compendium additionally contains the complete series of caricatures from the Spencer Collection of the New York Public Library: 104 exact copies of the now-lost 16th century originals by Leonardo da Vinci!

Codicology

Alternative Titles
I disegni di Leonardo da Vinci e della sua cerchia - Collezioni Americane
Zeichnungen von Leonardo da Vinci und seinem Umkreis - Amerikanische Sammlung
Origin
Italy
Date
Last quarter of the 15th century – 16th century
Language
Illustrations
200 drawings
Artist / School

Available facsimile editions:
Drawings of Leonardo da Vinci and His circle - American Collections – Giunti Editore – New York Public Library (New York, USA) / Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, USA) / Getty Museum (Malibu, USA)
Giunti Editore – Florence, 1993
Limited Edition: 998 copies
Detail Picture

Drawings of Leonardo da Vinci and His circle - American Collections

Grotesque Faces

Although da Vinci’s name is closely associated with beauty and symmetry, which was most clearly expressed in his drawing of the Vitruvian Man, he also created numerous studies of faces that were not merely unattractive but downright grotesque. All five of these figures have underdeveloped jaws, save for the gentleman in a hat on the bottom right, as well as small, deep-set eyes. Four of the figures have large, hooked, bird-like noses while the fifth in the lower left has an apish upturned nose.

Drawings of Leonardo da Vinci and His circle - American Collections – Giunti Editore – New York Public Library (New York, USA) / Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, USA) / Getty Museum (Malibu, USA)
Single Page

Drawings of Leonardo da Vinci and His circle - American Collections

Study of Judas and Peter

The Last Supper is one of the most famous paintings in the world and captures the moment Jesus announced that one of the Twelve Apostles would betray him. Some look stunned, some indignant, while others are upset or incredulous. Numerous studies of each face had to be created by da Vinci before he could create the highly detailed masterpiece.

Taken aback by the revelation of his betrayal, a shadow falls over the face of Judas as he looks over his shoulder at Peter, who leans forward to speak into the ear of John (not pictured). While the rest of Peter’s head, such as the ear, is only vaguely drawn in, da Vinci focuses on the facial expression: his brow is furrowed in anger, mouth opened as though the words were about to come out.

Drawings of Leonardo da Vinci and His circle - American Collections – Giunti Editore – New York Public Library (New York, USA) / Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, USA) / Getty Museum (Malibu, USA)
Facsimile Editions

#1 I disegni di Leonardo da Vinci e della sua cerchia - Collezioni Americane

Giunti Editore – Florence, 1993

Publisher: Giunti Editore – Florence, 1993
Limited Edition: 998 copies
Binding: Printed on handmade paper and bound in Fabriano paper With commentary volume in a gold-embossed leather covered clamshell case
Commentary: 1 volume (115 pages) by Patricia Trutty-Coohill and Carlo Pedretti
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.
Facsimile Copy Available!
Price Category: €€
(1,000€ - 3,000€)
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