What do you think?
Rate this book
The Complete Paintings
As the preeminent art-book publisher in America, Abrams has many stunning and impressive titles for gift giving. From these, we have chosen several absolutely fabulous volumes, in the oversize coffee-table book tradition, that are sure to dazzle any gift recipient.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 1986
About the author
Leonardo da Vinci
956 books1,545 followersIt was on April 15, 1452, that Leonardo was born in the town of Vinci, Republic of Florence, in what is now in Italy, the illegitimate son of a notary and a barmaid. It is from his birthplace that he is known as Leonardo da Vinci. Leonardo seemed to master every subject to which he turned his attention: he was a painter, draftsman, sculptor, architect, and engineer, wrote poetry and stories: the prototype Renaissance man!
His Last Supper (1495-97) and Mona Lisa (La Gioconda, 1503-06) are among the most popular paintings from the Renaissance. He and his rival Michelangelo did great service to the medical arts by accurate paintings of dissections, which were only occasionally allowed by the Church. Yet, his artistry appeared to be an afterthought, as he frequently left his works unfinished, and only about fifteen of his paintings survive. His notebooks reveal that he was centuries ahead of his time in mechanics and physic, fortifications, bridges, weapons, and river diversions to flood the enemy, which aided Italian city-states in their many wars.
Leonardo was an early evolutionist regarding fossils. Through his careful observations he noted that “if the shells had been carried by the muddy deluge they would have been mixed up, and separated from each other amidst the mud, and not in regular steps and layers — as we see them now in our time.” Leonardo reasoned that what is now dry land, where these aquatic fossils were found, must once have been covered by seawater.
He was for a short time accused of homosexuality: there is no evidence Leonardo had any sexual interest in women. As he wrote in his notebooks, “The act of procreation and anything that has any relation to it is so disgusting that human beings would soon die out if there were no pretty faces and sensuous dispositions.”
And what of his religion? It is significant that at the end of his life he felt he had much spiritual negligence to atone for. His first biographer, Giorgio Vasari, wrote in 1550:
"Finally, …feeling himself near to death, [he] asked to have himself diligently informed of the teaching of the Catholic faith, and of the good way and holy Christian religion; and then, with many moans, he confessed and was penitent; and … was pleased to take devoutly the most holy Sacrament, out of his bed. The King, who was wont often and lovingly to visit him, then came into the room; wherefore he, out of reverence … showed withal how much he had offended God and mankind in not having worked at his art as he should have done."
There was much skepticism in Renaissance Italy at the time, and Leonardo was an intellectual genius, not just an artistic genius. While there was great intellectual freedom during the Italian Renaissance, there were limits as long as the Dominicans, the “Hounds of the Lord,” were active. This semblance of a deathbed conversion, by so critical a thinker and so great a genius as Leonardo, who would have nothing to lose by professing piety all his life, can only mean that during his prime years he was a secret freethinker.
Leonardo died quietly on the 2 of May, 1519, a few weeks following his 67th birthday.
His Last Supper (1495-97) and Mona Lisa (La Gioconda, 1503-06) are among the most popular paintings from the Renaissance. He and his rival Michelangelo did great service to the medical arts by accurate paintings of dissections, which were only occasionally allowed by the Church. Yet, his artistry appeared to be an afterthought, as he frequently left his works unfinished, and only about fifteen of his paintings survive. His notebooks reveal that he was centuries ahead of his time in mechanics and physic, fortifications, bridges, weapons, and river diversions to flood the enemy, which aided Italian city-states in their many wars.
Leonardo was an early evolutionist regarding fossils. Through his careful observations he noted that “if the shells had been carried by the muddy deluge they would have been mixed up, and separated from each other amidst the mud, and not in regular steps and layers — as we see them now in our time.” Leonardo reasoned that what is now dry land, where these aquatic fossils were found, must once have been covered by seawater.
He was for a short time accused of homosexuality: there is no evidence Leonardo had any sexual interest in women. As he wrote in his notebooks, “The act of procreation and anything that has any relation to it is so disgusting that human beings would soon die out if there were no pretty faces and sensuous dispositions.”
And what of his religion? It is significant that at the end of his life he felt he had much spiritual negligence to atone for. His first biographer, Giorgio Vasari, wrote in 1550:
"Finally, …feeling himself near to death, [he] asked to have himself diligently informed of the teaching of the Catholic faith, and of the good way and holy Christian religion; and then, with many moans, he confessed and was penitent; and … was pleased to take devoutly the most holy Sacrament, out of his bed. The King, who was wont often and lovingly to visit him, then came into the room; wherefore he, out of reverence … showed withal how much he had offended God and mankind in not having worked at his art as he should have done."
There was much skepticism in Renaissance Italy at the time, and Leonardo was an intellectual genius, not just an artistic genius. While there was great intellectual freedom during the Italian Renaissance, there were limits as long as the Dominicans, the “Hounds of the Lord,” were active. This semblance of a deathbed conversion, by so critical a thinker and so great a genius as Leonardo, who would have nothing to lose by professing piety all his life, can only mean that during his prime years he was a secret freethinker.
Leonardo died quietly on the 2 of May, 1519, a few weeks following his 67th birthday.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 3, 2019
On this day exactly 500 years ago one of the greatest geniuses in civilization died peacefully in france. Leonardo was not only a fantastic painter but he was also a deeply inquiring mind. And so as I homage to him I took this book down from my shelf and spent 2 glorious hours looking deeply at his paintings. He was a true renaissance man.
November 8, 2024
Leonardo’s paintings are superb. Marani follows him from humanist workshop and scientific observation via a new portraiture to classicism and the idea.
Read
April 10, 2025Sorrowful eyes and enigmatic smiles
This is a book about Leonardo's paintings, barely even mentioning his inventions and scientific discoveries, and leaving his personal life and personality almost completely unmentioned.
Mostly the book offers some historical and philosophical perspectives into the paintings and what Leonardo might have been inspired by. I would have enjoyed more information about Leonardo's methods, goals and his personal idea(l)s.
While not inaccurate, I feel like hypothetical assumptions miss that to Leonardo (who refrained from philosophical questions that could not be empirically answered), art was a form of research and understanding. His methods were the meaning behind his art, and his methods were born from who he was.
But Leonardo never explained himself, and his work has thus always remained shrouded in secrets and mystery. This book does little to enlighten us.
It does however, feature an incredible collection of Leonardo's artistic output. The art itself makes this book worth reading.
This is a book about Leonardo's paintings, barely even mentioning his inventions and scientific discoveries, and leaving his personal life and personality almost completely unmentioned.
Mostly the book offers some historical and philosophical perspectives into the paintings and what Leonardo might have been inspired by. I would have enjoyed more information about Leonardo's methods, goals and his personal idea(l)s.
While not inaccurate, I feel like hypothetical assumptions miss that to Leonardo (who refrained from philosophical questions that could not be empirically answered), art was a form of research and understanding. His methods were the meaning behind his art, and his methods were born from who he was.
But Leonardo never explained himself, and his work has thus always remained shrouded in secrets and mystery. This book does little to enlighten us.
It does however, feature an incredible collection of Leonardo's artistic output. The art itself makes this book worth reading.
April 13, 2019
Some intriguing bits, but nothing really stands out.
February 18, 2009
"Leanardo da Vinci" by P. Marani, 2003. At first glance Pietro Marani's beautifully produced book appears to be a simple catalogue of Leonardo Da Vinci's paintings.
The first paragraph reads: "An anonymous denunciation to the city officials in Florence on April 9, 1474, states that one Jacopo Saltarelli, about seventeen years old, 'has been part to many wretched things, and consents to please those persons who request such wickedness of him.' Among the 'dozens' of people whom Jacopo satisfied, four are named. They are an interesting mix of rich and poor. Listed second on the document is a twenty four year old youth named "Lionardo di Ser Piero da Vinci" destined to become the most famous painter of the Italian Renaissance. The document concludes by making it very clear that all the men 'had sodomized the above mentioned Jacopa' "
This work is obviously much more than a simple catalogue. Pierto Marani, a brilliant scholar and leading conservator of art, is the preeminent expert on Leonardo's life and art work. Using an arsenal of methods, including the analysis of brush strokes, finger prints, and x-rays, he is able to explore the many re-drawn revisions, the various collaborations with other artists, the shamefully executed restorations of the past as well as the very often asked questions regarding attribution and authenticity.
The first paragraph reads: "An anonymous denunciation to the city officials in Florence on April 9, 1474, states that one Jacopo Saltarelli, about seventeen years old, 'has been part to many wretched things, and consents to please those persons who request such wickedness of him.' Among the 'dozens' of people whom Jacopo satisfied, four are named. They are an interesting mix of rich and poor. Listed second on the document is a twenty four year old youth named "Lionardo di Ser Piero da Vinci" destined to become the most famous painter of the Italian Renaissance. The document concludes by making it very clear that all the men 'had sodomized the above mentioned Jacopa' "
This work is obviously much more than a simple catalogue. Pierto Marani, a brilliant scholar and leading conservator of art, is the preeminent expert on Leonardo's life and art work. Using an arsenal of methods, including the analysis of brush strokes, finger prints, and x-rays, he is able to explore the many re-drawn revisions, the various collaborations with other artists, the shamefully executed restorations of the past as well as the very often asked questions regarding attribution and authenticity.
October 27, 2007
The text is not consistently valuable to someone without a knowledge of art history or painting (it was occasionally incomprehensible to me), but the illustrations are marvelous. Just taking the time to consider Da Vinci's development as a painter, in the context of his mentor's sculptural work and other influential contemporary artists, is a satisfying experience.
April 5, 2008
One of the largest books I have. The size helps to do justice to many of the paintings. In this book, they don't just look like pictures, but look like paintings. There are several foldouts that cannot be missed.
October 5, 2016
I enjoyed looking more at the pictures than trying to read the book. The print was too small for me to read.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews