142 - [ART - ITALIAN RENAISSANCE] - Frank ZÖLLNER

[ART - ITALIAN RENAISSANCE] - Frank ZÖLLNER Leonardo da Vinci: The Complete Paintings and Drawings Cologne, Taschen, 2003 An imposing and very substantial large folio volume. Original cream-colored full cloth binding by the publisher, with the title stamped in black on the front cover and spine, under its original color-illustrated dust jacket (without the cardboard slipcase). Dust jacket well-preserved with some normal wear on the corners; the cream-colored cloth remains very clean; the interior is in absolutely pristine condition on heavy, glossy paper. First edition and monumental first printing of this definitive monograph, unanimously hailed as the most comprehensive and spectacular catalog raisonné ever devoted to Leonardo da Vinci. The full cream cloth binding (sometimes described as textured greige or ecru) characterizes the very first run of the 2003 first edition published by Taschen. This early cover variant—which was quickly replaced by a more classic black cloth binding in subsequent large-format reprints—is particularly sought after by collectors for its fidelity to the original graphic design of this lavish collection. Published to mark the 550th anniversary of the master’s birth by the eminent art historian Frank Zöllner, this monumental volume offers an unprecedented material and scholarly exploration. The volume includes a meticulous analysis of the paintings attributed or co-attributed to Leonardo, as well as a complete catalog of his drawings, sketchbooks, and scientific studies, comprising more than 663 works reproduced with absolute chromatic fidelity. The volume is packed with hundreds of full-page color plates and very large, four-panel fold-out details, allowing readers to analyze the sfumato and the line work under a magnifying glass.