Martin Clayton Knihy

Leonardo da Vinci was a pioneer in the study of human anatomy and one of the greatest draftsmen ever to have lived. He dissected around thirty human corpses, exploring every aspect of anatomy and physiology, and recording his findings and speculations on the pages of his notebooks. These drawings remain unsurpassed even today in their lucidity and clarity. Almost all of Leonardo's surviving anatomical studies, some 200 sheets, have been in the Royal Collection since the seventeenth century, and are now preserved in the Royal Library atWindsor Castle. This book presents ninety of the finest of these astonishing documents - the largest showing of Leonardo's anatomical studies there has ever been - with a full discussion of their anatomical content and their significance in Leonardo's pioneering work.

Drawing was Leonardo da Vinci’s primary artistic activity. He used drawing to think, to explore the world around him and to develop his other artistic projects. His drawings are among the most diverse and technically accomplished in the entire history of art, and the Royal Collection holds by far the most important selection of these. In 2019, to mark the 500th anniversary of Leonardo’s death, a series of special exhibitions of his drawings will open simultaneously at 12 venues across the United Kingdom, including Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, Southampton and Sunderland, with a further venue to be announced. This publication includes all 200 of the drawings shown across these venues and provides an authoritative account of Leonardo’s works within the Royal Collection.

Drawing was Leonardo da Vinci's primary artistic activity. He used drawing to think, to explore the world around him and to develop his other artistic projects. His drawings are among the most diverse and technically accomplished in the entire history of art, and the Royal Collection holds by far the most important selection of these. This book provides an authoritative account of Leonardo's work and represents the full breadth of his interests including maps and botanical sketches, anatomical illustrations and studies of the face, scientific drawings and engineering designs.

A selection of key works by the American video artist Bill Viola are presented alongside Michelangelo's drawings - revealing surprising parallels.