ACCEPTABLE: The book is in good condition, showing the usual signs of wear (slightly bent corners on the covers; tanning of the pages due to age). However, since it is missing its dust jacket, it must be rated lower.
Some of the images of da Vinci's work are glued into place on slightly smaller pages. After this many years, this glue is not holding and some of the plates can be easily removed. All such plates, however, are present. These plates have not been touched by us, leaving their disposition to the buyer.
Product Details
"The material assembled, edited, and introduced by André Chastel; Translated from the French by Ellen Callmann."
This book is a compilation of portions of Leonardo da Vinci's notes and papers as found in Melzi's Treatise, a compilation of da Vinci's notes, writings, speeches and information which da Vinci bequest to Francesco Melzi, and which Melzi began to compile into the Treatise prior to his death in 1570. Unfortunately these papers were sold off by Melzi's son and some were lost over the centuries. True passages from da Vinci's writings are marked in the page margins. The book also contains several black and white images of Leonardo's drawings and color plates of all or part of some of his paintings.
Contents
Introduction
Three Biographies of Leonardo - Paolo Giovio, the Anonimo Gaddiano, Giorgio Vasari.
The Projects
The Paragone or Comparison of the Arts - the position of painting in relation to other intellectual activities.
The Universal Program - the painter and reality.
The Problems of the Painter - theory and practice.
The Painter's Studio - rules and recipes
The Painter's Activity - his life and personal dignity
