Leon Battista Alberti made several references to miracoli della pittura (miracles of painting) in two of his early works, Vita (Life) and De Pictura (On Painting). After extensive research, author Jim Egan has concluded that these "miracles of painting" were the amazing full-detail and full-color images seen in a camera obscura. In Latin, camera obscura means "dark room." In a dark room with one small hole, the image of what's outside appears projected on the interior wall upside-down and reversed left-to-right. The room can be a people-sized room or a small box, like a pinhole camera. Nowadays, with slide shows, movies, TV, and computers, we're quite accustomed to seeing projected images. But over 575 years ago, back in the 1430s, a camera obscura image would have blown the socks off people. However, there was a down side: this was risky business. Creating full-color, full-motion, magical images inside a dark room might be considered heretical. You might find yourself on the wrong side of a barbecue. If you're so excited that you must share your knowledge, there's a solution: write about it cryptically. Only those "in-the-know" will catch your gist. That's what Egan thinks Alberti did. Alberti, whose books On Painting and On Architecture revolutionized these two fields, has been explored extensively by art historians for years. Surely they saw that Alberti was talking about a camera obscura. But no. Dozens of the top art historians of the 20th century write that Alberti's description of his "small box" was definitely not a reference to a camera obscura. Instead, they think it was a "show box," a small dark box with a small hole through which you viewed a picture, which was painted on glass and backlit to make it luminous, like a photographic slide. Who is Jim Egan to challenge great art historians like Kenneth Clark, Helmut Gernsheim, Samuel Edgerton, Anthony Grafton, and Robert Tavernor? For 40 years, Egan has been an in-the-trenches guy: a professional photographer, spending hours viewing upside-down images under the dark cloth of 4x5 and 8x10 view cameras. He has built dozens of pinhole cameras, camera obscura rooms, and even a camera obscura building. Plus, he's written ten books involving Renaissance optics, mathematics and architecture. How did the art historians get it wrong? The short answer is: "lost in translation" and "follow the leader." Egan thinks Alberti not only had a camera, but that he also had a lens to sharpen the image. And that Alberti had another camera obscura, which was a "Lucy" machine, used to enlarge and reduce artwork. And that Alberti hid clues expressing his understanding that "the eye is a camera obscura" in the design of his "Winged Eye" symbol and his bronze self-portrait plaque (both shown on the front cover).

A few years ago a learned bibliophile, stumbled on a 500 years old manuscript hidden among the funds of an Italian library and recognized it as the handwritten draft of a mythical book, thought lost and for centuries, actively but vainly sought after. "DE LUDO SCACHORUM" lost opus of Luca Pacioli, Franciscan friar, father of modern accounting, friend, counsellor, teacher & contributor to the century's incomparable genius, Leonardo da Vinci. The booklet is mesmerizing. It is a hand sketched draft of hundreds of complicated chess studies that Luca Pacioli must have been collecting over a long span of time. Now, perusing the booklet something catches your attention and the more you look at it the more it becomes evident. While the writing is Pacioli's, two hands instead had been there penning in the chess pieces, the first with scholarly diligence the second with artistic swiftness. Whose? Luca's and Leonardo's. They were friends, congregating and travelling together, they had a history of partnership Leonardo having illustrated Luca's DE DIVINA PROPORTIONE. It is clear: Luca was set to prepare another yet of his popularising textbooks and Leonardo had lent to his friend his "incomparable left hand" once again. Obviously the possible implication of Leonardo da Vinci in the drafting of the manuscript could not, not to be taken into consideration. And it was rejected. Rightly, at times like ours, adept to Dan Brown's like flights of fancy, doubt is a virtue and suspicion should be "de rigueur" which means that a lasting grudge must not be held to the "expert" who, possibly startled by the news, not having been warned or seen the manuscript, quipped, "the silly season on Leo never closes." In reality the discovery of Luca Pacioli's lost manuscript heralds, without doubt, that the "a la rabiosa" problems therein reported are of Leonardo's hand and we well know that Leonardo penned between 1487 and 1490 a rebus "I a roccha ro'" (I shall castle) confirming his perfect knowledge of the games new rules. These can be traced back to the coronation of queen Isabella of Spain in the year 1474 and to her crowning are dated the new powers attributed to the Bishop and the Queen whose status of most powerful piece on the chessboard justified the new rules nickname of "mad queen" or "a la rabiosa." Yet nothing is said at that time about castling, that important move absolutely necessary in modern chess to counterbalance the overpowering new status of the Queen. Nothing, from 1474 until Leonardo's rebus of 1487. Would it be its inventor Leonardo should then be considered, if such hypothetical case were true, not only the co-author as he is, of "DE LUDO SCACHORUM" and designer of the chess pieces therein drafted but, as well and rightfully, one among the major: FATHER OF MODERN CHESS. Time flies; while the excitement due to the discovery of Luca Pacioli's lost work is ineluctably subsiding, so the focus on this other of Leonardo's prodigious accomplishment is quietly worming its way into the cosy corners of expert knowledge and world oblivion. To avoid this fate this book, LEONARDO & LUCA PACIOLI - THE EVIDENCE, is set to confirm that the chess design is indeed the work of Leonardo. That two hands have been drawing the booklet's chess pieces and that, so great was his genius and so swift his incomparable left hand, that "the season on Leo still brings beautiful fruits." Supporting the evidence, you'll find, in appendix, a study of the Vitruvius Man showing its exacting geometrical structure, further to a deep reflection and elaboration of the principles Leonardo and Luca Pacioli outlined in DE DIVINA PROPORTIONE. In truth, the design of the Vitruvian Man, based on an extraordinary conception of the Golden Section, stands as a paradigm for the geometric structure and proportions of the DE LUDO SCHACORUM chessmen set. Wonder and enjoy

Rembrandt's Code - From the Attic of Civilization can best be described by quoting a reviewer: 5 out of 5 stars "Dr. Girsh has a wonderful grasp of the complex nuances of Rembrandt's works, tying together Biblical references to other important figures in history. He shines light on hidden concepts that eludes even the most analytical of readers. A strong theme of "the origin of thought" branching into many subjects: languages, human thinking and behavior. Truly a masterpiece " The book also serves as a guide to the paintings in exhibition form enabling readers to enjoy the reproductions of great masterpieces of European art on Biblical themes, from Genesis to Deuteronomy. These are artistic interpretations of scenes in Genesis: Creation, Noah and the Flood, Abraham and the Binding of Isaac, Jacob Blessing the Sons of Joseph. Rembrandt, Poussin, Rubens and West are but a few of the prominent artists represented in Rembrandt's Code - From the Attic of Civilization. For example, Rembrandt's masterpiece, "Isaac and Rebecca," sensitively depicts the love that Isaac had for his wife, Rebecca. The Biblical scenes are depicted by these classical artists whose art is part of our cultural evolution. Rembrandt's Code - From the Attic of Civilization has been honored by being sold at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the National Gallery of Art in Scotland. This book has been presented in exhibition format throughout the country and has been very well received. To quote a visitor present at an exhibition, "We were treated to a 'feast for our eyes' with some of the greatest Biblical art ever produced."

During Pope Sixtus V's reign at the end of the Roman Cinquecento (1585-1590), counter-reformed Rome underwent a significant transformation of its liturgy and of the way in which its religious monuments were approached by the faithful. The changes implemented by the pope affected the decoration of monuments on the various estates over which the Vatican has historically held dominion.

"Renovatio Christiana" is a scholarly study detailing the many building projects Pope Sixtus V carried out in order to provide clergy, residents, and pilgrims better access to Rome's main basilicas and churches, as well as to grant the clergy new processional pathways across the major churches. It also emphasizes the relationship between patron and artists, showing how Pope Sixtus V reshaped the Holy Steps, for instance, from a private chapel exclusively for papal use to a stand-alone building open to anyone seeking penance.

A highly academic and original text, "Renovatio Christiana" is a thoroughly informative and insightful must-read for anyone looking for a more detailed history and understanding of Rome's art during the late Italian Renaissance period.

When we think of the Last Supper and art, we often think immediately of Leonardo da Vinci. But the Last Supper has actually been the subject of paintings by artists for many centuries. Here is a collection of more than three dozen versions of the Last Supper - many by well-known artists (such as Peter Paul Rubens and, of course, Leonardo da Vinci), and many by lesser-known artists. As with the other books in the "Enjoying Great Art" series, this book is a pictorial journey for adults and students of all ages. Words are kept to a minimum - with an introduction to the book, and then artists and dates for each painting. For more details on Leonardo's famous version, you may also be interested in Catherine's "Exploring Da Vinci's Last Supper."

The volume, starting from the celebrated and fascinating Portrait of a Lady from the Poldi Pezzoli museum in Milan, one of the greatest masterpieces of Florentine portraiture from the latter half of the 15th century, investigates the art of the Pollaiolo brothers: Antonio, a goldsmith, painter and sculptor, and the most famous of the three; Piero, a painter; and Silvestro, who died young and was soon forgotten. Based on in- depth scientific analyses and research conducted on the methods of execution and materials used for the wide range of different works issued from the Pollaiolo brothers' workshop, the volume presents paintings, drawings, engravings, sculptures, bronzes, and objects of applied art.

Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) was a painter, architect, inventor and student of all things scientific. His natural genius crossed so many disciplines that he epitomized the term 'Renaissance man'. Today he remains best known for his art, including two paintings that remain among the world's most famous and admired, Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. This book features six meticulously crafted pop-ups of his most famous works: Self portrait; Annunciation; Ornithopter; Virgin & Child; Architecture - an overview of his drawings and designs; and Vitruvian Man.

Florence Cathedral, familiarly called Il Duomo, is an architectural masterpiece and home to celebrated works of art. The interrelationship between the brilliant art and architecture and the Cathedral's musical program is explored in depth in this beautiful book. Perhaps the most beloved example is Luca della Robbia's sculptural program for the organ loft, comprising ten sculptural relief panels that depict children singing, dancing, and making music. Luca's charming sculptures are examined alongside luxurious illuminated manuscripts commissioned for musical performances. Essays by distinguished scholars provide new insights into the original function and meaning of Luca's sculptures; organs and organists during the 15th century; the roles played by women and girls-as well as men and boys-in making music throughout Renaissance Florence; and the Cathedral's illuminated choir books. Published in association with the High Museum of Art, Atlanta Exhibition Schedule: High Museum of Art, Atlanta (10/25/14-01/11/15) Detroit Institute of Arts (02/06/15-05/17/15)

This small book was originally designed to help students slow down and enjoy a specific exhibit about the genius of Leonardo da Vinci. But it has been redone to be useful for students anywhere - students who have access to websites or books about Leonardo da Vinci. It includes a scavenger hunt that gives a good overview of Leonardo da Vinci as artist, architect, inventor, mathematician and more Then there are several other hunts that delve into some of those other "job titles" that Leonardo held during his very busy 67-year life. Happy Hunting

"From the Attic of Civilization" can best be described by quoting a reviewer: 5 out of 5 stars "Dr. Girsh has a wonderful grasp of the complex nuances of Rembrandt's works, tying together Biblical references to other important figures in history. He shines light on hidden concepts that eludes even the most analytical of readers. A strong theme of "the origin of thought" branching into many subjects: languages, human thinking and behavior. Truly a masterpiece " The book also serves as a guide to the paintings in exhibition form enabling readers to enjoy the reproductions of great masterpieces of European art on Biblical themes, from Genesis to Deuteronomy. These are artistic interpretations of scenes in Genesis: Creation, Noah and the Flood, Abraham and the Binding of Isaac, Jacob Blessing the Sons of Joseph. Rembrandt, Poussin, Rubens and West are but a few of the prominent artists represented in "From the Attic of Civilization." For example, Rembrandt's masterpiece, "Isaac and Rebecca," sensitively depicts the love that Isaac had for his wife, Rebecca. The Biblical scenes are depicted by these classical artists whose art is part of our cultural evolution. "From the Attic of Civilization" has been honored by being sold at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the National Gallery of Art in Scotland. This book has been presented in exhibition format throughout the country and has been very well received. To quote a visitor present at an exhibition, "We were treated to a 'feast for our eyes' with some of the greatest Biblical art ever produced."

New, full-color, larger size book When did Leonardo da Vinci paint the Last Supper? Why did Leonardo paint the Last Supper? How did he paint the Last Supper? Was Leonardo's Last Supper the first rendition of the Last Supper? Was it the last? Here in one convenient location you will find the answers to these, and many other, questions - with dozens of beautiful pictures of paintings that came before and after Leonardo's Last Supper - as well as many details about how he painted his mural, and the history of it over the last 500 years. A treat for art and history buffs alike Note: This book focuses on Leonardo da Vinci's well-known version of the Last Supper, with some of the before and after versions included. For even more versions of the Last Supper (with less text and more pictures), see Catherine's In Art: The Last Supper book.

The contributions include Arnold Victor Coonin, Preface and Acknowledgments; Debra Pincus, "Like a Good Shepherd" A Tribute to Sarah Blake McHam; Amy R. Bloch, Perspective and Narrative in the Jacob and Esau Panel of Lorenzo Ghiberti's "Gates of Paradise"; David Boffa, Sculptors' Signatures and the Construction of Identity in the Italian Renaissance; Meghan Callahan, Bronzino, Giambologna & Adriaen de Vries: Influence, Innovation and the "Paragone"; Arnold Victor Coonin, "The Spirit of Water" Reconsidering the "Putto Mictans" Sculpture in Renaissance Florence; Kelley Helmstutler Di Dio, From Medalist to Sculptor: Leone Leoni's Bronze Bust of Charles V; Phillip Earenfight, "Civitas Florenti a]e" The New Jerusalem and the "Allegory of Divine Misericordia"; Gabriela Jasin, God's Oddities and Man's Marvels: Two Sculptures of Medici Dwarfs; Linda A. Koch, Medici Continuity, Imperial Tradition and Florentine History: Piero de' Medici's "Tabernacle of the Crucifix" at S. Miniato al Monte; Heather R. Nolin, A New Interpretation of Paolo Veronese's "Saint Barnabas Healing the Sick"; Katherine Poole, Medici Power and Tuscan Unity: The Cavalieri di Santo Stefano and Public Sculpture in Pisa and Livorno under Ferdinando I; Lilian H. Zirpolo, Embellishing the Queen's Residence: Queen Christina of Sweden's Patronage of Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Members of His Circle of Sculptors; Sarah Blake McHam's List of Publications. 1st printing. 338 pages. 117 illustrations. Preface, bibliography, index.

The contributions include Arnold Victor Coonin, Preface and Acknowledgments; Debra Pincus, "Like a Good Shepherd" A Tribute to Sarah Blake McHam; Amy R. Bloch, Perspective and Narrative in the Jacob and Esau Panel of Lorenzo Ghiberti's "Gates of Paradise"; David Boffa, Sculptors' Signatures and the Construction of Identity in the Italian Renaissance; Meghan Callahan, Bronzino, Giambologna & Adriaen de Vries: Influence, Innovation and the "Paragone"; Arnold Victor Coonin, "The Spirit of Water" Reconsidering the "Putto Mictans" Sculpture in Renaissance Florence; Kelley Helmstutler Di Dio, From Medalist to Sculptor: Leone Leoni's Bronze Bust of Charles V; Phillip Earenfight, "Civitas Florenti a]e" The New Jerusalem and the "Allegory of Divine Misericordia"; Gabriela Jasin, God's Oddities and Man's Marvels: Two Sculptures of Medici Dwarfs; Linda A. Koch, Medici Continuity, Imperial Tradition and Florentine History: Piero de' Medici's "Tabernacle of the Crucifix" at S. Miniato al Monte; Heather R. Nolin, A New Interpretation of Paolo Veronese's "Saint Barnabas Healing the Sick"; Katherine Poole, Medici Power and Tuscan Unity: The Cavalieri di Santo Stefano and Public Sculpture in Pisa and Livorno under Ferdinando I; Lilian H. Zirpolo, Embellishing the Queen's Residence: Queen Christina of Sweden's Patronage of Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Members of His Circle of Sculptors; Sarah Blake McHam's List of Publications. 1st printing. 338 pages. 117 illustrations. Preface, bibliography, index.

Introduction: The idea to solve the Voynich came to me when I first looked at the glyphs of the entire MS-408 when I first came across it online around 2009. It was a complete mystery and I desperately wanted to know what was behind the so called curtain of the code; like anyone else who has witnessed its very intense complex structure. A starting point for me was the astrology (Folio 67r) wheel and putting together a cipher to break it down. My understanding of astrology helped too and the wheel seldom had tarot side to it included. I counted the glyphs of the Voynich code that were similar and would number them in their perspective place marks. This enabled me to have at least a baseline for the highest and lowest number of Voynich letters to establish which alphabet I would have to find and match it up too. I tried Spanish first, because of the number of vowels and it did not pan out. Well French and German did not work either. Finally, my cipher unraveled nine words from the Rosetta Wheel (Folio 57v) in Italian and then I targeted the Astrology section with amazing results. My decrypting method included this scenario. First I went online and found a great Italian anagram engine which I inputted my cipher into so that it would rearrange the letters into readable Italian. Then I ran a string of sentences together that followed logic and well magic happened. It (Folio 58r) was a mind blowing experience for me knowing that I was making sense out of MS-408.

'Study me reader, if you find delight in me...Come, O men, to see the miracles that such studies will disclose in nature.' Most of what we know about Leonardo da Vinci, we know because of his notebooks. Some 6,000 sheets of notes and drawings survive, which represent perhaps one-fifth of what he actually produced. In them he recorded everything that interested him in the world around him, and his study of how things work. With an artist's eye and a scientist's curiosity he studied the movement of water and the formation of rocks, the nature of flight and optics, anatomy, architecture, sculpture, and painting. He jotted down fables and letters and developed his belief in the sublime unity of nature and man. Through his notebooks we can get an insight into Leonardo's thoughts, and his approach to work and life. This selection offers a cross-section of his writings, organized around coherent themes. Fully updated, this new edition includes some 70 line drawings and a Preface by Martin Kemp, one of the world's leading authorities on Leonardo. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

This Is A New Release Of The Original 1900 Edition.

Another book in the "Enjoying Great Art" series: Horses are a part of our everyday life. But do we think of them when we think of great art? Here is a picture book for students of all ages...A picture book of horses in art Different colors, shapes, sizes...Some that are only small parts of the painting, some which are the focus of the painting.

A handsome introduction to one of the most important collections of Italian art in the United States The preeminent collector Norton Simon amassed more than 100 Italian paintings during his 35-year career, and today they stand among the treasures of the Norton Simon Museum. In this catalogue-the first of two volumes devoted to the museum's Italian painting collection-noted art historian Sir Nicholas Penny pairs 47 paintings from the 17th and 18th centuries with in-depth commentary, skillfully interweaving tales from the artists' lives, observations on the artists' influences and patronage, and notes on provenance and frames. The works featured here include Guido Cagnacci's (1601-1663) impressive Conversion of the Mary Magdalene and Guercino's (1591-1666) formidable Aldovrandi Dog, among other works by such artists as Guido Reni (1610/12-1662), Luca Giordano (1634-1705), Giambattista Tiepolo (1696-1770), and Canaletto (1697-1768). This is an indispensable overview of one of the greatest collections of its kind in the United States. Distributed for the Norton Simon Museum

Part of the "Enjoying Great Art" series by Catherine Jaime and Deirdre Fuller: Lighthouses may or may not be a part of your everyday life, depending on whether we live near a coast, or spend much time visiting in the area. But, either way, do we think of lighthouses when we think of great art? Here is a picture book for students of all ages...A picture book of lighthouses in art Different colors, shapes, sizes...Some that are only small parts of the painting, some which are the focus of the painting.

A family-friendly novel of Leonardo da Vinci's many productive years in Milan. Follow Leonardo as he works for the Duke of Milan, paints the Last Supper, studies architecture, and much more This novel is written at a young adult level; it has been enjoyed by adults, but also makes a great read-aloud for younger students. This book is the second in the series of historically based novels on da Vinci's life - The Life and Travels of Da Vinci. Chronologically it follows Leonardo the Florentine and precedes Masterpieces in Milan, but the books can be read and enjoyed in any order.