The Leicester Codex, also known as the “Hammer” Codex from the name of the American millionaire who owned it before Bill Gates, was compiled between 1506 and 1513, during the period when Leonardo was dividing his time between short stays in Florence and returning to Milan, this time under the protection of the French king, Louis XII. Facsimile, Leonardo da Vinci: Atlanticus, Disegni, Leicester Hammer, Codex A, Quaderni di anatomia, Arundel, Codex on the flight of birds, Trivulzianus.
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The Codex Atlanticus (Atlantic Codex) is a twelve-volume, bound set of drawings and writings (in Italian) by Leonardo da Vinci, the largest such set; its name indicates the large paper used to preserve original Leonardo notebook pages, which was that used for atlases. It comprises 1,119 leaves dating from 1478 to 1519, the contents covering a great variety of subjects, from flight to weaponry to musical instruments and from mathematics to botany. This codex was gathered in the late 16th century by the sculptor Pompeo Leoni, who dismembered some of Leonardo's notebooks in its formation. It is currently preserved at the Biblioteca Ambrosiana in Milan.
Contents[edit]
The folios in the Codex Atlanticus deal with various subjects ranging from mechanics to hydraulics, from studies and sketches for paintings to mathematics and astronomy, from philosophical meditations to fables, all the way to curious inventions such as parachutes, war machineries and hydraulic pumps.[1]
Hoist by Leonardo da Vinci (Codex Atlanticus, f. 30v., 1480 ca.). Reconstruction at the Museo nazionale della scienza e della tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci, Milan.
History[edit]
The codex was gathered in the late 16th century by Leone Leoni's son, the sculptor Pompeo Leoni, who dismembered some of Leonardo's notebooks in its formation.[2] Its 1,222 pages are 1,119 leaves dating from 1478 to 1519.[2]
When Napoleon conquered Milan in 1796, he seized about a dozen Leonardo manuscripts including the Codex and sent them to Paris, saying that 'all men of genius ... are French, whatever the country which has given them birth.' The manuscript was returned to Milan at the end of the Napoleonic Wars, but the other manuscripts remain in the Paris Institut de France.[2]
The codex was restored and rebound by the Basilian monks working in the Laboratory for the Restoration of Ancient Books and Manuscripts of the Exarchic Greek Abbey of St. Mary of Grottaferrata from 1968 to 1972.[3]
In April 2006, Carmen Bambach of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City discovered an extensive invasion of molds of various colors, including black, red, and purple, along with swelling of pages.[4][5] Monsignor Gianfranco Ravasi—then the head of the Ambrosian Library, now head of the Pontifical Council for Culture at the Vatican—alerted the Italian conservation institute, the Opificio delle Pietre Dure, in Florence. In October 2008, it was determined that the colors found on the pages were not the product of mold, but were instead caused by mercury salts added to protect the Codex from mold.[6] Moreover, the staining appears to be not on the codex but on later cartonage.[7]
In 2019, an interactive website has been launched that allows to explore the Codex Atlanticus in its entirety and to organize its 1119 pages by subject, year and page number.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^'Codex Atlanticus'. Archived from the original on October 6, 2018. Retrieved March 11, 2014.
- ^ abcWallace, Robert (1972) [1966]. The World of Leonardo: 1452–1519. New York: Time-Life Books. p. 170.
- ^'Official web site of the Abbey of St. Mary of Grottaferrata'. Abbaziagreca.it. Retrieved 2013-07-17.
- ^AP via N.Y. Times story of mold damage and history
- ^'Codex Atlanticus by Leonardo Da Vinci is being damaged by mould'. Entertainment.timesonline.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-07-17.
- ^'Study: Da Vinci Codex old but not moldy'. Physorg.com. 2008-10-21. Retrieved 2013-07-17.
- ^AP story via Yahoo, Oct. 21, 2008Archived October 26, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
External links[edit]
| Wikimedia Commons has media related to Codex Atlanticus. |
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- Browsable online archive of digitized images of the Codex Atlanticus at Biblioteca Leonardiana (e-Leo)
| Author | Leonardo da Vinci |
|---|---|
| Country | Florence, Italy |
| Language | Italian |
| Genre | Handwriting |
| Published | 1510 (1504–1508) |
| Pages | 72 (36 sheets) |
The Codex Leicester (also briefly known as Codex Hammer) is a collection of scientific writings by Leonardo da Vinci. The Codex is named after Thomas Coke, later created Earl of Leicester, who purchased it in 1719. The manuscript currently holds the record for the second highest sale price of any book, as it was sold to Bill Gates at Christie's auction house on 11 November 1994 in New York for US$30,802,500 (equivalent to $53,222,898.79 as of 2019)[1][2][3][4]
The Codex provides an insight into the inquiring mind of the definitive Renaissance artist, scientist and thinker as well as an exceptional illustration of the link between art and science and the creativity of the scientific process.[5]
Overview[edit]
The manuscript does not take the form of a single linear script, but is rather a mixture of Leonardo's observations and theories on astronomy; the properties of water, rocks, and fossils; air, and celestial light. The topics addressed include:[6]
- An explanation of why fossils can be found on mountains. Hundreds of years before plate tectonics became accepted scientific theory, Leonardo believed that mountains had previously formed sea beds, which were gradually lifted until they formed mountains.[6]
- The movement of water. This is the main topic of the Leicester Codex. Among other things, Leonardo wrote about the flow of water in rivers, and how it is affected by different obstacles put in its way. From his observations he made recommendations about bridge construction and erosion.[6]
- The luminosity of the Moon. Leonardo speculated that the Moon's surface is covered by water, which reflects light from the Sun. In this model, waves on the water's surface cause the light to be reflected in many directions, explaining why the Moon is not as bright as the Sun. Leonardo explained that the pale glow on the dark portion of the crescent Moon is caused by sunlight reflected from the Earth. Thus, he described the phenomenon of planetshine one hundred years before the German astronomer Johannes Kepler proved it.[6]
The Codex consists of 18 sheets of paper, each folded in half and written on both sides, forming the complete 72-page document.[7] At one time the sheets were bound together, but they are now displayed separately. It was handwritten in Italian by Leonardo, using his characteristic mirror writing, and supported by copious drawings and diagrams.[8]
Renamings[edit]
Leonardo Da Vinci Codex Hammer
The Codex was purchased at auction from the Leicester estate in 1980, by wealthy industrialist and art collector Armand Hammer, for $5.1 million ($15.5 million in 2018 dollars), later renaming the notebook Codex Hammer.[9] Hammer commissioned Leonardo da Vinci scholar, Dr. Carlo Pedretti, to compile the loose pages of the codex back into its original form. Over the next seven years Dr. Pedretti translated each page to English, completing the project in 1987.[10]
Recent history[edit]
The Codex was sold to Bill Gates by Christie's auction house on 11 November 1994 in New York for US$30,802,500.[3] After Gates acquired the Codex, he had its pages scanned into digital image files, some of which were later distributed as screen saver and wallpaper files on a CD-ROM as part of a Microsoft Plus! for Windows 95 desktop theme, which would later be included with Windows 98 and Windows ME. A comprehensive CD-ROM version (simply titled Leonardo da Vinci) was released by Corbis in 1997.
The Codex Leicester has been unbound with each page individually mounted between glass panes. It is put on public display once a year in a different city around the world. In 2000, it was displayed at Sydney's Powerhouse Museum.[11] In 2004, it was exhibited in the Château de Chambord, and in 2005 in Tokyo. One page was exhibited at the Seattle Museum of Flight's 2006 exhibit 'Leonardo da Vinci: Man, Inventor, Genius'. From June to August 2007, the Codex was the centerpiece of a two-month exhibition hosted by the Chester Beatty Library in Dublin, Ireland. The Codex was on view at the Phoenix Art Museum in Phoenix, Arizona from 24 January 2015 through 12 April 2015 for the exhibition Leonardo Da Vinci's Codex Leicester and the Power of Observation. Its presentation at Phoenix Art Museum was the first time a work by the hand of Leonardo himself was on view in Arizona.[12] The Codex was then on view at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts in an exhibition Leonardo Da Vinci, the Codex Leicester, and the Creative Mind that opened 21 June 2015, where it remained on display until 30 August 2015.[13] As part of the same tour, the Codex Leicester was also on display at the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh, North Carolina from 31 October 2015 to 17 January 2016.[14]
Owners[edit]
- Giovanni della Porta, Michelangelo's student (?)
- Giuseppe Ghezzi (until 1719)
- Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester (fifth creation) (1719–1759)
- Leicester estate (1759–1980)
- Armand Hammer (1980–1990)
- Estate of Armand Hammer (1990–1994)
- Bill Gates (1994–present)
See also[edit]
Dimensions[edit]
The notebook is Bound in leather and consists of 36 sheets of size 29 × 22 cm. Unlike other manuscripts, usually on various topics, this is mainly dedicated to studies of hydraulics.
References[edit]
- ^http://www.in2013dollars.com/us/inflation/1994?amount=30800000
- ^'BBC News: Bay Psalm Book is most expensive printed work at $14.2m'. BBC News. 27 November 2013. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
- ^ ab'Christie, Manson and Woods, sale 8030, 11 November 1994'. Christies.com. 11 November 1994. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
- ^Kuruvilla, Carol (22 September 2017). 'Mormon Church Drops $35 Million On Printer's Manuscript Of The Book Of Mormon'. Huffington Post. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
- ^Leonardo (da Vinci), Kenneth David Keele, Jane Roberts, Leonardo Da Vinci: Anatomical Drawings from the Royal Library, Windsor Castle, New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1983
- ^ abcd'An introduction to Leonardo da Vinci's Codices Arundel and Leicester'(PDF).
- ^'The Most Expensive Antique Items Ever Sold: Part I'. 8 July 2018.
- ^'The Sunday Tribune – Spectrum'. www.tribuneindia.com.
- ^Christopher Reynolds and Hugh Hart (15 January 2007). 'The Da Vinci codex versus the museum code'. LA Times. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
- ^Pedretti, catalogue by Jane Roberts ; introduction by Carlo (1981). Leonardo da Vinci : the Codex Hammer : formerly the Codex Leicester. Los Angeles: Armand Hammer Foundation. ISBN0384205909.
- ^'The World Today Archive – Leonardo da Vinci manuscript on display'. Abc.net.au. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
- ^'Phoenix Art Museum – Exhibition Exhibitions'.
- ^'Leonardo da Vinci, the Codex Leicester, and the Creative Mind — Minneapolis Institute of Art – Minneapolis Institute of Art'. Minneapolis Institute of Art.
- ^'Leonardo da Vinci's Codex Leicester and the Creative Mind – Exhibitions – NCMA – North Carolina Museum of Art'.
Further reading[edit]
- Thereza Wells, ed. (2008). Notebooks of Leonardo da VInci, selected by Irma A. Richter. Oxford World's Classics (new ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN978-0-19-929902-7.
- Christie's Auction House (1980). The Codex Leicester by Leonardo Da Vinci. Christie's.. Sale catalogue, held on Friday 12 December 1980.
- Jean Paul Richter (1970). The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci. Dover. ISBN0-486-22572-0. volume 2: ISBN0-486-22573-9. A reprint of the original 1883 edition.
Leonardo Da Vinci Codex Hammer Pdf
External links[edit]
| Wikimedia Commons has media related to Codex Hammer. |
- Seattle P-I site for 1997 Seattle Art Museum exhibit of the Codex, including background info[dead link]
- News report of Japan opening, September 2005[dead link]