Included are paintings and sculptures by Leonardo's teacher, Andrea Verrocchio, such colleagues as Lorenzo de' Credi and Sandro Botticelli, and his students Ambrogio de' Predis, Giovan Antonio Boltraffio, and others. The Annunciation and The Last Supper are presented in lush double gatefolds, with accompanying full-page details. Marani also explores such enduring questions as Leonardo's relationship to the other great artists of his time, the influence upon him of the art and literature of ancient Rome, his passion for scientific inquiry and analysis, and the role of royal and noble patrons in his career. Leonardo will always remain an elusive artist, whose works are puzzles to be pored over endlessly, interpreted, and reinterpreted, as well as objects of breathtaking beauty simply to be enjoyed. The Complete Paintings a book that does justice to the magnificent accomplishments of this great artist.
Mexican art has an original style that boasts of uniqueness and diversity.
The great mix of races and the assorted influences of an often changing political and social system over the centuries forced Mexicans to search carefully for their national identity, and they looked to art for a sense of distinction. Mexico's artistic history has been evolving for more than two thousand years and modern Mexican art embodies elements and characteristics of centuries of indigenous art. Imbued with traces of ancient mysticism and combining both pagan and Christian beliefs, Mexican art is both visual and narrative in nature as colorful and complex as the Mexican people themselves. Marcus Burke combines scholarship with passionate storytelling in the 48 essays that accompany the works, and reveals the complicated connections between Mexican politics, society, and art. From Mayan pottery to Rivera's murals, the unique qualities of Mexican art have fascinated art lovers and collectors for centuries.