It is a miracle that any one man should have observed, read, and written down so much in a single lifetime. -- Kenneth Clark, art historian and Leonardo da Vinci biographer

It is a miracle that any one man should have observed, read, and written down so much in a single lifetime. -- Kenneth Clark, art historian and Leonardo da Vinci biographer

A perfectionist in his artwork, Leonardo da Vinci studied nature and anatomy to produce amazingly realistic paintings. Using scientific methods in his investigations of the human body -- the first ever by an artist -- he was able to create remarkably accurate depictions of the ideal figure.

This exceptional collection of 59 precise, detailed drawings reprints Leonardo's sketches, still considered the finest ever made, of the skeleton; vertebral column; skull; upper and lower extremities; cardiovascular, respiratory, and nervous systems; human embryos; and other subjects. The volume will be a welcome addition to the libraries of artists, illustrators, and scientists.