AUTHOR: CARLO URBINO

LANGUAGE: ITALIAN

DATE: 1560-1570

PAGE #: 128

REPRODUCTION DIMENSIONS: 11.25” X 8.75”

HISTORY/DESCRIPTION: THE CODEX HUYGENS IS A 128 PAGE RENAISSANCE MANUSCRIPT FOR A TREATISE ON PAINTING CLOSELY RELATED TO LEONARDO DA VINCI (1452-1519). ITS AUTHOR WAS WIDELY DEBATES AMONG SCHOLARS ON WHICH OF THE ITALIAN ARTISTS OF MILAN DURING THE EARLY 1500’S. AFTER MUCH DEBATE HE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS THE NORTH ITALIAN ARTIST CARLO URBINO (1510/20-AFTER 1585). IT IS SAID THAT HE MUST HAVE BEEN FAMILIAR WITH LEONARDO'S NOTES BEFORE THEY WERE DISPERSED. SOME OF THE DRAWINGS ARE FAITHFUL COPIES OF NOW LOST ORIGINALS BY LEONARDO. OTHERS, LIKE THE VITRUVIAN MAN, ARE RELATED TO LEONARDO BUT INDEPENDENT INTERPRETATIONS IN THEIR OWN RIGHT. THE EXTANT MANUSCRIPT WAS SAID TO CONTAIN FOURTEEN SECTIONS. THE CODEX APPEARS TO BE ONLY A FRAGMENT, WHICH INCLUDES ONLY FIVE SECTIONS. SCHOLARS HAVE DEBATED SINCE THE 1940’S OF THE EXISTENT LEONARDO DA VINCI HAND PLAYED A ROLE IN THE CODEX. THE FORMER OWNER HUYGENS WAS CONVINCED THE CODEX WAS WRITTEN BY LEONARDO DA VINCI HIMSELF. HOWEVER, WATERMARK DATING OF THE CODEX DATES THE WORK TO BE IN THE 1560-1575, WHICH IS LONG AFTER LEONARDO DIED.

THE NAME OF THE CODEX GOES BACK TO ITS FORMER OWNER, CONSTANTIJN HUYGENS JR. (1628-1697), SECRETARY TO KING WILLIAM III OF ENGLAND (CROWNED 1689). HUYGENS ACQUIRED THE MANUSCRIPT IN 1690, FIRMLY BELIEVING IT TO BE AN AUTOGRAPH WORK BY LEOBARDO.

REPRODUCTION DETAILS: OUR HARDCOVER BOOKS ARE MADE WITH REAL WOOD FOR THE INTERIOR OF THE FRONT AND BACK COVERS AS WELL AS THE SPINE. THE LEATHER IS A 4 OZ COWHIDE, FROM A SMALL SUPPLIER IN NORTH CAROLINA. THE LEATHER IS ADHERED TO THE COVERS WITH GLUE AND MOLDED INTO THE SHAPE AT THE HAND OF OUR LOCAL ARTISANS. THE SIGNATURES/PAGES ARE HANDSEWN USING A LIBRARY BINDING METHOD. THE SEWN BOOK IS BOUND WITH A STRONG ADHESIVE GLUE THAT MAKES THE BINDINGS LAST, ESPECIALLY FOR THE LARGER BOOKS. WE ALSO ADD A THICK MULL CLOTH TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE BINDING, DRYING IN BETWEEN EACH LAYER, A TRADITIONAL WAY TO MAKE THE BINDING STIFF, STRONG, AND RESILIENT FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

NOTE: ALL OF OUR FACSIMILES ARE MADE TO ORDER. PLEASE ALLOW 4-6 WEEKS FOR NOTIFICATION OF SHIPMENT.