Work
A single, limited, numbered edition of 2,998 copies presented in a case, made exclusively for this work, which reveals the sculpture The Vitruvian Man and the Leonardo da Vinci volume. The bronze sculpture of Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous drawing is a homage to the beauty of human proportion.
Produced in bronze using the lost wax technique, it stands on a base of travertine marble and is inscribed with the quote from Da Vinci “Man is the measure of all things”.
Leonardo’s drawing shows a man with his arms and legs outstretched in two positions, inscribed upon a square (symbolizing the physical world), and inside a circle, which is a symbol of the spiritual world. The center of the circle lies in his navel, while the center of the square is situated in his genitals.
The large-format volume has an enormous visual impact, and contains more than 180 illustrations taken from the 18 paintings known to have definitely been painted by Da Vinci, and his most important drawings. These spectacular images show details from his work that can help the reader to discover the hand of the genius, artist, inventor and scientist.
The design of the case protecting the two pieces exudes elegance and distinction, and invites us to discover the perfection of the human body in one of the most-reproduced images in history.
Gallery
The production process
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The artist creates a full-size sculpture of the original in modelling clay, making it possible to highlight every detail of the figure.
A silicone-lined negative mould of the original is created and reinforced on its outer surface with plaster. It is filled with melted wax by hand.
The two parts of the mould are re-sealed and filled with cold melted wax to create an exact wax replica of the original.
Once cooled, each piece is worked by hand to remove any leftovers from the moulding process and create a flawless reproduction.
The figure is retouched by the artisan, who hand-polishes each piece individually to ensure a unique and unrepeatable reproduction.
The piece is dipped into a ceramic bath and coated with a heat-resistant powder to withstand the extreme temperatures at which the metal melts.
The wax melts and is "lost" in the kiln. Molten bronze (1,200°C) is poured into what is now a ceramic mould.
After several hours of cooling, the moulds are removed. The sprues are cut off and the sculpture is water-blasted to clean.
The artisans polish each piece by hand. Any flaws mean the figure is rejected.
A circle and a square are welded on to the piece. A patina is finally applied to give the sculpture a unique, unrepeatable finish.
Finally, the reproduction is attached to the travertine marble plinth and each specimen is numbered by hand.
The sculpture is housed in an elegant protective case that has been meticulously designed for careful storage.
Technical specifications
Case
- 19.68 x 20.47 x 6.29 in. (50 x 52 x 16 cm).
- Gray, hi-density polystyrene interior.
- Interior die for the sculpture and exterior nest for the book.
- Contains the volume Leonardo da Vinci and the sculpture The Vitruvian Man.
Sculpture of The Vitruvian Man
- Bronze sculpture made with lost-wax casting. Patina finish.
- 16.53 x 15.74 in. (42 x 40 cm).
- 20.30 lb. (7,60 kg) approx. weight.
- Hand-numbered from 1 to 998.
- Inscription of a quote by Leonardo da Vinci engraved on the bronze stand.
- Travertine marble base.
Book - Leonardo da Vinci
- 14.96 x 11.02 in. (38 x 28 cm).
- 184 pp.
- Paper: 0.37 lb. (170 g) Creator Gala gloss coated art paper. 5 inks print work.
- Binding: hardback with 0.11 in. (3 mm) laminated lining.
- Flat back stitched with Brilliant black setalux silk-screened fabric.
- More than 180 illustrations.
- Bilingual edition, Spanish and English.