Leonardo da Vinci's 'Treatise on Painting' and other ultra-rare Renaissance books could be auctioned for $25 million. The 16th century book collection is considered the best library of its kind that exists outside of Europe.
The books and bindings are drawn from the collection of T. Kimball Brooker, an American bibliophile and scholar who accumulated more than 1,300 titles over six decades to create one of the most important rare book libraries ever auctioned. The library is at the heart of Renaissance-era art, architecture and knowledge and is considered the best collection that exists outside of Europe.
A highlight of the sale is an ancient manuscript of Leonardo da Vinci's “Treatise on Painting,” containing all of its 375 original chapters and 56 ink illustrations. After Leonardo's death in 1519, the Italian polymath's loose manuscripts were collected by his longtime companion, Francesco Melzi, who marked passages relating to the painting and copied them, with their corresponding drawings, into a codex now owned by the Library. of the Vatican. The abridged version for sale, made between 1638 and 1641 in Cassiano dal Pozzo's studio, was stripped of “potentially heretical passages”, according to Sotheby's. It is expected to fetch between $120,000 and $180,000.
Also up for auction are approximately 1,000 editions from the pioneering Venetian publisher Aldine Press, printed between 1494 and 1590. Brooker's Aldine collection represents Greek and Latin literature, as well as Renaissance works of history, philosophy and science.
Founded by Aldus Manutius, Aldine was one of the most important publishers of the Renaissance, credited with revolutionizing the way books were published. Manutius himself designed the italic font, which was easier to read than traditional block fonts, and introduced a smaller, portable book that is considered the precursor to today's paperback books.
“This constitutes the largest collection to grace the market in the modern era,” said Charlotte Miller, Sotheby's books and manuscripts specialist. “The volumes are not just of historical curiosity – they have left a lasting impact on the publishing world and the emergence of the modern book. The dolphin and anchor printing device remains an enduring symbol of quality, still recognized today by publishers and bibliophiles.”
In addition to the Aldine collection, there are around 450 other printed books of notable provenance, dating back thousands of years in private collections of nobles and kings. Several of these works from the Brooker collection were sold at Sotheby's auctions as early as 1817, highlighting the house's origins as a bookseller.
T. Kimball Brooker is an exalted figure in the world of antiquarian book collecting. In 1959, while studying at the Sorbonne in Paris, he came across a prayer book by the ancient Roman statesman Marcus Tullius Cicero, bound in parchment. Certain that he had made a great discovery, he bought it for 10 dollars and took it to a dealer on the rue de Seine, who told him that it was, in fact, worthless. But the experience set Brooker on the bibliophilic path. While pursuing his MBA at Harvard, he titled his master's thesis “Rare Books as a Hedge Against Devaluation and Inflation” and earned a doctorate in art history. He has collected rare books ever since.
“The Brookerian Library is a monument to the scholarly passion that guided Mr. Brooker in his lifelong search for this incomparable treasure,” said Richard Austin, global head of books and manuscripts at Sotheby's. “The sales series promises to be a major event in the world of books and is a celebration of the spirit that has inspired collectors and book connoisseurs for centuries.”
The Brooker auction will span eight sales, beginning with a live evening sale on October 11 in New York, with the first Aldine sale on October 12. Additional sales will take place in New York and London until 2025.
Source: Artforum