Leonardo da Vinci: Secrets of a Genius and art books on Sandro Botticelli and Raphael 

 

Franco Amadei, cultural counselor of the Italian Embassy in China, speaks at the launch ceremony. Photos Courtesy of Chinese National Geography Books

To commemorate the 500th anniversary of the death of Leonardo da Vinci, a launch ceremony for an art book titled Leonardo da Vinci: Secrets of a Genius was held on Tuesday at the Italian Institute of Culture in Beijing. 

Along with the book on the paintings of Da Vinci, books on works by two other Italian painters, Sandro Botticelli and Raphael, also made their debut at the ceremony. The books went on sale in bookstores and online on June 1.

In collaboration with the Beijing United Publishing Corporation, Chinese National Geography plans to publish a series of 19 arts books in total in a series named Art Museums on Paper.

As 2019 marks the 500th anniversary of the death of the genius, multiple books on Da Vinci have been published in China this year. The Italian Institute of Culture in Beijing has hosted various lectures and seminars on his works.

"I'm honored to see that people are trying to learn more about him and trying to appreciate him. Thanks to publishers like Chinese National Geography, we have books like this to help build a Silk Road of art, culture and thought to connect us together,"said Franco Amadei, cultural counselor of the Italian Embassy in China, at the launch ceremony.