Celebrations in the US and Europe are underway for the 500th anniversary of the death of the brilliant #LeonardodaVinci.
This year marks the 500th anniversary of death of the brilliant Leonardo da Vinci. On 2 may 1519, the Italian genius died at 67 near Amboise, France. For the last three years of his life, he lived as a guest of the French King Francis I.
As a way into the artist's life and work, Walter Isaacson’s excellent book, Leonardo da Vinci, is a great read. Isaacson immersed himself in thousands of pages from the artist’s notebooks. He paints an intimate portrait of the artist by connecting his art to his science. The author details how Leonardo’s genius was rooted in being a “misfit,” in combination with his passionate curiosity, careful observation, and nimble imagination.
The publisher’s summary encapsulates da Vinci’s immense genius:
Da Vinci produced the two most famous paintings in history, The Last Supper and the Mona Lisa. With a passion that sometimes became obsessive, he pursued innovative studies of anatomy, fossils, birds, the heart, flying machines, botany, geology, and weaponry. He explored the math of optics, showed how light rays strike the cornea, and produced illusions of changing perspectives in The Last Supper. His ability to stand at the crossroads of the humanities and the sciences, made iconic by his drawing of Vitruvian Man, made him history’s most creative genius.
Despite the ownership feud between Italy and France, celebrations and exhibitions have been ongoing since the fall of 2018. Many are happening now, or will open later in the year. Here are some notable da Vinci exhibits around the globe this year and into 2020.
US
Pittsburgh, PA
Da Vinci: The Exhibition | Carnegie Science Center through Labor Day
A journey of innovation, creativity, and wonder, the exhibition features more than 60 fully built, life-size inventions.
New York, NY
At April’s end, The Metropolitan Museum of Art wrapped up its homage of drawings and prints from the collection, specifically four rare drawings by the artist, plus a number of works on paper related to his legacy.
Europe
Italy
Leonardo da Vinci: Science Before Science, Scuderie del Quirinale | Rome, Italy | 13 march 2019 thru 30 june 2019
Sala delle Asse, Castello Sforzesco | Milan, Italy | 16 may 2019 thru 12 january 2020
Leonardo’s Supper for Francis: A Masterpiece in Silk and Silver, Palazzo Reale | Milan, Italy | 7 october 2019 thru 23 january 2020
Leonardo and His School in the Ambrosiana's Collections, Pinacoteca Ambrosiana | Milan, Italy | Four exhibits beginning december 2019 thru january 2020
France
Leonardo da Vinci, The Louvre | 24 october 2019 thru 24 february 2020
UK
Leonardo da Vinci: A Life in Drawing, From The Royal Trust Collection | Multiple dates and locations
The Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace, London, England | 24 may thru 13 october 2019
The Queen's Gallery, Palace of Holyrodhouse, Edinburgh, Scotland | 22 november 2019 thru 15 march 2020
Leonardo da Vinci: A Mind in Motion, The British Library | London, England | 7 june thru 8 september 2019
The loan to The British Library by Bill Gates, who purchased the Codex Leicester for $30 million, allows this notebook to be displayed alongside da Vinci’s two other notebooks, the Codex Forster and the Codex Arundel in the UK for the first time.
Photos: Top two sketchbook pages © 2019 Janet Giampietro from Leonardo's Notebooks; bottom, Codex Arundel pages digitized at The British Library.
