Leonardo's visionary genius among flying machines and self-propelled chariots. An exhibition in Sansepolcro

The Civic Museum of Sansepolcro also celebrates Leonardo da Vinci (Vinci, 1452 - Amboise, 1519) on the occasion of the five hundredth anniversary of his death with an exhibition that will run for nearly a year, from March 13, 2019 to February 24, 2020. Entitled Leonardo da Vinci: Visions. The Technological Challenges of the Universal Genius, sponsored by the City of Sansepolcro and mounted by Opera Laboratori Fiorentini-Civita, the exhibition invites its visitors to explore some of Leonardo’s ambitious projects, which well illustrate his aptitude for grappling with themes of unprecedented complexity. Flight, the conferring of movement to inanimate objects, the design of the largest equestrian statue ever made: dreams that have been part of human history since ancient times and take shape in his drawings and the machines he devised. The exhibition aims to be a contribution to the knowledge of the genius and tenacity with which Leonardo tackled the boldest technological and artistic challenges.

Dreamed of by man from the earliest times, flight takes shape in his studies and in the machines he designed. Leonardo also measured himself against the idea of imparting movement to inanimate objects: the self-propelled chariot and the mechanical lion are eloquent testimonies to the results he achieved, with highly innovative potential. Finally, the design for the gigantic bronze equestrian statue in memory of Francesco Sforza is further evidence of the exceptional intelligence with which he tackled daring challenges. In-depth videos and 3D animations created by the Museo Galileo in Florence accompany the exhibition, allowing both an in-depth look at the themes addressed and an understanding of the principles governing the operation of the machines on display.

Leonardo da Vinci: Visions is the result of an extensive project path conceived by the Museo Galileo of Florence and curated by its director Paolo Galluzzi and represents the synthesis of three exhibitions held in the past, namely The Engineers of the Renaissance (1995),Leonardo ’s Automobile (2004) and The Mind of Leonardo (2006), which were mounted in prestigious venues in Italy and around the world.

“This exhibition,” says Paolo Galluzzi, “offers visitors a different point of view, inviting them to explore Leonardo’s way of thinking and his unified conception of knowledge as an effort to assimilate, with bold theoretical syntheses and ingenious experiments, the laws that govern all the marvelous operations of man and nature.”

“We are proud,” says the mayor of Sansepolcro, Mauro Cornioli, “to host what will be an innovative and unprecedented exhibition of its kind. This event represents one of the appointments in a calendar full of high-level initiatives with the involvement of personalities and associative realities of the highest caliber linked to the figure Leonardo. The city of Sansepolcro will be one of the cultural hubs of reference for this Cinquecentennial, and this can only make us proud.”

“With this exhibition,” says Culture Councilor Gabriele Marconcini, “our museum is enriched with a section specifically focused on the boundless genius of the genius of Vinci. We are therefore enthusiastic because thanks to this proposal we can highlight the obstinate tendency of the Renaissance man to go beyond the limits of his time: a propensity that also characterized the work of our two most illustrious fellow citizens, Piero della Francesca and Luca Pacioli, who had previously contributed, in a decisive way, to redefining the cultural paradigm within which Leonardo would later express himself brilliantly.” In fact, the title in a certain way also refers to the visionary nature of the artist from Vinci, a genius ahead of his time and who used his knowledge and skills to constantly push the limits imposed by his time.

For all information you can call +39 0575 732218, send an email to mostre@civita.it or visit the official website of the San Sepolcro Civic Museum. For pre-sales you should call 199 15 11 21.

Leonardo da Vinci, Wing of flying machine with panelled covering imitating bat wings, detail (Ms. B, c. 74r)

Model of flying machine

Leonardo da Vinci, Flying vessel with pilot in central position (Ms. B, c. 80r)

Leonardo da Vinci, Studies on the flight of birds (Ms. E, c. 43v)

Leonardo da Vinci, Studies for the self-propelled ch ariot (Codex Atlanticus, c. 812r)

Model of Leonardo’s self-propelled chariot or automobile

Leonardo da Vinci, Study for the equestrian monument to Francesco Sforza (Royal Collection, Windsor, c. 12358r/P106r)

Setting up the exhibition Leonardo: Visions in Sansepolcro

Setting up the exhibition Leonardo: Vis ions in Sansepolcro

Setting up of the exhibition Leonardo: Visions in Sansepolcro

Pictured below: Leonardo da Vinci, Study of the right foreleg of a horse from four points of view (Royal Collection, Windsor, c. 12299r/P104r)

Source: release

Leonardo's visionary genius among flying machines and self-propelled chariots. An exhibition in Sansepolcro

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