A spectacular new exhibition salutes the 500th anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci, the original Renaissance Man. Judith Schrut pays a visit.
This year marks 500 years since the death of Leonardo da Vinci, the extraordinary Italian artist, architect and anatomist, scientist, inventor, all around genius and original ‘Renaissance Man’. His Mona Lisa is probably the most famous painting on the planet. He invented the bicycle, the airplane, the helicopter and the parachute some 500 years ahead of their time. Da Vinci also developed plans for floating snowshoes, a breathing device for underwater exploration, a life preserver and a diving bell that could attack ships from below. His private notes and scribblings reveal his eccentric habit of writing backwards, starting at the right side of the page and moving to the left.
The world and particularly the country of his birth are celebrating all things Leonardo, with festivities in Florence, Rome, Turin, Vinci (his Tuscany birthplace), Milan (where he spent his most productive years) and the French Loire (where he spent his final years). If you can’t make it to the pageantry, pay homage to the great man with a visit to Leonardo, A Life in Drawing at the Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace. This is the UK’s largest da Vinci exhibition in many years, bringing together more than 200 rarely displayed, exquisite drawings from the Royal Collection.
The show will leave you breathless. On display are intricate studies of human hands, hearts, skulls, facial features and foetuses in the womb in preparation for a planned book of anatomy; a perfectionist’s sketches of flowers, plants and landscapes; tender portraits of men and women; complex designs for boats, chariots, weapons, fountains and a great many horse monuments. Since most of da Vinci’s plans were never realised and only 20 paintings were ever completed, these drawings are the chief legacy of a life’s work.
As well as this unmissable show, the Gallery is hosting a season of Leo-themed special events, tours, concerts and other activities in tribute to the great man. Have a go at Dancing with da Vinci or Yoga with an Old Master. There’s also a late-night Leonardo Pageant, Renaissance-themed mystery evenings, a social sketching event and a Leo-inspired opera to raise funds for homeless Londoners.
I’ve known about the Queen’s Gallery for a long time but this was my first visit. It’s a beautiful, quietly impressive venue, tucked away just inside the grounds of Buckingham Palace and close to St James Park. Entry tickets are especially good value because of a very cool thing known as a 1-year pass. It’s simple: buy your ticket directly from the Gallery, get it stamped after your visit and you’ll get free admission to all shows for the next 12 months. Leo would definitely have approved.
Leonardo, A Life in Drawing, until 13 October 2019 at the Queens Gallery, Buckingham Palace, London SW1A 1AA, tickets £13.50 reduced price for over 60s, students, under 17s and people with disabilities. More at rct.uk.
