Leonardo da Vinci may be best known for painting the world's most enigmatic smile, but a new exhibition at Buckingham Palace explores the Italian Renaissance painter, sculptor, inventor and scientist's breathtaking anatomical studies of the human body.
"Leonardo da Vinci: Anatomist",
which runs from May 4 to October 7, features 87 anatomical drawings by Leonardo, the largest collection to ever go on show including a detailed portrayal in red chalk of a child in the breech position and pencil drawings of the human skull. The body of work, which was never published in the artist's lifetime, would have made Leonardo one of greatest Renaissance scientists to this day, said Martin Clayton, exhibition curator at The Queens Gallery. Leonardo da Vinci may be best known for painting the world's most enigmatic smile, but a new exhibition at Buckingham Palace explores the Italian Renaissance painter, sculptor, inventor and scientist's breathtaking anatomical studies of the human body. "Leonardo has a reputation as a great painter who did a bit of science on the side, almost like a hobby, people think of his flying machine and submarine".Clayton said the exhibition shows that Leonardo's work as an anatomist was deeply serious, incredibly detailed and hugely important. The artist's drawing of the cardiovascular system was compiled in several stages, sketched first in red and then black chalk, his fingerprints still visible on the paper.
