The exhibition
The exhibition will be split into two spaces – a space to view the twelve drawings and an interactive space.
There will be a focus of drawing and materials, with the introductory space to the exhibition providing interactive elements encouraging visitors to draw. An on-going activity throughout the exhibition will ask visitors to draw a small square of A Bust of a Man, resulting in a large communal drawing.
Specimens from our own collection include a taxidermy half and half cat (half skin, half skeleton), a woodpecker showing muscles and tongue, along with a lizard from the spirit collection at Sheffield University. There will be footage of running water to reference Leonardo as one of the first people who tried to capture the image of running water, and to demonstrate the difficulty of this task . A case of materials Leonardo would have used will be displayed alongside the RCT video about materials he used.
In a separate gallery we also have a newly commissioned immersive piece of work created in response to Leonardo’s studies of water, by internationally-acclaimed digital studio, Universal Everything.
Royal Collection drawings on display:
Leonardo da Vinci (Vinci 1452-Amboise 1519)
Designs for a 'Heron's Fountain'
Leonardo da Vinci (Vinci 1452-Amboise 1519)
The bust of a man, and the head of a lion
Leonardo da Vinci (Vinci 1452-Amboise 1519)
A standing masquerader
Leonardo da Vinci (Vinci 1452-Amboise 1519)
A design for a 'Heron's Fountain'
Leonardo da Vinci (Vinci 1452-Amboise 1519)
The proportions of the head, and a standing nude
Leonardo da Vinci (Vinci 1452-Amboise 1519)
Recto: A study for an equestrian monument. Verso: A study for an equestrian monument
Leonardo da Vinci (Vinci 1452-Amboise 1519)
A deluge
Leonardo da Vinci (Vinci 1452-Amboise 1519)
Recto: Studies of flowing water, with notes. Verso: Studies of flowing water, with notes
Leonardo da Vinci (Vinci 1452-Amboise 1519)
A ravine
Leonardo da Vinci (Vinci 1452-Amboise 1519)
The head of St Philip
Leonardo da Vinci (Vinci 1452-Amboise 1519)
Recto: The vessels and nerves of the neck. Verso: The vessels of the liver
Leonardo da Vinci (Vinci 1452-Amboise 1519)