Da Vinci - The Genius

October 3, 2009 - January 31, 2010 | 10:00am - 5:00pm

Maryland Science Center
601 Light Street
Baltimore, MD 21230

Website

Da Vinci ? The Genius demonstrates the full scope of Leonardo Da Vinci?s remarkable genius as an inventor, artist, anatomist, sculptor, engineer, musician and architect. Over the past decade, a cadre of Italian artisans has been translating an old Florentine dialect and deciphering Da Vinci?s shorthand to bring his ideas to life. In the 10,000 square foot exhibition, visitors will encounter more than 65 of Da Vinci?s inventions crafted from his personal codices (notebooks). Among the creations on display are visions for the glider, parachute, and precursors to modern helicopters, automobiles, and submarines. Many of the inventions have been crafted by using techniques and materials of 15th century Italy, with some built to scale. A highlight section of the exhibition is ?Secrets of Mona Lisa,? which showcases the work of French engineer Pascal Cotte. His life-long passion for the preservation of the Mona Lisa led him to invent the 240-megapixel Multi-spectral Imaging Camera, which uses infrared technology and intense illumination to uncover how the Mona Lisa looked as she was originally painted, including layers of over-painting, restoration and attempts at preservation - even identifying the individual pigments that Da Vinci used. Da Vinci ? The Genius also includes reproductions and written explanations by Vincian experts and museum curators exploring his most famous Renaissance art, including Virgin of the Rocks, and The Annunciation, amazing anatomical sketches, preparatory drawings of the Anghiari Battle, and three-dimensional interactive presentations of the Last Supper, the Vitruvian Man, and the Sforza Horse sculpture that offer never-before-seen perspectives on these famous works.

• Map It
• Add to Travel Planner
• Email It
• Add to iCal