(Above) Da Vinci – The Genius. MOSI
Da Vinci – The Genius, Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester, November 14 2009 - June 13 2010
A new show opens at MOSI this month exploring the art and creations of one of the world's best-known inventors, Leonardo Da Vinci.
Da Vinci – The Genius will feature a unique 360-degree view of the Mona Lisa, revealing the portrait layer-by-layer, using the world's most powerful 240 megapixel Multi-spectral Imaging Camera.
The technology, developed by French engineer Pascal Cotte, shows how the painting was created and reveals the artist's insignias, writing and repairs.
Using his notes and codices, a team of Italian artisans worked over ten years with materials that would have been available at the time to create replicas of Da Vinci's inventions, many of which were never constructed in his lifetime.
Exhibits include an automobile, bicycle, glider, parachute and submarine as well as precursors to the helicopter and military tank.
The Mona Lisa. MOSI
"This is the first time that an exhibition of this size and scale of Leonardo Da Vinci's inventions and techniques has been held in Britain", said Steve Davies, Director of MOSI.
"He was a revolutionary scientist as well as an artist and this exhibition clearly shows the links between the two disciplines."
Many of the exhibits have been designed by a unique collaboration by French engineers and Italian artisans and provide a rare opportunity to see the recreated work of the key renaissance figure.
The exhibition covers an area of 1,000 square metres and is divided into sections relating to Da Vinci's work on Physics amd Mechanical Principles, Civil Machines, Flight Studies Machines, Military Machines and Musical Instruments as well as famous artworks such as the Vitruvian Man and The Last Supper.
Admission £7.50/£5 (family ticket £20). Buy online at Ticketmaster or call 0844 847 2266. Group bookings: 0844 847 2354.
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