A quick follow-on to the story about the National Geographic Society Museum's exhibition da Vinci - The Genius: Coincidentally, on the train returning from Washington, I found myself reading about yet another possible da Vinci work, currently on exhibition in Sweden under the patronage of the Italian government.
Known as La Bella Principessa, the drawing serves as the lead-in to a fascinating story in the July 12-19 issue of The New Yorker, a long piece of investigative journalism by a very talented staff writer, David Grann.
The Mark of a Masterpiece goes into an incredible amount of curious material describing some of what goes on in the art history/authentication/restoration fields. I found it to be one of those "too-good-to-put-down" stories, and while the focus of the story is a Canadian forensic art expert named Peter Paul Biro, there is a wealth of information describing what goes on in what Grann refers to as "the priesthood of connoisseurship".
Among the tidbits of information one picks up is that Biro is the inventor of an innovative multi-spectrum camera, much like that used in identifying the true pigments of the Mona Lisa, mentioned in the post about the National Geographic Society Museum's exhibition. Curious coincidence there, but in any case, it doesn't distract from the interesting story and certainly pulls up the reader's respect for how science and art are collaborating to drill down into the background and history of some of the most beloved and respected painters and their work.
Showing posts with label Leonardo da Vinci. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Leonardo da Vinci. Show all posts
Monday, August 2, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Da Vinci - The Genius
Kudos to The National Geographic Society. If you are an East-Coaster, or if you find you're going to be in the Washington DC area before 12th September, be sure to visit the NGS Museum on 17th Street N.W. You're in for a mighty fine surprise. "Da Vinci - The Genius" is one of the most fascinating exhibitions you're ever going to see.
[And yes, I recognize that it's beginning to appear that I spend my business trips going to museums, but one is required to do something between meetings, isn't one?]
Described as "the most comprehensive travelling exhibition ever assembled on Leonardo da Vinci," this one is a spectacular undertaking. For one thing, the term "blockbuster exhibition" is generally reserved for the really big museum shows, especially like some of the huge crowd-pleasers at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the National Gallery in Washington, the Grand Palais or the Musee d'Orsay in Paris, or the de Young in San Francisco. But blockbuster is the only descriptor that does justice to this exhibition (despite the fact that it's packed into a rather small space).
I learned more in two hours that I ever thought I could learn about Leonardo, and the special section on the Mona Lisa, describing the multi-spectrum camera and photography used in capturing the images of the painting in 2004 really is an eye-opener. Accompanied by a very informative short film, there is much, much to learn about this exceptional painting by visiting NGS, including what is purported to be an image of what the colors really were before the painting had aged for 500 years.
Similarly (but not as dramatically), the exhibition of other art works (including a fascinating story about The Last Supper) turns out to be equally gripping. Then there are all the drawings, the codices, the models (miniatures, life-size, and exaggerated), all topped off with a description - and film - of the Vitruvian Man which, again, provided more information than I ever thought I would learn about this remarkable work of art and science (but which I am delighted to have provided to me).
Take yourself to Washington and go to the NGS. It's worth the trip (and give yourself plenty of time - it's a big exhibition - so big that I never did find the Sforza horse, which I really wanted to see) and you won't want to rush through this). The exhibition's site is here.
[And yes, I recognize that it's beginning to appear that I spend my business trips going to museums, but one is required to do something between meetings, isn't one?]
Described as "the most comprehensive travelling exhibition ever assembled on Leonardo da Vinci," this one is a spectacular undertaking. For one thing, the term "blockbuster exhibition" is generally reserved for the really big museum shows, especially like some of the huge crowd-pleasers at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the National Gallery in Washington, the Grand Palais or the Musee d'Orsay in Paris, or the de Young in San Francisco. But blockbuster is the only descriptor that does justice to this exhibition (despite the fact that it's packed into a rather small space).
I learned more in two hours that I ever thought I could learn about Leonardo, and the special section on the Mona Lisa, describing the multi-spectrum camera and photography used in capturing the images of the painting in 2004 really is an eye-opener. Accompanied by a very informative short film, there is much, much to learn about this exceptional painting by visiting NGS, including what is purported to be an image of what the colors really were before the painting had aged for 500 years.
Similarly (but not as dramatically), the exhibition of other art works (including a fascinating story about The Last Supper) turns out to be equally gripping. Then there are all the drawings, the codices, the models (miniatures, life-size, and exaggerated), all topped off with a description - and film - of the Vitruvian Man which, again, provided more information than I ever thought I would learn about this remarkable work of art and science (but which I am delighted to have provided to me).
Take yourself to Washington and go to the NGS. It's worth the trip (and give yourself plenty of time - it's a big exhibition - so big that I never did find the Sforza horse, which I really wanted to see) and you won't want to rush through this). The exhibition's site is here.
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