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Da Vinci's drawings get rare showing

A SET of Leonardo da Vinci's finest drawings taken from the Queen's private
collection are to be displayed on Merseyside for the first time.The 10
drawings will tour the country next year as part of the celebrations
marking the Queen's Golden Jubilee.They are part of the only collection
of works by the Renaissance master still in private hands in Britain.Part
of the Royal Collection, the priceless drawings can never be on permanent
display because of potential damage from exposure to light.

But they will be on show at the Lady Lever Art Gallery in Port Sunlight for
10 weeks next year, where the light will be reduced to protect the
pictures.The Wirral gallery has been picked as one of four across the UK
to display the drawings.

The collection has been put together to reflect all stages of da Vinci's
career and his wide range of interests, such as architecture, engineering,
anatomy, optics, geology and botany.

Stephen Guy, spokesman for Lady Lever, said: "Da Vinci is a divine figure,
a universal genius and we are delighted to be able to show his work."It's
a great privilege to see how the hands of the master sweep across the
paper. It's a very rare opportunity for the people of Merseyside to be
in the presence of this hugely creative mind."You really need to see them
first hand to appreciate them. Da Vinci's impact on modern culture cannot
be overstated."

Entrance to the gallery will be free but it is too early to say if there
will be a charge for the exhibition itself.The drawings form part of a
bound volume of 600 drawings kept in a vault at Windsor Castle.

Martin Clayton, assistant curator of the Print Room at Windsor Castle, said:
"Leonardo was one of the most amazing chaps there has been and there seems
to be an irresistible appetite for him."Everyone knows this almost mythical
character had all these interests and this exhibition allows people to
approach him through these personal aspects.

"The drawings are things we can get right up close to and get some idea of
the workings of his mind." The images have been in the Royal Collection
since 1690 and were probably acquired during the reign of Charles II.They
include dramatic studies of the sea-god Neptune, studies of a horse and a
drawing of a mortar attack on a fortress.

It is unclear how Charles II came by the world's largest single collection of
da Vinci drawings.Last month, an 8cm x 12cm da Vinci painting sold at
Christie's in London for more than£8m, equalling the world record price for
an old master drawing.The small silverpoint study, Horse and Rider, was
expected to fetch £3.5m. It was the only remaining work by an artist of such
importance in private hands, apart from those owned by the Royal family.

Da Vinci was born near the town of Vinci in Italy in 1452 and died in
Cloux in France aged 67.He was regarded as one of the most influential
painters of the Renaissance period, which stretched from the 1400s-1500s,
but he was also a sculptor, architect and draftsman.His sketches reveal that
he devised a prototype flying machine, helicopter, machine gun and diving
suit centuries before they were invented.

The Mona Lisa, his most famous work, is viewed by around 16,000 visitors
per day.The Leonardo da Vinci exhibition will be at the Lady Lever Art
Gallery from February 15 to April 21, 2002

Ten Drawings by Leonardo da Vinci from the Royal Collection: A Golden Jubilee
Celebration will be shown at the Lady Lever Art Gallery, Port Sunlight
(Feb 15 - April 21, 2002); Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea
(April 27 - July 7, 2002); Graves Art Gallery, Sheffield
(July 13 - Sept 21, 2002); and Ulster Museum, Belfast (Sept 27 - Dec 8, 2002).

(Article from the Daily Post August 14th 2001)

	[ LADY LEVER ART GALLERY ] [ LEONARDO DA VINCI ]
.	Da Vinci's drawings get rare showing A SET of Leonardo da Vinci's finest drawings taken from the Queen's private collection are to be displayed on Merseyside for the first time.The 10 drawings will tour the country next year as part of the celebrations marking the Queen's Golden Jubilee.They are part of the only collection of works by the Renaissance master still in private hands in Britain.Part of the Royal Collection, the priceless drawings can never be on permanent display because of potential damage from exposure to light. But they will be on show at the Lady Lever Art Gallery in Port Sunlight for 10 weeks next year, where the light will be reduced to protect the pictures.The Wirral gallery has been picked as one of four across the UK to display the drawings. The collection has been put together to reflect all stages of da Vinci's career and his wide range of interests, such as architecture, engineering, anatomy, optics, geology and botany. Stephen Guy, spokesman for Lady Lever, said: "Da Vinci is a divine figure, a universal genius and we are delighted to be able to show his work."It's a great privilege to see how the hands of the master sweep across the paper. It's a very rare opportunity for the people of Merseyside to be in the presence of this hugely creative mind."You really need to see them first hand to appreciate them. Da Vinci's impact on modern culture cannot be overstated." Entrance to the gallery will be free but it is too early to say if there will be a charge for the exhibition itself.The drawings form part of a bound volume of 600 drawings kept in a vault at Windsor Castle. Martin Clayton, assistant curator of the Print Room at Windsor Castle, said: "Leonardo was one of the most amazing chaps there has been and there seems to be an irresistible appetite for him."Everyone knows this almost mythical character had all these interests and this exhibition allows people to approach him through these personal aspects. "The drawings are things we can get right up close to and get some idea of the workings of his mind." The images have been in the Royal Collection since 1690 and were probably acquired during the reign of Charles II.They include dramatic studies of the sea-god Neptune, studies of a horse and a drawing of a mortar attack on a fortress. It is unclear how Charles II came by the world's largest single collection of da Vinci drawings.Last month, an 8cm x 12cm da Vinci painting sold at Christie's in London for more than£8m, equalling the world record price for an old master drawing.The small silverpoint study, Horse and Rider, was expected to fetch £3.5m. It was the only remaining work by an artist of such importance in private hands, apart from those owned by the Royal family. Da Vinci was born near the town of Vinci in Italy in 1452 and died in Cloux in France aged 67.He was regarded as one of the most influential painters of the Renaissance period, which stretched from the 1400s-1500s, but he was also a sculptor, architect and draftsman.His sketches reveal that he devised a prototype flying machine, helicopter, machine gun and diving suit centuries before they were invented. The Mona Lisa, his most famous work, is viewed by around 16,000 visitors per day.The Leonardo da Vinci exhibition will be at the Lady Lever Art Gallery from February 15 to April 21, 2002 Ten Drawings by Leonardo da Vinci from the Royal Collection: A Golden Jubilee Celebration will be shown at the Lady Lever Art Gallery, Port Sunlight (Feb 15 - April 21, 2002); Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea (April 27 - July 7, 2002); Graves Art Gallery, Sheffield (July 13 - Sept 21, 2002); and Ulster Museum, Belfast (Sept 27 - Dec 8, 2002). (Article from the Daily Post August 14th 2001)