Catalog of an exhibition at Palazzo Reale, Milan from April 16-July 19, 2015

Includes bibliographical references (pages 586-609)

I. Drawing as a cornerstone -- II. Nature and the science of painting -- III. The dialogue of the arts -- IV. The dialogue with antiquity -- V. Anatomy, physiognomy and the motion of the soul -- VI. Invention and mechanics -- VII. Dream -- VIII. Reality and utopia -- IX. The unity of knowledge -- X. De coelo e mundo : images of the divine -- XI. The Leonardesque: the diffusion of the models of Leonardo and the Trattato della Pittura -- XII. The myth of Leonardo

"As a versatile and highly ingenious man, Leonardo da Vinci perfectly embodied the universalist spirit of his age. A painter, sculptor, engineer, anatomist, musician and inventor, he was active in the diverse fields of art and science and is now considered one of the most famous cultural figures not only of the Renaissance, but of all time and all places. Promoted by the Municipality of Milan, this monographic exhibition conceived and developed by Palazzo Reale and Skira editore is the most important ever to be organized in Italy. Opening on 15 April 2015, it will provide a unique opportunity to admire and gain an all-round understanding of the extraordinary complexity of this universal genius. Visitors will be able to discover Leonardo's versatile work in twelve different sections featuring his original codices, over one hundred autograph drawings (including around thirty from the famous Codex Atlanticus) and a large number of artworks: drawings, manuscripts, sculptures, incunabula and sixteenth-century books from the world's finest museums and libraries. A universal genius for a universal exposition, in celebration of the undisputed symbol of Italian art and creativity, whom the international public is able to recognize immediately and who is also a symbol of Milan and its eclectic activity in the field of the arts, industry and technology" -- Publisher's website

Text in English