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Inspirational Leonardo da Vinci exhibition
23 Mar, 2014
Date: 23 March 2014
Venue: Chavonnes Battery Museum, Clock Tower, V&A Waterfront
Ticket Prices: Adults: R140 per person
Concessions Seniors (60+)/ Students (18+): R110 per person
Children (Ages 6-17): R90 per person
Children (5 and younger): Free
Family Tickets (2 Adults & 2 Children): R400
Ticket Sales: Tickets available online at www.davinciexhibition.co.za and www.webtickets.co.za and at the venue.
Opening Times: Doors open every day 9:00 to 21:00. Last admission is 90 minutes prior to closing.
Cape Town’s fascination with and appreciation for the global travelling exhibition Da Vinci – The Genius, which showcases the achievements of Renaissance giant, Leonardo da Vinci, has prompted organisers to extend the exhibition’s run by a further 6 weeks until 23 March 2014.
A surge in last-minute ticket sales ahead of the original closing date, coupled with a large number of visits from schools and educational facilities in recent weeks, prompted the decision by organisers to add a further 6 weeks to the run which was originally planned to finish on Sunday 9 February.
“Da Vinci – The Genius enlightens visitors about the unimaginable depth and breadth of Leonardo’s influence and intellectualism. “We have been blown away by the phenomenal response from Cape Town visitors, and we are very excited to now have the opportunity to introduce even more people to Da Vinci – The Genius,” said Tyrone Thöle, managing director of Great World Exhibitions, the company which has brought Da Vinci – The Genius to South Africa and is now promoting and organising the event locally.
“This exhibition is a must-see for anyone who appreciates Leonardo’s exceptional works of art, not least the Mona Lisa, and for anyone who is interested in discovering how Leonardo laid the groundwork for some of modern society’s most impactful inventions, such as the helicopter, airplane, automobile, submarine, parachute and bicycle,” he continued.
The codices and Leonardo’s mysterious ‘mirror-writing’ technique
Currently showing at Chavonnes Battery Museum located in the Clock Tower precinct of the V&A Waterfront, Da Vinci – The Genius features more than 200 unique pieces including 75 life-size machine inventions and 3D renderings of Leonardo’s most notable Renaissance works. Plasma touch screen versions of Leonardo’s actual codices (handwritten manuscripts) will allow visitors to enjoy a glimpse into his mysterious alphabet and mirror-writing techniques, which some experts believe he used to disguise his work and findings.
Although Leonardo sketched and conceptualised numerous inventions and ideas, most were never built and none survive today. Da Vinci – The Genius is the most comprehensive exhibition of its kind to bring to life the ideas and concepts written in the codices. Adding an extra layer of authenticity is the fact that the items on display have been faithfully crafted using materials that were available in Leonardo’s day.
A series of schools such as Chesterhouse have visited the exhibition since the opening in November 2013. Head of the school’s Arts & Culture Department, Kerryann Collier, marvelled at the full-scale interpretations of Leonardo’s inventions and studies of his iconic artwork, saying: “It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity and I was really impressed with the quality and presentation of the exhibition. It is brilliant for Science pupils too as it has wonderful inventions made to scale and I would encourage other teachers to visit this exhibition with their students as it provides valuable enrichment for all learners.”
Another visitor to the exhibition, Monica Blignaut added, “It was fascinating! As someone who was privileged to see the real Mona Lisa in the Louvre, this was a wonderful experience to appreciate and enjoy the mastery and attention the masterpiece deserves. It was factual and enlightening and anyone interested in science, biology or the arts should definitely visit this exhibition.”
25 Secrets of the Mona Lisa
One of the exhibition’s most popular features so far has been the unveiling of the “25 secrets” of Leonardo’s most famous creation, the Mona Lisa. The secrets – the result of two years’ meticulous study involving a 240-megapixel camera that enabled a virtual “peeling away” of five centuries of paint, varnish and restoration work from the iconic painting – have delighted and enthralled visitors who have enjoyed close examination of the lady’s enigmatic smile (amongst other things!) and the exact 360-degree replica of her on display. (The original Mona Lisa, which is far too fragile and priceless to be moved, is housed permanently in the Louvre Museum in Paris.)
For more information and ticket sales, members of the public are invited to visit www.davinciexhibition.co.za.
Other key attractions of the exhibition include:
- the controversial new Leonardo discovery Bella Principessa;
- his remarkable and ahead-of-their time anatomical sketches;
- preparatory drawings of the Anghiari Battle, a painting that is presently lost but believed to be hidden by a fresco on a Florentine palace;
- three-dimensional interactive presentations of The Last Supper – the painting famously featured by author Dan Brown in The Da Vinci Code – the Vitruvian Man and the Sforza Horse sculpture that offer never-before-seen perspectives on these famous works;
- educational activities for children.
The exhibition was developed by Grande Exhibitions, Australia, and the Anthropos Association, Italy (under the kind auspices of the Commune di Roma, Commune di Firenze and Citta Di Venezia, and with the assistance of Pascal Cotte of Lumiere.
ABOUT GRANDE EXHIBITIONS
Grand Exhibitions are the creators of Da Vinci – The Genius and have researched, sourced and interpreted much of what is contained in the exhibition. Based in Rome, Italy, and Melbourne, Australia, Grande Exhibitions is dedicated to delivering high quality exhibitions of mass appeal that entertain and educate audiences globally. Together with The Anthropos Association they own and operate a series of private museums in the Italian cities of Rome, Venice, Florence and Assisi.
ABOUT THE ANTHROPOS ASSOCIATION
From Il Genio de Leonardo Da Vinci Museo in Rome, talented and gifted artisans have made the machines inventions and many items that will be on display at the exhibition. They have spent more than 10 years bringing to life over 120 of Leonardo’s concepts and designs, using the main techniques and materials available in 15th century Italy.
