Leonardo da Vinci: maturity in Milan.
A journey through the artist’s so-called Milanese years. Book your private guided tour now
Milan houses the only Leonardo’s signature in the world and fundamental site-specific works of art of the great Master.
As far as we are aware, Leonardo’s first commission in Milan came from the church of San Francesco Grande where he painted the altarpiece Virgin of the Rocks, Vergine delle Rocce.
The contract was signed on 25th April 1483 and represents the earliest proof of his presence in Milan. It is conserved in the Archivio di Stato, the Archive of the State in Milan.
In a letter of Ludovico il Moro – effective ruler of Milan – Leonardo offered his services as a military, as an engineer, architect, musician and only last as a painter and sculptor. The letter is one of the 1.119 leaves comprising the Atlantic Codex, Codice Atlantico, which is kept inside the Ambrosiana Library where the original sheets are on display.
The Ambrosiana conserves also the manuscript De divina proportione, dating back to 1498 and handwritten by the mathematician Luca Pacioli who commissioned Leonardo da Vinci a series of drawings of sixty solids, constructed on the basis of the golden section and painted in watercolours.
Since 1953 Milan dedicated to the Florentine great master the National Museum of Science and Technology (once Technics) which houses the largest permanent exhibition in the world dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci engineer and humanist.
During the private guided walking tour, we will go over remarkable records of the presence of Leonardo da Vinci in Milano focusing on them. Contact Barbara Quarello now
Duration: 4 or 6 or 8 hours.
The tour is completely customized, and the duration depends on how much of Leonardo da Vinci in Milan you would like to learn and see.
