Leonardo da Vinci. Back to the origin of the Genius

A fascinating journey to discover the relationship between Leonardo and his birthplace

From 15 April 2019 to 15 October 2019

From April 15 to October 15, 2019, the Museum Leonardo da Vinci hosts the exhibition ‘Leonardo da Vinci. Back to the origins of the Genius' which is dedicated to the bond of Leonardo with his hometown. In short, if Leonardo has become the great inventor, scientist and artist that the whole world envies us, surely it is also because he spent his childhood in Vinci, the delightful village in the area of Montalbano halfway between Florence and Pisa. Are you feeling like we're biased? You could be right, but in the year we celebrate the 500th anniversary of his death, we Tuscans feel we must show all our pride and gratitude to a very illustrious ‘fellow countryman’ of ours. The exhibition at the Museo da Vinci unfolds around the idea that the charm of Leonardo da Vinci’s birthplace influenced Leonardo’s work as an artist, technology inventor and scientist. The event has been brought together in collaboration with the Uffizi Gallery, which is why the highlight of the exhibition is a Leonardo da Vinci landscape painting on loan from the Gabinetto delle Stampe of the Florentine museum.

The exhibition venue: The Museum in Vinci

The Leoanardian museum in Vinci is a must-see location where the current exhibition on Leonardo da Vinci origins adds the classic icing on the cake: a new perspective from which to look at one of the most fascinating characters of all time. The Leonardian Museum in Vinci houses one of the most important collections dedicated to Leonardo's versatility, which is here presented in the artist’s work as a technologist, architect, scientist and painter. The exhibition is divided into three locations: in the museum Leonardo's machines, textile technology and clocks are displayed inside Palazzina Uzielli while in the Castle, the ancient home of Counts Guidi, there are machines and models that testify to the passion of the great genius for war, architecture, mechanics and flight. The most recent section of the Leonardo da Vinci birthplace museum brings together reproductions of all the paintings and also some drawings made by the Maestro and is located at Villa il Ferrale. For a complete overview of Leonardo da Vinci’s life and its origins, in addition to the exhibition in Vinci, inside the museum's exhibition rooms, we also strongly advise you to travel a few kilometres and reach Anchiano where Da Vinci house is located. It is right here, in the landscapes that surround this ancient dwelling, that the bond between Leonardo da Vinci and Tuscany, and Montalbano in particular, is more evident.

The Vinci exhibition and the genius of Leonardo da Vinci

The Exhibition at Vinci Leonardo Museum, which is open until October 15, recounts the very first events in the life of Leonardo da Vinci through objects and images. Thanks to the loans from the State Archives of Florence it will be possible, amongst others, to see the notary’s register of Leonardo's great-grandfather on which his grandfather Antonio noted the birth of his sons and then of his first nephew. The cadastral records of the da Vinci family related to the artist's childhood years are also reported here. As we have already mentioned, however, the highlight of this Leonardo da Vinci exhibition in Vinci is a drawing, the first known among those made by Leonardo: its names is Landscape 8P and is dated August 5, 1473. Why is it so significant? First of all, because it depicts the landscapes that he had before his eyes as a child, glimpses that certainly influenced the future Leonardo da Vinci as a painter. In particular in this early drawing studies have identified the lower Valdarno and Valdinievole. Additionally, the elements of the Paesaggio 8P drawing represent many of the subjects that Leonardo da Vinci will be passionate about: the deep interest in nature, the fascination with water, its flowing and its whirling movement, the research in geology and cartography. This Leonardo landscape drawing thus lends itself to different interpretations as it can be considered from an artistic, historical and geography point of view. The Leonardo da Vinci exhibition in Vinci, as it is now increasingly common practice, also includes a series of multimedia installations that let the visitor discover some of Leonard’s projects on the Valdarno and Vinci area.

If you want to discover where was Leonardo born, the current Vinci exhibition on the origins of his genius, is the perfect opportunity to discover this corner of Tuscany rich in history, art and enchanting landscapes. Since you are there you could continue your journey to discover Leonardo da Vinci and travel to Florence to visit the Exhibition on Verrocchio, the Master of Leonardo at Palazzo Strozzi! But that’s not the end of it... do you know that in the Uffizi there are several works by the great Tuscan genius? Take part in our walk in Florence and guided tour of the Uffizi gallery and use the skip-the-line ticket to skip the long queues usually forming at the entrance. There is no denying it, it’s a brilliant idea!

Leonardo da Vinci Exhibition dates:  from April 15 to October 15, 2019

Leonardo da Vinci Museum opening times:  every day from 9.30 to 19.00