Exhibition Portfolio

Da Vinci Inventions
Italian Artisans from the Il Genio di Leonardo da Vinci Museo in Rome, Italy study Leonardo’s notebooks, his drawings and writings. They are able to understand an old Florentine dialect, interpret Leonardo’s shorthand and analyse his intricate drawings; often many drawings on the same invention as he laboured to make it perfect.

They can also read mirror image writing, the style preferred by Leonardo and they scour through some 6,000 pages looking for clues because sometimes Leonardo had his own form of patents for his designs – hiding key elements elsewhere in his notes that were central to the function, build or operation of a machine concept. A deliberate mistake here or misleading information there, or even part answers on one page and the other parts on other pages next to totally unrelated other sketches and writings.

A testament to Anthropos, the artisans have now brought to life over 120 different machine inventions of Leonardo’s utilising where feasible materials and techniques of 15th century Italy. None of Da Vinci’s original machine inventions, as made in the 15th Century are in existence today. They were either never built or if they were, they have not withstood the test of time.

This exhibition showcases many the original concepts that have become forerunners to many modern day machines – the Automobile, Military Tank, Hang Glider, Helicopter, SCUBA, Ball Bearings, Car Jack, Parachute, Fly Wheels, Cams, Emergency Bridges, Submarine....

Da Vinci Inventions is an interactive exhibition for all the family to enjoy.