Discussion spread online last month regarding Leonardo DaVinci's famed Mona Lisa painting and the
speculation of it being a self-portrait.
Beginning Saturday, Feb. 13, patrons of
MOSI, Tampa's Museum of Science and Industry, will have a chance to inspect the painting themselves (sans exhumation of DaVinci's remains).
DaVinci The Genius and the
Secrets of Mona Lisa exhibit will make its first appearance in the southeastern United States.
Patrons will have an opportunity to see the many contributions DaVinci made to science and technology through interactive exhibits. The exhibit was created by
Grande Exhibitions (creators of Il Genio di Leonardo da Vinci Museo, Rome, Italy) in partnership with Pascal Cotte, a French scientific engineer who unveils 25 revelations surrounding the famed Mona Lisa painting.
Using patented infrared technology and intense illumination, layers of varnish that have been applied over the centuries will be virtually removed from the Mona Lisa painting. The gallery will illustrate the evolution over time, with the largest display being 14 feet x 10 feet infrared image.
"DaVinci was such a complicated man and we're looking at him as the ultimate multitasker. He was an artist, inventor, anatomist, engineer, and architect," says Cathy Crowder, media relations specialist at MOSI. "The exhibit is an exciting opportunity to be able to look at what he did, sort of bring it to life and dive deeper into the thought process of this revolutionary man."
There will be educational animations in 3D/HD of The Last Supper, the Vitruvian Man, the creation of the Mona Lisa, and the Sforza Horse Sculpture. In addition, MOSI will host several DaVinci events, including: artist sketch nights, Italian cooking demonstrations and a DaVinci discussion series. The exhibit will run from February 13 through May 31. Visit
MOSI for more information or call 813-987-6100.
Writer:
Nancy VaughnSources: Cathy Crowder, MOSI
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