As part of BAFF @Schools and following the screening of the docufilm “Leonardo da Vinci. The Man Who Saved Science” shown in Lebanese schools, the Italian Cultural Institute in Beirut and the Beirut Art Film Festival, in collaboration with the Bibliothèque Orientale of the Saint-Joseph University, present an exhibition of reproductions of Leonardo da Vinci’s works in Florence, Milan, Turin, and Venice.
Leonardo, architect, sculptor, painter, engineer, and scientist, considered nature fundamental in both his artistic and scientific works. In his early works, such as The Baptism of Christ, The Annunciation, and The Adoration of the Magi, he painted plant motifs with great attention, seeking to understand the life and growth of plants. These works are exhibited at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.
In Milan, Leonardo created the famous Last Supper between 1495 and 1498, a work that revolutionized perspective and artistic composition. The painting, commissioned by Ludovico Sforza, is known for its geometry and the centrality of Christ, with a perspective focused on him. Over time, Leonardo abandoned geometric perspective in favor of aerial perspective, using sfumato, landscape, and color.
The Codex on the Flight of Birds, written by Leonardo in 1505, contains studies on flight and drawings of flying machines. After his death, many of his manuscripts were scattered across Europe and later collected, including the Codices Arundel (British Library), Atlanticus (Biblioteca Ambrosiana), Leicester (Collection Bill Gate, USA), Madrid (Biblioteca Nacional de España), Trivulzianus (Castello Sforzesco, Milano) e Windsor (Collection of the King of Great Britain), among others.
The exhibition is open from Monday to Friday, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, except on public holidays.
Bibliothèque Orientale of USJ-Saint Joseph University, Grand Gallery
HD reproductions.