Institutional portal - Municipality of Milan

An international project in collaboration with the Municipality of Milan and 28 cultural institutions from around the world   

Retrospective “Unveiling Leonardo” online
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Milan, July 3 2023 – “Svelare Leonardo” is the new digital project that allows you to explore the life, work and legacy of Leonardo da Vinci and brings over 1.300 pages of his Codes online for the first time.   
The retrospective, available to all on Google Arts & Culture, is curated by experts from eight countries and brings together over 80 stories selected by 28 partners across Europe and the United States, including the British Library in London, the National Gallery in Washington, the Sforzesco Castle, the National Museum of Science and Technology “Leonardo da Vinci” and the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana in Milan. 

The digital hub includes stories about Leonardo's life, his incredible inventions that can be seen in 3D, as well as his painterly masterpieces. Also part of the project, the “Inside the Genius Mind” section uses the help of artificial intelligence and the curatorship of Professor Martin Kemp to immerse ourselves in the mysteries of Leonardo's manuscripts. In addition to the works of art, painted on canvas and also on the walls, the project collects online, in one place and for the first time, Leonardo da Vinci's Dispersed Codes: a vast series of scientific notes and sketches that capture his foray into mathematics, geometry, physics, optics, astronomy, architecture and even flight. 

“Leonardo da Vinci and Milan are united by an indissoluble bond. Milan was the city in which he lived the longest, leaving an indelible mark thanks to his exceptional artistic talent, his limitless curiosity and his innovative genius – declared the councilor for Culture Tommaso Sacchi -. In Milan we can admire the Last Supper, painted in the refectory of the convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie, one of the milestones of Western art. It is also in Milan that we can visit the Sforzesco Castle, where Leonardo worked on behalf of Ludovico Il Moro and created the Sala delle Asse, the greatest trompe-l'oeil in the history of art that we are still finishing discovering thanks to careful conservative restoration; the precious Trivulziano Codex is also preserved in the Castle, which reveals the vastness of his inventions and the infinite connections of his knowledge. And again the Atlantic Codex, the largest collection in the world of Leonardo's manuscripts, which contains his profound knowledge in the sciences. Thanks to his knowledge of hydraulic engineering, Leonardo also changed the landscape of Milan, implementing the Navigli and the navigable canals and the traces of the his great work are still visible today."  

“Thanks to Google Arts & Culture's 'Svelare Leonardo' project - continued councilor Sacchi - these extraordinary works have been made accessible to an international public, allowing millions of people to immerse themselves in the universe of Vinci's genius. The collaboration between Google, the city of Milan and local and international cultural institutions underlines the ongoing joint commitment to preserve and promote Leonardo da Vinci's artistic and intellectual heritage, ensuring that his legacy continues to inspire future generations."  

Google Arts & Culture is the technological platform developed by Google that allows users to explore works of art, artefacts and much more from over 3 thousand museums, archives and cultural institutions from more than 90 countries around the world. Available on the web, from laptops and mobile devices, or via apps, the platform is designed as a place to explore art and culture online. 

“Leonardo da Vinci, pioneer of art, science and innovation, greatly expanded the horizons of our knowledge. His legacy is still a great inspiration to numerous professions and disciplines today. Thanks to our 28 international partners, expertly curated stories and interactive viewing experiences to discover one of the greatest minds in history become accessible today on Google Arts & Culture – said Amit Sood, Founder and Director of Google Arts & Culture.  

Visual artist Maxime Causeret creatively used the artificial intelligence tool developed by the Google Arts & Culture lab to create an unprecedented video work, a modern artistic interpretation of Leonardo Da Vinci's Codes, and the project's entry page features illustrations by South African artist Natalie Paneng, interpreting Leonardo's world and his influences on art, science, technology and more, through powerful images that speak to the contemporary idea of ​​technological progress. 

The project also offers new ways to interact with Leonardo's Codes: thanks to artificial intelligence, the “Da Vinci Stickies” section allows users to combine Leonardo's drawings, giving life to new, surprising ideas and creations. 

“Svelare Leonardo” is available on Google Arts & Culture via iOS or Android app or online at goo.gle/leonardo.