New Short-Form Exhibition Format for Leonardo Drawings in Turin

The Biblioteca Reale in Turin has launched a new exhibition format called "A tu per tu con Leonardo" to display its most famous Leonardo da Vinci drawings, including the Codex on the Flight of Birds and 13 drawings such as the celebrated Self-Portrait, without risking light damage. The exhibition runs until October 3, 2021, at the Musei Reali di Torino, coinciding with the new lighting of the library's vault. Director Giuseppina Mussari explained that the drawings cannot be exposed for long periods due to degradation; the last exhibition in Turin was in 2019. To avoid the mandatory three-year conservation rest after major shows, the new format will be held annually during Holy Week (Easter week), starting with dates from April 16–24, 2022, through April 19–27, 2025. The 13 drawings span Leonardo's entire career, from around 1480 to 1515–17, covering his interests and experiments. Some relate to known works like the Battle of Anghiari and Virgin of the Rocks; others testify to unrealized projects such as the Sforza and Trivulzio monuments and the Hercules statue for Piazza della Signoria.