Léonard De Vinci Et L'anatomie : La Mécanique De La Vie

Exhibition at the Château du Clos Lucé, Amboise, 9 June - 17 September 2023

One of the great minds of the Renaissance, Leonardo da Vinci was not content with a passive description of the human body: he sought to unlock the secrets of how it worked, first by studying human mechanics (bones, muscles, tendons), then the logic of the senses, and finally all bodily functions.

This exhibition catalogue sheds light on the mystery of a way of thinking that was both anchored in its time and, combined with a completely new practice (dissection), led to a new understanding of the nature of life. It shows just how inseparable Leonardo da Vinci's work as an anatomist and painter were.

The book combines originals and copies of Leonardo's drawings with objects (anatomical waxes, facsimiles of dissection instruments), books studied by the artist, interviews with specialists and animated 3D reconstructions.