Date：2023-12-10 - 2024-04-14
Location：Shanghai Museum on People's Square, No.2 and No.3 Exhibition Hall

Who is Leonardo da Vinci?

Undoubtedly, Leonardo da Vinci is the legendary Italian Renaissance artist known for creating masterpieces such as the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, captivating countless individuals who yearn for a glimpse of his works. Beyond his artistic prowess, Leonardo is also a polymath, leaving behind numerous valuable manuscripts as a scientist and inventor. Truly, he stands as a genius unparalleled in history.

However, the authentic paintings by Leonardo that have survived are scarce, with many of them either immovable or restricted from leaving their designated locations, making them rarely accessible in China. In an effort to foster cultural exchanges and promote mutual learning between China and Italy, we are delighted to present the third grand exhibition in "A Dialogue with the World: Exhibition Series of Arts and Cultural Relics": "Who is Leonardo da Vinci? Dialogue between Renaissance and Chinese Painting". Curated by experts from both sides, this exhibition brings together eighteen authentic Renaissance art treasures alongside an equal number of ancient Chinese paintings. Among these remarkable works are Leonardo's oil painting La Scapiliata ("The Lady with Disheveled Hair") and eleven folios from his Codex Atlanticus manuscript, as well as two precious sketches by Michelangelo and important paintings by some of Leonardo's disciples. Moreover, the exhibition shows Chinese masterpieces from various periods, such as Transport Carts at the Sluice Gate of the Five Dynasties, Liang Kai's A Plain Line Drawing of Taoist Deities from the Southern Song, and A Lady Holding a Fine Silk Fan in the Autumn Breeze by Tang Yin, courtesy name Bohu, who was one of the Four Great Ming-dynasty Painters. These diverse artworks simultaneously make their appearance in the exhibition halls of the Shanghai Museum, narrating to Chinese visitors the harmony between East and West with their distinct features and the perfect fusion of art and science.

For the Shanghai Museum, this exhibition marks its first-ever endeavor to undertake a comparative study of Eastern and Western painting. Employing a unique approach of dialogue, we aim to transport our visitors on a transcendent and unimaginable journey across time and space, guiding them to appreciate two artistic landscapes. Here, visitors will encounter the fundamentally different expressions of art between the two parts of the world during the same era, as well as witness the similarities in Eastern and Western artistic styles that span a millennium.

So, who truly is Leonardo da Vinci?

Let us embark on this marvelous journey together, embracing our curiosity with open eyes and delving into the answers that await each of us.

Lady with Fan in the Autumn Breeze, hanging scroll

Watergate Gristmill, handscroll

Head of a Young Woman, called "Scapiliata"

Two Mortars Shooting Explosive Balls

Child with Lamb

Study of Legs

【Video】 Who is Leonardo da Vinci? Dialogue between Renaissance and Chinese Painting

• More Information
• 【Poster】 Who is Leonardo da Vinci? Dialogue between Renaissance and Chinese Painting