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 Finishing
Leonardo da Vinci's Unfinished Masterpiece
In an elaborate studio setting in the hills
of Pennsylvania, history is in the making - again.
Charles C. Dent is creating a Horse based on Leonardo's drawings.
The twenty-four-foot bronze will be presented as a gift of the
American people to the people of Italy.
Offered to honor the Renaissance master, the people of Italy and
the noble horse, it is an expression of international peace and
goodwill.
As chronicled in NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE, this project is rich in history,
international in scope and, as one Leonardo scholar put it,
"immensely exciting."
Which rubber compound was used to make the mold of the eight-foot
working clay model?
Why Smooth-On, of course!
Milan, Italy
Late 15th Century
Lodovico Sforza (Duke of Milan), to honor his father Francesco,
commissioned a bronze equestrian statue that would stand eight
meters (twenty-four-feet) high for his courtyard. The young
Renaissance master, Leonardo da Vinci, accepted the assignment
from his patron and prepared for the task by studying equine
anatomy, drawing sketches and finally sculpting a working clay
model of the horse.
Then Came War. In 1499, France invaded Italy and took control of
the city of Milan, imprisoning the Duke. The bronze set aside for
casting the immense statue was instead used by the Italians to
make cannon in defense of their city.
Using Leonardo's clay model for target practice, French troops
destroyed it with bow and arrow.
A loss to all humanity, the masterpiece was never finished.
Until.......
Fogelsville, PA. - USA
Late 20th Century
Retired airline pilot, art collector and sculptor,
Charles C. Dent read an article in NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE
(September 1977) about Leonardo's unfinished horse and decided to
create it "in the master's style."
Researching the project meant consulting Renaissance and equine
scholars from all over the world, as well as reproductions of
Leonardo's original sketches of The Horse. These were available
through England's Windsor Castle and Spain's National Library.
Dent, with the aid of several artists, sculpted the eight-foot
working clay model. After locking in the final lines, the model is
finished; the product of over six years of effort.
The next step on this journey into history is for foundry artisans
to construct a twenty-four-foot clay model. Foundry engineers will
erect the massive stainless steel armature that will allow the
final bronze colossal to stand on two legs.
The
final bronze arrived in Milan, Italy, in the fall of 1999 and
resides at the Milan Equestrian Center--500 years after Leonardo
first presented his model to the Duke.
Smooth-On, Inc. is proud to have been a
sponsor of this historic event. For more information, you can
write or call:
Leonardo da Vinci's Horse Inc.,Leonardo da Vinci's Horse Inc.,
P. O. Box 396
Fogelsville, PA 18051-0396
Tel: 610-395-4060
Fax: 610-395-3220
www.leonardoshorse.org
We hope you have enjoyed our presentation of this historic
project.
Please check these following links for recent news articles about
"The Horse"
People Magazine, September 2, 1996 -- Profile of Charles Dent and
"The Horse"
Smithsonian Magazine, September 1998 Issue -- Leonardo's Horse: A
Long Shot Pays Off
Since 1895, people have trusted Smooth-On quality and service.
Today, we support the working artist with the most extensive line
of flexible mold and rigid casting compounds available anywhere in
the world.
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