Shown alongside Leonardo's manuscript will be artworks by artists who shared aspects of his practices

PHOENIX, Dec. 3, 2014 — (PRNewswire) —   Leonardo da Vinci's Codex Leicester and the Power of Observation will make its first stop at Phoenix Art Museum opening on January 24, 2015. It will then travel to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts and on to the North Carolina Museum of Art. The exhibition is focused around the Codex Leicester—18 double-page and double-sided sheets (72 pages total) that comprise the only manuscript by Leonardo in an American collection. The codex pages will display Leonardo's creative process, the way he reasoned through a concept, and the ways in which he influenced artists throughout centuries. At all three institutions, artwork by acclaimed artists who share Leonardo's practices in observation, will be on display throughout the exhibition. 

There's no question that Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) was one of the most intriguing people to ever live. Brilliant in the arts, sciences and engineering, he was driven by a deep sense of curiosity about the world around him, recording his observations on scores of paper sheets that were later gathered and bound as manuscripts, or codices. Leonardo's active mind and working method are defined in this exhibition by three primary characteristics: curiosity, direct observation and thinking on paper. These characteristics are vital parts of the creative process and they pave the way toward great discoveries and inventions. This exhibition of Leonardo's Codex Leicester will be groundbreaking in its approach, bringing Leonardo into a broad artistic context that explores his continuing influence on artists into our own time.

Making Leonardo da Vinci and the Codex Leicester relevant for today's audience is the goal of this exhibition. At each venue various audiences and academic institutions will participate in programs developed around ideas expressed by Leonardo in the Codex Leicester. Each museum will also present works by primarily modern and contemporary artists who continue the tradition of Leonardo's close observation of nature. "Leonardo was a true Renaissance master and we are able to celebrate his genius through the Codex Leicester," said James K. Ballinger, The Sybil Harrington Director at Phoenix Art Museum. He added, "This will be the first time original work by the hand of Leonardo will be presented in Arizona, and we are pleased the Museum can host this exciting exhibition for the people of our state."

Leonardo da Vinci's Codex Leicester and the Power of Observation will be on view at Phoenix Art Museum from January 24 to April 12, 2015, at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts from June 21 to August 30, 2015 and at the North Carolina Museum of Art from October 31, 2015 to January 17, 2016. Support for the Phoenix venue was made possible through the generosity of The Dorrance Family Foundation, SRP, BlueCross BlueShield of Arizona and Friends of European Art, a Museum support organization. For additional information about the exhibition please visit phxart.org/exhibition/codexleicester.

About Phoenix Art Museum
Phoenix Art Museum has provided access to visual arts and educational programs in Arizona for more than 50 years and is the largest art museum in the Southwestern United States. Top national and international exhibitions are shown alongside the museum's collection of over 17,000 objects of American, Asian, European, Latin American, Western American, modern and contemporary art, photography and fashion design. The museum hosts photography exhibitions through its landmark partnership with The University of Arizona's Center for Creative Photography in Tucson. Visitors can also enjoy the PhxArtKids gallery, the Dorrance Sculpture Garden, the Thorne Miniature Rooms of historic interiors, and a collection of works by renowned Arizona artist Philip C. Curtis. For additional information about Phoenix Art Museum please visit phxart.org or call 602-257-1880.

Media Contact:
Stephanie Lieb
Phoenix Art Museum
602-257-2105
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