【Art Appreciation on Thursday】Legendary Leonardo da Vinci Exhibition Traces the Creation of the "Mona Lisa"

The special exhibition "Mona Lisa 500 Years: The Legend of Leonardo da Vinci," jointly curated and organized by the National Palace Museum, Italy’s Museo Ideale Leonardo da Vinci, 123ART SRL, and Shi Yi Multimedia, grandly opens at the National Palace Museum Library and Information Building from now until February 10, 2014. It showcases the painting styles of Leonardo da Vinci and his workshop during the Renaissance, as well as the influence and inspiration da Vinci has had across different eras over the past five hundred years. The exhibition displays a total of 129 works including paintings, sculptures, and models, marking the first rare international showcase of masterpieces by da Vinci and his followers.

The third section, “Variations on the Mona Lisa,” introduces how the theft of the "Mona Lisa" in 1911 and its recovery in 1913 made it even more famous, inspiring avant-garde artist Marcel Duchamp to boldly create his version with a mustache. This section brings together works by nearly 50 avant-garde artists, showcasing the "Mona Lisa" in modern art. The fourth section, “Leonardo da Vinci’s Science and Technological Applications,” primarily features various instruments made based on da Vinci’s design manuscripts, including sculptures, musical instruments, handbags, etc., demonstrating da Vinci’s significant achievements in science and design beyond his exceptional artistic talent, and their legacy in today’s world.

"The Virgin of the Rocks" was created by Leonardo da Vinci with the assistance of his pupils, dating from around 1495–1497. It is executed in oil on panel and later transferred to canvas. Lender: Switzerland, Private Collection in trust of The Pedretti Foundation, formerly Paris, Chéramy Collection