Leonardo in Birmingham

Apologies for the slow down….lots of work. The third instalment of the J of Paris is in a state of soon-come; there’ll also be a book review and more stuff on connoisseurship eventually, but it’s just finding the time. Meanwhile, here’s a short review/impressions of the Leonardo drawings exhibition, which I visited yesterday.

Martin Clayton has crafted a small, but enthralling exhibition which surveys the artist’s life in just 10 drawings, whilst demonstrating his multifaceted talent.

Here you’ll see a selection of sheets representing Leonardo the cartographer, the anatomical draughtsman, the military designer, the pageant illustrator, investigator of beauty, the expressive psychologist, the botanist- and there are more.

Chronologically we move from a sheet showing designs for chariots and weapons made in 1485 right up to the poignant drawing of the head of an old man dating from the final years of Leonardo’s life at Cloux- 1518-19. This final drawing might qualify as the most moving exhibit here; though it might not be a self-portrait, Clayton is surely right to observe that Leonardo would not have been unaware of his self-image as he drew it.

Clayton has also taken care to select sheets that show the varied techniques of Da Vinci: pen drawings, metalpoint, red and black chalk, body colour. I was really pleased to see Leonardo’s map of the Pontine marshes made during his aimless years in Rome, because it was a work that I’d shown my students in class. That blue body colour draws the eye, perhaps the strongest colour accent in the whole display. In fact there’s a lot of colour in this small selection; compare the silverpoint drawing on blue paper of an equestrian rider with a drawing of sprigs of oak done with blurry red chalk on buff prepared paper.

Another wonderful drawing here is a study of the head of Leda, a composition that exists only in copies and fragments. Kenneth Clark mused on why Leonardo wanted to essay this subject; after all, the artist wasn’t a lover of paganism or classical mythology. But when you look at this sheet the answer is clear: it’s a meditation on the movements and rhythms of nature captured in the elaborate coiffure of the woman. When Leonardo drew hair he studied in line and mass the dynamics of water and the wind.

Mention should also be made of a fine anatomical drawing of the bones and muscles of the feet and arm. The curator has considerately shown both verso and recto; this is one of 18 sheets probably done in consultation with Marcantonio della Torre, an anatomy professor at Pavia.

With exhibitions becoming more crowded, I find myself gravitating more and more to smaller, manageable experiences like this. Not exactly a case of odi profanum vulgus, but I do like my space when viewing art, drawings especially. It’s not exactly the anti-blockbuster experience- about 50 people processing through a small room of 10 drawings- but you don’t have to queue. Birmingham Art Gallery were estimating about 45 minutes queuing time, but I shuffled in after a few minutes of waiting patiently on the threshold, a Peri at the gates of art history paradise. The only downside is that because you have to process single file you can’t spend much time studying the drawings. Still it’s free, so you can always go back into the room and shuffle round again!

A very worthwhile exhibition. Hats off to Martin Clayton for deftly presenting such an overview of Leonardo’s achievements with such a small number of works. The catalogue is recommended too, especially as it’s only a fiver- short, but informed and insightful.

I won’t be able to attend but Martin Clayton and others are doing a study day on Leonardo at the museum. However, I have bought a ticket to hear Martin Kemp speak next month. So I’ve not done with Leonardo yet.

Comments

[Francis DeStefano]

David:

why is it the head of Leda? Why not a drawing of the head of the Madonna for the famous Madonna with St. Anne?

Frank

[David Packwood]

Hi Frank- I can't remember all the various reasons why scholars call it Leda. Off the top of my head- and I was hinting at in the review- Leda is nature, which is why L chose the subject; also in the larger versions, you see the theme of biological generation in nature, themes of interest to Leonardo.

I hear what you're saying and I don't disagree. It could be a study for the Madonna, but that's not received opinion as far as I know. Not that received opinion is right I hasten to add!

[Glennis McGregor]

Hi David,
So dissappointed I won't be able to attend Martin's lecture - I did see him at a talk at the National Gallery with Michael Craig-Martin and Luke Syson which was a really good combo.
The point about hair being an opportunity to meditate on natural fluid dynamics was made that evening. Craig-Martin went further in discussing not just leonardo's dynamic forms, but the energy 'charge' expressed in them. I found this concept so cool, I posted a whole blog post about it!
http://glennis.net/real/?p=1210
(Natural Systems: Leonardo's Energy Charge)

[Glennis]

I should clarify - it was Martin Clayton who spoke about Leonardo's drawing with Michael Craig-Martin. I'm sorry to miss his *and Martin Kemp's Birmingham dates. So many illustrious Martins in Leonardo's orbit!

[Thomp Bill]

Great Job! I love it. Thanks for sharing this post.

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