IO – The Embassy of Italy and the Italian Cultural Institute in Jakarta present the traveling exhibition “Leonardo Opera Omnia” produced by RAI Com and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. The exhibition was hosted in addition to commemorating 70 years of bilateral diplomatic relations between the Republic of Indonesia and the Republic of Italy as well as to commemorate the half-millennium anniversary of the demise of the Renaissance Master, Leonardo da Vinci. The exhibition, which was held at the Mandiri Museum, will take place from 6 February to 3 March 2020.
The exhibition, featuring 17 Da Vinci paintings, is presented in a sophisticated high-definition digital format of the same size so that visitors can enjoy as if they were seeing the original painting firsthand. All paintings use PVC canvas and water-based ink that is environmentally friendly and supported by LED backlight that highlights the painting from behind the canvas to sharpen the color of the painting.
Before being exhibited in Indonesia, a series of reproductions of Leonardo’s works, ranging from La Scapigliata, Mona Lisa, to The Last Supper, had already traveled to several other Asian countries, namely Beijing, Kuala Lumpur, and Yangon.
HE Mr Vittorio Sandalli, Italian Ambassador to Indonesia, when opening the exhibition on Wednesday (2/2/2020), said, “Leonardo da Vinci is one of the most influential and respected artists in history who also has an interest in science, music, mathematics, literature and drawings, paintings, sculpture, and architecture.”
He further said that the Leonardo Opera Omnia Exhibition was held in order to commemorate and strengthen bilateral diplomatic relations between the Republic of Italy and the Republic of Indonesia for more than 70 years as well as to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the death of the maestro.
Director of the Italian Cultural Institute in Jakarta Maria Battaglia explained that Leonardo da Vinci’s artistic heritage is spread out in various museums, churches and private collections around the world, so it is not possible to hold a single exhibition on a large scale, even though throughout his life, Leonardo only created 17 paintings.
“Seventeen reproductions of Leonardo’s work represent the artist’s artistic path and are created using sophisticated digital techniques so as to position visitors in front of the original work. All Leonardo’s works are reproduced according to their original size / shape and will provide an extraordinary perspective for visitors in understanding the creativity of the genius Leonardo da Vinci, “said Maria Battaglia. (ohw)