Leonardo da Vinci: A Life in Drawing

Marking the 500th anniversary of the death of Leonardo da Vinci, a display of 12 of the Renaissance master's greatest drawings in the Royal Collection.

From February 2019 Manchester Art Gallery will take part in Leonardo da Vinci: A Life in Drawing, a nationwide exhibition to commemorate the artist’s death. We will exhibit exquisite drawings from the Royal Collection by Leonardo da Vinci concurrently with 11 other UK galleries. Our selection of works focuses on the body and clearly demonstrates Leonardo’s use of drawing to gain an unrivalled understanding of human anatomy. The exhibition includes anatomical studies, caricatures, idealised male and female bodies, drapery, figures in action and studies of an infant and foetus. The selection demonstrates the variety of techniques he used, from pen and ink and watercolour to red and black chalks and metal point, as well as his mastery in depicting ideal and grotesque physical features.