8 things you didn't know about Leonardo da Vinci

8 things you didn't know about Leonardo da Vinci

SINGAPORE - Some of world-renowned artist and scientist Leonardo da Vinci's works will be on display at the ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands from now till May 2015.

Visitors can look forward to seeing some pages from his largest notebook, the Codex Atlanticus, as well as traces of his favourite pupil, Salai, throughout the exhibition.

One of the common misconceptions of da Vinci was that he was an "isolated genius" when in actual fact, he had gathered knowledge from where he was, said Dr Alberto Rocca of Biblioteca Ambrosiana.

Here are 8 things you probably didn't know about Leonardo da Vinci:

1. Da Vinci was the first to explain why the sky is blue, 300 years ago.

2. He respected animals and saw them as living beings who felt pain, thus leading to his habit of purchasing caged birds to set them free, according to art historian Giorgio Vasari

3. He was left-handed and wrote using mirror-writing; this was said to be easier for him and to prevent the ink from smudging. Some believe he did this so that people could not read his work.

4. Leonardo da Vinci literally translates into Leonardo of Vinci, the Tuscan town in which he was born.

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5. Da Vinci's map-making techniques were so accurate and surprisingly modern. If his map of Milan were to be compared to the current one off Google Maps, there would be no discrepancies. It was said that he used to track the distance he walked from building to building in Milan with a pedometer.

6. Codex Atlanticus was named as such because its size was comparable to that of an atlas.

7. After Napoleon's conquest of Milan in 1796, the Codex Atlanticus was kept in the Louvre Museum for 17 years.

8. When da Vinci applied for a job at the court of Ludovico Sforza, then the ruler of Milan, he did so by appealing to Sfroza's needs at the time, who was a skilled engineer. In his fascinating application letter, he allowed his skills in technology and engineering to dominate with only a hint at his artistic talent at the end.

Tickets to Da Vinci: Shaping the Future can be purchased through the Marina Bay Sands ticketing portal, ticketing hotline, box offices and all Sistic channels. Tickets for Singapore residents cost $19 and standard tickets cost $25.

For more information, visit http://www.marinabaysands.com/museum/exhibitions-and-events/leonardo-da-vinci-shaping-the-future.html

ssandrea@sph.com.sg

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