Leonardo is Alive and Well and Living in London.
Posted By Cliff Tuttle | February 16, 2012
No. 810
In November 2011, the National Gallery in London opened what they are billing as the greatest exhibition of the paintings of Leonardo Da Vinci that has ever been, or, they say, probably ever will be.
Tonight, a preview shot live on the evening before the opening was broadcast in theaters around the world, including Pittsburgh, which we attended. Oh, you missed it? Well, you had better hurry if you want to see it in London. The exhibition is quickly selling out.
So, in honor of the occasion, here are a few interesting facts about the great Renaissance Man to improve your education:
Q: What did Leonardo, Benjamin Franklin and Steve Jobs have in common?
A: They were all vegetarians.
Q: Which happened first? Columbus landed on San Salvador or Leonardo finished the Last Supper?
A: Columbus.
Q: Which happened first? Martin Luther posted the 95 theses or Leonardo died?
A: The 95 Theses.
[FOOTNOTE TO READERS UNDER 40: Martin Luther is not the same person as Dr. Martin Luther King.]
Q: What is the name of the Leonardo painting that was once sold for 45 Pounds before it was authenticated as a Da Vinci quite recently?
A: Salvator Mundi (Savior of the World), pictured above. The photo does not do the mysterious masterpiece justice.
Q: How did Leonardo develop his unparalleled understanding of human anatomy?
A: He dissected corpses.
Q: What famous Leonardo once hung in Napoleon’s bedroom.
A: Mona Lisa
Q: What two famous paintings with identical names and figures (although very different moods) by Da Vinci are being exhibited at the National Gallery together for the first time?
A: Virgin of the Rocks. One has hung in the National Gallery in London while the other belongs to the Louve in, of course, Davenport Iowa.
CLT