DOZENS of priceless drawings from the masters of the ItalianRenaissanceare on display inThe King’s Galleryin Edinburgh.
Drawings byLeonardo da Vinci, Michaelangelo, Raphael, andTitianfeature alongside over 50 artists who worked during the Renaissance period.
Many of these drawings have never been exhibited in Scotland and, as an exhibition, will trace the development of the Renaissance from its inception around 1450 to its conclusion around 1600.
The works have been drawn from the Royal Collection and displayed at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official residence of the Royal Family in Scotland.
The Renaissance refers to a period of “rebirth” and renewal of European art and literature under the influence of classical Greek and Roman modes from around the 14thto the end of the 16thcentury.
Many of the artists heavily associated with the Renaissance period are still household names and some of the most famous artists in the world, centuries after their deaths.
The movement is typically associated with revolutions, based on ancient forms, in painting and drawing, but there were related leaps in literature, influenced by the art of the period, by Shakespeare, Machiavelli, Cervantes, and Ariosto, and many others.
In addition, many of these artists, such as da Vinci and Michaelangelo, were noted polymaths, meaning they excelled at a number of disciplines – giving rise to the term “Renaissance man” to refer to someone with varied interests and vocations.
This exhibition is concerned only with drawings from the masters of the period, however.
These drawings were undertaken for a variety of reasons: many of them were preparatory, serving as plans for paintings, altarpieces and sculptures while some of them served as elaborate gifts.
Many of these drawings ended up being discarded, and only a small proportion have survived to this day.
Some highlights include anatomical drawings by da Vinci and Michaelangelo and a work by Raphael portraying the vigorous Hercules slaying the many headed Hydra.
Following a successful exhibition in London, the Royal Collection Trust, which manages the King’s Collection, has decided to take the exhibition to the other King’s Gallery in Edinburgh.
The exhibition’s curator, Lauren Porter, said in a statement: “This is a remarkable opportunity to share so many of the Italian Renaissance drawings from the Royal Collection, with over half being shown in Scotland for the first time.
“As works on paper cannot be permanently displayed for conservation reasons, this exhibition offers a rare opportunity for visitors to view these drawings up close, giving a unique insight into the minds of the great artists who made them.”
One unique aspect of the exhibition will be its reflection of the continued importance of drawing today.
In conjunction with the exhibition, alumni from the Edinburgh College of Art have been invited for a residency at the gallery.
Edinburgh-based artists Phoebe Leach and Dette Allmark will respond to the masterworks by drawing in the gallery throughout the exhibition.
Guests are also encouraged to try out drawing and craft their own responses to the masterworks on display, with materials freely available.
The exhibition is open from Thursday to Monday every week until 1 March next year.
The King’s Gallery is open from 10am to 5:30pm on these days.
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