Monuments

The work by Mario Ceroli, made of shaped laminated wood and donated by the artist to the City of Vinci in 1987, is inspired by the famous drawing housed at the Gallerie dell’Accademia in Venice, where Leonardo represents the idea of perfect proportion inscribed in the square and the circle, which in three dimensions become a cube and a sphere, as expressed by Vitruvius. In Ceroli’s version, the deliberately disregarded geometry is a reference to contemporary reality, far from the harmony and balance that once governed the universe symbolized by Leonardo’s Vitruvian Man.

The sculpture is located in Piazza Guido Masi, commonly called “del Castello,” from which one can admire a stunning panorama.

The bronze sculpture, about two and a half meters tall, is a smaller-scale reproduction of the monumental horse that Leonardo had designed for Francesco Sforza, Duke of Milan. Leonardo’s statue was supposed to be over 7 meters high and would have required 100 tons of bronze for its creation. However, the work remained unfinished due to the war between King Louis XII of France and the Duchy of Milan, which forced the Duke to use the bronze intended for the statue to manufacture cannons.

In 1977, Charles Dent, an American aviation pilot and enthusiast of the Italian Renaissance, founded Leonardo da Vinci’s Horse with the aim of bringing Leonardo’s design to life. Years later, the project was entrusted to Nina Akamu, who created two statues, one of which was donated to the City of Vinci in 2001

The sculpture is located in Piazza della Libertà, in the center of Vinci.

In 2003, the Municipality of Vinci, in collaboration with the Arte Continua Association of San Gimignano, launched a design competition for the creation of the new Piazza dei Guidi, which saw participation from some of the leading contemporary artists. Created by Mimmo Paladino and inaugurated in 2006, the new square is made up of thistle slabs, silver blades, and glass tiles, featuring abstract shapes and geometries inspired by the polyhedron, a symbol of the Renaissance. It also revisits motifs well-known from the artist’s iconic universe. The work, with its geometries and abstract shapes inspired by the polyhedron, evokes Leonardo’s trust in geometry and shapes a novel and evocative urban space.

The artwork is located in Piazza de’ Guidi and serves as an introduction for visitors to the Leonardo museum route.

Created by the artist Cecco Bonanotte, the sculptural cycle is dedicated to the story of salvation. There are nine representations by Bonanotte: The Creation and Original Sin, the Incarnation and the Baptism in the Jordan, the Last Supper, the Eucharist, the Passion, the Death, and the Resurrection.

A large central rose window depicting the Apocalypse of Saint John completes the work. It is placed above the baptismal font where Leonardo is believed to have been baptized. The sculptures that compose it are distinguished by a sense of refined lightness and a particular chromatic sensitivity that Buonanotte manages to give to his creations.

The work is located inside the Church of Santa Croce, in the baptistery that also houses the font where Leonardo is believed to have been baptized.

Created by Wu Weishan, Director of the National Museum of China in Beijing and inaugurated in January 2020, the work, over three meters tall, consists of two bronzes depicting Leonardo da Vinci and the father of modern Chinese painting, Qi Baishi. The two are engaged in a sort of hypothetical conversation beyond time and geographical distance. The sculpture is a tribute to art and its ability to transcend time and foster dialogue among peoples, as well as an homage to two artists who innovated the figurative tradition of their time in a unique way.

The artwork is located on the terrace in front of the Palazzina Uzielli, a choice that harmoniously integrates it into the surrounding landscape.

Leonardo Do Me. Large dome-shaped installation designed by Antonio Cinelli and Mattia Desideri inside which there are three works by Vinci artists: Ideae volant by Claudio Cinelli, inspired by Leonardo’s studies on flight; Khatisa by Alberto Marconcini, a personal reflection on the Genius’s mother and the so-called Vinci knots; and Uno sguardo al cielo by Nico Paladini, a reinterpretation of Vinci’s skyline.

Sacra solitudine by Claudio Cinelli. A reinterpretation of the Last Supper where only the apostles’ hands are depicted and Christ is the only “human” figure.

Lacrima by Claudio Cinelli. A free interpretation of the Mona Lisa from whose face a tear falls.

Passaggio by Caue Pintadi. Three paintings representing the three realms of the afterlife — Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise — described by Dante Alighieri in The Divine Comedy.

Robo stellare by Daniele Mariti. Under a full moon sky it speeds by, reminding us that the answers we seek are right above our heads.

Sapere by Mattia Desideri. Two textured panels depicting the figurative dialogue beyond time between Leonardo and Dante Alighieri.

Temet Nosce by Tommaso Marchiani. The owl, thanks to its ability as a nocturnal predator, is a symbol of clairvoyance and great wisdom.

Plant a tree, plant smiles by Stelle Confuse. A project to raise awareness about protecting green areas in cities.