Isaloni & Milan Design Week 2019
–
The popular and powerful event Salone Internazionale del Mobile and Milan Design Week are almost upon us! And today, Interior Decoration decided to present to you this year’s theme of both events: The Tribute to Leonardo Da Vinci’s Work and Life.
Written By João Barros
The great master painter Leonardo da Vinci is recognized nowadays as one of the biggest artists of all time! For that reason, Salone del Mobile and Milan will pay tribute to his work with two outstanding and hugely evocative installations at Fiera Milano that will utterly provide to you the most memorable and cultural experience.
The organization of Salone del Mobile has chosen the relationship between Da Vinci, Milan, and Water for the theme of one of the exhibitions! The first exhibition is therefore called “AQUA”, and celebrates the originality and visionary mind of Da Vinci’s studies and work and, of course, it’s connected to one of his greatest works in the region of Milan: The Naviglio Grande!
AQUA – MILANO PROJECT
It’s obvious for those who know Milan and Da Vinci’s work that you’ll be able to find this exhibition at historical Conca dell’Incoronata, a former water canal of Milan whose construction was planned by Da Vinci himself during his work on another one of his great works: The Naviglio Grande! The Conca dell’Incoronata was decommissioned in 1930, but from 1496 to 1929 was considered one of the main sources of natural water of Milan.
AQUA – MILANO PROJECT
The historical Conca will be completely transformed for this exhibition! The site will be covered over with an architectural insert in the form of a great expanse of water, on the edge of which a huge LED screen will become a window onto a future Milan, showing a skyline that changes according to the time of day. Beneath this structure, inside the canal itself, a wunderkammer (cabinet of curiosities) will be created, where visitors can experience all the beauty, energy and shape of water, enfolded in image and sound thanks to the use of cutting-edge technology, in a totally self-contained environment
“AQUA, Leonardo’s Vision”
5 th – 14th April
Conca dell’Incoronata, Via San Marco
10.00 am – 10.00 pm
DE-SEIGNO – SALONE DEL MOBILE PROJECT
The second exhibition is at the fairgrounds of Salone del Mobile.Milano, more specifically at Pavilion 24 of Fiera Milan and it’s called DE-SIGNO. The main goal of this stellar exhibition is to honor the art of Italian Design and Da Vinci’s Artistic Work. It explores the awesomeness of the Made in Italy design products and craftsmanship, comparing it from the furniture made during the times of the great Master to the present day, compiling all the stunning contemporary design we’re all so used to see at Salone del Mobile.
“DE-SIGNO”
9th – 14th April
Pavilion 24 – Fiera Milano, Rho
9.30 am – 6.30 pm
HISTORICAL LEONARDO DA VINCI’S TOUR IN MILAN
Da Vinci’s Sketches
Milan was one of Da Vinci’s favourite City, only next to Florence. He made this city his home for many years and he helped shape the cultural, architectural and artistic vision of this incredible and historical town! He lived 18 Years in the City and, during this time, he painted some of his most recognized and accomplished works of art, namely the iconic painting of “Last Supper” and helped develop the Naviglio Grande that, till this day, remains as the top water canal of the Lombardia Region.
Till this day, precious traces of Leonardo da Vinci – architect, engineer, inventor, scientist, artist – are still scattered around the city, and today you can still walk through some of the places that Da Vinci also visited 500 years ago. So between amazing Historical Places and popular sites where you can find Da Vinci’s work, you’ll find everything you must visit in Milan in this Da Vinci’s Milanese Guide
Nex to the iconic “Mona Lisa” painting, that’s currently on exhibition at the Louvre Museum in Paris, the “Last Supper” it’s one of the main paintings of Da Vinci’s legacy. Today you can see this amazing masterpiece in Milan, namely, at the iconic Church of Santa Maria Delle Grazie, that’s been the Home of this Masterpiece for decades.
Ambrosiana Art Gallery.
Another relic of Leonardo Da Vinci that’s still in the exhibition in Milan is the Atlantic Code! For those who don’t know, the Atlantic Code is the corpus of Leonardo’s autograph manuscripts and is so called because of the size of its sheets, used at that time for the geographical atlases. This relic includes a series of sketches, preparatory drawings for paintings, mathematical calculations, philosophical meditations, and even recipes. It’s a real journey through time and the ingenious mind of Leonardo da Vinci that’s currently in exhibition at the Ambrosiana Art Gallery.
Leonardo da Vinci’s Museum of Science and Technology.
If you want to visit a Sanctuary dedicated to Leonardo Da Vinci’s work and life, then we highly recommend you pay a visit to Leonardo da Vinci’s Museum of Science and Technology. Besides being a true Milanese classic, a trip to this Museum will allow you to discover and admire Leonardo’s drawings and projects, and to try to make scale models work from the projects of his inventions. It’s at this incredible museum that you’ll find a prototype of the iconic Flying Machines designed by Da Vinci!
Leonardo’s Vinneyard
As we’ve told you previously, Da Vinci’s “Last Supper” is in the exhibition at Church of Santa Maria Delle Grazie. But what many people don’t know, is that Da Vinci lived very close to the Church where one of his stunning masterpieces is currently on display. That’s right, Da Vinci lived right in front of the church at the 65 Corso Magenta ate Casa Degli Atellani! The home belonged to the Atellans, a family that was courtiers of the historical Milanese citizen Ludovico Sforza, one of the patrons of Da Vinci. In 1948, the Atellani had a vineyard planted for Leonardo, who loved good wine and worldliness and loved this gift very much. That vine still exists and, today, it’s an important historical style.
Paderno D’Adda
If you want to get the Inspiration Vibe of Da Vinci, then you need to step away from the City of Milan and visit the outskirts of the city! You must travel to Paderno d’Adda, a place where the River Adda flows. It’s in this stretch of river you can visit the places where Leonardo studied the rapids to find a way to transport the building materials by water despite that stretch was not navigable. Leonardo took inspiration from the landscapes of the Adda River for the backgrounds of his famous paintings “Virgin of the Rocks” or even “Mona Lisa”/ “Gioconda”.
Duomo of Milano
The Duomo is Milan’s most Iconic building and it’s construction spanned for over 400 years! Some parts of the cathedral were designed during Da Vinci’s lifetime, but surprisingly, Leonardo Da Vinci wasn’t involved in any part of the construction process of this church, and none of his works can be found inside this architectonic wonder. It’s true that Leonardo made some drawings for the domed crossing tower but these never moved to the construction phase because, according to the local legends, Leonardo told his superiors that his plans and options where inferior to the ones provided by other two court architects: Amadeo and Dolcebuono.
Sforza Castle
We end this Guide with Sforza Castle in central Milan! This is one of the historical sights of Milan and it’s where we find another masterpiece of the master artist. He painted the famous Frescoed Ceiling of the “Sala Delle Asse” (‘Room of the Wooden Panels’), combining a naturalist depiction with a strong symbolism! The Sforza Castle houses another important work by Leonardo: The Codex Trivulzianus. It’s a manuscript containing notes and drawings dealing mainly with military and religious architecture.
City of Milan
You won’t be able to see the Tributes that the City of Milan is preparing for Da Vinci to celebrate this Date during Salone del Mobile or the Milan Design Week because most of them will only start to happen in May (The Month that Leonardo Died)! But Milan is preparing a huge celebration and thought all the Summer you’ll be able to visit countless exhibits, expos, and masterclasses about the painter! One of the big events of the programme is the return to Milan of the “Madonna Litta”, which the Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg is loaning to the Poldi Pezzoli Museum for a special exhibition.
Leonardo Da Vinci & PullCast
PullCast, a top, and luxury hardware brand will be in Milan to pay tribute to Leonardo Da Vinci’s work and life. This brand will debut at Salone del Mobile.Milano a special and commemorative piece that’s inspired in one of Da Vinci’s top works! And no, it isn’t “The Last Supper”, but if you want to discover what is their Tribute to Leonardo Da Vinci’s, then you must pay PullCast a visit at Salone del Mobile 2019!
Did you like this post? Feel free to comment and share!
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:
