LEONARDO DA VINCI EXHIBITION - Brussels

A few weeks ago I visited  together with some friends of our painting group, the traveling exhibition of Leonardo Da Vinci - The Genius. It took place in the Brussels Stock Exchange.



The building was erected from 1868 to 1873, and mixes elements of the Neo-Renaissance and Second Empire architectural styles. It has an abundance of ornaments and sculptures, created by famous artists, amongst them also Auguste Rodin. Today it's used for exhibitions.

Of Leonardo da Vinci I mostly knew that he was a painter and had painted the famous "Mona Lisa". But that he also  was an inventor, artist, anatomist, sculptor, engineer, musician, architect, philosopher, ... but above all a man of genius, and a visionary, was quiet new to me. This man invented things centuries ago which today we are able to make and which we use. He was centuries in advance of his time. We could see

70 three-dimensional full size machines, reproductions of anatomical sketches drawn by Da Vinci,
the secrets of the Mona Lisa and identical replicas of artworks

Da Vinci was born out of wedlock to a notary, Piero da Vinci, and a peasant woman, Caterina. Little is known about Leonardo's early life. He spent his first five years in the home of his mother, then from 1457 on he lived with his father,  in the small town of Vinci. Amazing is to me,  that at this time the father took care of his illegitimate child and payed for his education.





He made anatomical designs, as if he had x-ray eyes !



What impressed me the most was the drawing of a baby in his mother's womb in a time where men didn't even know why their wife's belly became like a balloon !

I couldn't read his writings because they were in mirror-image and I had no mirror with me of course. It is said that the reason may have been more a practical expediency than for reasons of secrecy as is often suggested. Since Leonardo wrote with his left hand, it is probable that it was easier for him to write from right to left.



He thought already about being able to fly



measure the wind speed



using a submarine



invented flippers and a diving costume



There was a little mirror room which showed that you could see yourself from all sides



He even was a fashion designer !



and of course he painted the Mona Lisa. Apparently he painted mostly to earn some money which he then used for his researches.

You can read more about his life and creations here

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MY WEEKEND OF NOVEMBER 23

November is really an awful month. It's cold, grey and humid. But on Saturday afternoon it was dry and Ilona and I decided to take some fresh air and do a little walk. But when I arrived at her home, a strong wind had come up and it was so cold that we preferred to stay inside with the fire in the stove and a good hot cup of tea.

In the evening we had our monthly theater play. As usual we had first supper in the restaurant which is part of the theatre.



The play was called "Venice in snow" and it was absolutely hilarious. We laughed that much, that our bellies hurt when we came out. It was a real good play and the fact that we had laughed so much during 2 h, was good for our morose moods !

On Sunday morning I had to go to the Brussels' midi market. I was really lucky. I left with a little rain, but when I arrived the sun was shining.



I could even sit outside and listen to the accordion player, who played old French chansons. I bought some fruits and a pajama and caught the bus just in time before it started raining again.

The rest of the day I was busy with laundry watching TV and made collages for Christmas cards !