SPECIAL EVENTS

Leonardo

da Vinci

Comes to

Las Vegas

'Horse and Rider'

Sculpture

Unveiled at

L VCountry Club

A never before seen sculpture by famed Renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci was revealed at an unveiling ceremony held at the Las Vegas Country Club. The sculpture, a bronze cast from the mold of the original wax model, was named “Horse and Rider” by world renowned Leonardo expert Carlo Pedretti. Pedretti, author of more than 50 books and 700 essays on the works of Leonardo, stated in his letter of authentication that “…this wax model is by Leonardo himself.” The sculpture has been documented in several books and articles on the works of the original “Renaissance Man.”

Dubbing the work “Horse and Rider,” Dr. Pedretti stated that the sculpture was “possibly an equestrian portrait of Charles d’Amboise.” D’Amboise, the French Governor of Milan, befriended Leonardo upon his arrival in Milan in 1508, and quickly became one of his greatest patrons. The resemblance between the sculpted rider and Andrea Solario’s portrait of Charles d’Amboise, housed in the Louvre and the same period, is remarkable.

In attendance was the artwork’s owner, Richard A. Lewis from Indianapolis, Ind., who stated he had two objectives for the piece. “I want to share this remarkable sculpture with the world, and raise money to help people in need.” Lewis added, “To that end, I have decided to make a small number of reproductions from the original casting for sale to the public.”

Present at the event were representatives from the Salvation Army, designated by Lewis to benefit from sales of the masterworks and experts from the American Fine Art Foundry, where the sculpture is made.

The bronze reproductions are now on display in the Renaissance Galleries at The Shoppes at The Palazzo, where they will remain for public viewing and purchase. Each work will have its own individual number and security safeguards to prevent forgery. Art Encounter, Las Vegas will provide worldwide distribution for the sculpture.

The “Horse and Rider” story actually began in 1985, when four businessmen traveled to Switzerland to inquire about the purchase of a museum. During their visit, they were introduced to a centuries old sculpture languishing in a vault. Hand carved from beeswax, the piece measured 10” high, 8” long and 3” wide. The sculpture depicted a war-horse and its distinguished rider…and was purported to be by Renaissance Master, Leonardo da Vinci.

Intrigued, the men contacted Dr. Carlo Pedretti, the world’s authority on the life and works of Leonardo da Vinci. In addition to his status as Professor Emeritus of Art History and Italian Studies on Leonardo da Vinci at UCLA, Dr. Pedretti has written more than 50 books and more than 700 scholarly articles and essays on the Master. On July 10, 1985, following a thorough examination of the wax, Dr. Pedretti stated, in a letter on UCLA stationery: “…this wax model is by Leonardo himself.”

Dubbing the work “Horse and Rider,” Dr. Pedretti stated that the sculpture was “possibly an equestrian portrait of Charles d’Amboise.” D’Amboise, the French Governor of Milan, befriended Leonardo upon his arrival in Milan in 1508, and quickly became one of his greatest patrons. The resemblance between the sculpted rider and Andrea Solario’s portrait of Charles d’Amboise, housed in the Louvre and of the same period, is remarkable.

Based on their discussions with Dr. Pedretti, the businessmen decided to make a mold from the delicate wax sculpture. (Over the centuries, the work had sustained damage to the arms of the rider and the legs of both rider and horse.) They then left Switzerland for New York City intending to make bronze sculptures from the mold and to market a limited edition. For financial or other reasons, this never took place. Today, the whereabouts of the original Leonardo da Vinci wax sculpture are unknown.

Sculpture Now On Display At Renaissance Galleries at The Palazzo