Latest news with #TheVitruvianMan
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Archaeologists Find Secret Leonardo da Vinci-Drawn Tunnels
Here's what you'll learn when you read this story: An underground tunnel network long rumored thanks to drawings by Leonardo da Vinci under Milan's Sforza Castle are proven to exist. Ground-penetrating radar and laser scanning revealed that the historic passages made famous by a Leonardo da Vinci drawing is just one of multiple tunnel sections. Experts plan to create a digital twin of the castle's underground system for museum visitors. The artworks of Leonardo da Vinci are vast and storied. 'The Last Supper.' 'The Vitruvian Man.' The 'Mona Lisa,' for goodness sake. But even amongst such a storied and well-studied body of work, there can still be a few surprises left to discover. And recently, a team of researchers discovered one of those surprises—one drawing of a castle tunnel from a 1400s-era castle. See, the drawing was of Sforza Castle, and it included depictions of numerous underground tunnels—tunnels that had never been found. The team—which included experts from Polytechnic University of Milan, Codevintec, and Sforza Castel—teamed up to employ ground-penetrating radar and laser scanning that mapped multiple feet under the castle. In doing so, they discovered not only that the tunnels Leonardo alluded to in his drawings existed, but that they may only be a small piece of an intricate system weaving throughout the site. 'The ground-penetrating radar enriched the 3D model with data on known, but inaccessible, spaces, bringing to light unknown walkways and ideas for further studies on secret passages,' Francesca Biolo, researcher at Polytechnic University of Milan, said in a statement. The castle took on new life in the 1400s when the duke of Milan, Francesco Sforza, reconstructed an ancient site. He turned it into the Sforza Castle, complete with towers, courtyards, and frescoed-lined halls. In 1494, Francesco's successor, Ludovico Sforza, built on the castle's tradition and hired Leonardo da Vinci to create art for the castle. According to Art Net, in his effort to complete that project, Leonardo ocumented the castle's unseen tunnel system, as recorded in Codex Forster I. Experts believe the tunnels were once likely used for military operations, but other portions of the system could have included personal touches as well. One passageway, for instance, connects the castle to the Basilica of Santa Maria delle Grazie, a church built by Francesco that houses Leonardo's 'The Last Supper.' It is also the site of Sforza family burials, which may have afforded those living in the castle quicker access to the tombs of loved ones, such as Ludovico's wife, Beatrice d'Este. Nowadays, the castle complex is home to three different museums—Pinacoteca del Castello Sforzesco, the Museum of the Rondanini Pieta, and the Museum of Ancient Art. While the underground system may not currently be fully accessible, the ground-penetrating radar and laser scanning used to confirm its presence could still unlock a fresh perspective on the Sforza Castel's underground world. 'The goal is to create a digital twin of the Sforza Castle, a digital model that not only represents the current appearances of the castle but also allows you to explore the past, recovering historical elements that are no longer visible,' Franco Guzzetti, professor of geomatics at Polytechnic University of Milan, said in a statement. Adding augmented reality to the virtual paths could invite visitors to explore the underground environments and inaccessible historical places in a fresh museum experience. The artwork of Leonardo has enabled the delight of modern audiences yet again. You Might Also Like Can Apple Cider Vinegar Lead to Weight Loss? Bobbi Brown Shares Her Top Face-Transforming Makeup Tips for Women Over 50
Indian Express
23-05-2025
- Indian Express
For me, Ahmedabad is a city of magic — and contrasts
Lately, whenever I write about Ahmedabad, for some strange reason, the image of Leonardo da Vinci's drawing of The Vitruvian Man comes to mind. I cannot stop thinking about it in the context of the outline of the city. I have always been intrigued by this drawing, as it depicts a man inscribed within a circle and a square. It is the visual representation of the human body in harmony with the environment. This is how I used to feel in Ahmedabad, which was then similar to an overgrown village. The scale was just right for me to fit into the city, as its axis resembled an aerial-hoop-performer of a circus. I always felt that the hoop was my tool and I spun, swung, rolled closer to the boundary walls of the city. I could touch it and easily navigate the city. I just had to extend my hand and I was part of the city. In other words, it was my world. For me, Ahmedabad is a city of magic, where dargahs walk, minarets shake; and an eternal light glows in goddess Laxmi's gokhlo. The walls of the city no longer exist, but it has majestic darwazas, which were once connected to the fortified city, symbolic of city, community, society and family. Our ancestral house was close to Delhi Darwaza, which has a special place in my heart. Ahmedabad is a city of contrasts. It has ancient monuments and institutes built by well-known architects from India and abroad. The traffic moves along with camels, cows and elephants, as langurs sit like sentinels on garden walls, and bee-eaters, sunbirds and peafowl add a splash of colour to the city of stories. It was a city with a vibrant living heritage. I was elated when it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage City in 2017. Sadly, in recent times, it lacks upkeep and preservation. The river Sabarmati still flows on the outskirts of the city, though. In the Sixties, when it flooded, we carried big-black umbrellas and stood at the bridge, soaking wet, just to see the gushing water, known as ghoda-pur in Gujarati, likened to galloping horses. Then, everything changed. Several bridges were built across the river. I was too young then to understand that the bridges would expand the city and make it bigger. Soon after, our family also moved to the new city. During this period, I had never imagined that one day, Ahmedabad would become one of India's biggest cities, what they now call a smart city. Soon, the innumerable textile mills and their tall chimneys disappeared from our horizon, Ahmedabad transformed into a cement-concrete-glass-jungle of highrises. Until that point, I could take an auto and reach the various nooks and corners of the city. But soon, Ahmedabad began to grow in leaps and bounds to the west, devouring villages, fields, farm lands and all that came in its way, like a giant octopus. It transformed into a large unplanned city, the skyline a jagged edge of highrises, commercial complexes and shops with brand names, standing shoulder to shoulder with elite educational institutes. Slowly, I realised that I had begun refusing invitations to events that were not close enough to reach on the pretext that I did not have a vehicle and it was difficult to find cabs or autos to commute to and from my home. But in my heart, I knew these were excuses. To break this block, I accepted a dinner invitation at a friend's place. I reached late because, predictably, the cab took a long time to arrive. It was an enjoyable evening, but at the back of my mind, I kept worrying about finding a ride back home. Again, predictably, it proved to be arduous. So I decided to walk to the main road and find a vehicle. When I reached there, the road resembled a fiery river of automobiles gushing non-stop on the road, honking and fuming incessantly. When I finally found an auto, it took another two hours to veer through the heartless traffic jam. Exhausted, I returned home and immediately deleted all invitations at the periphery of the city I had once known like the back of my hand. Then, in the half-light, as I switched on my laptop, something touched my foot. Cautiously, I moved back and switched on the lights. A drawing had flown from my table to the floor. I picked it up and saw that it was a copy of The Vitruvian Man. I went into my bedroom and placed it next to my pillow. I felt comforted because that evening, I had felt small and vulnerable in a city that had become so big that I could no longer recognise it as my own. The drawing took me back to the entirely different, entirely illusionary city of my own, where I exist, and I am. David is a Sahitya Akademi Award-winning author, artist and art critic
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sketch by Leonardo da Vinci Leads to Secret Ancient
An underground tunnel network long rumored thanks to drawings by Leonardo da Vinci under Milan's Sforza Castle are proven to exist. Ground-penetrating radar and laser scanning revealed that the historic passages made famous by a Leonardo da Vinci drawing is just one of multiple tunnel sections. Experts plan to create a digital twin of the castle's underground system for museum visitors. The artworks of Leonardo da Vinci are vast and storied. 'The Last Supper.' 'The Vitruvian Man.' The 'Mona Lisa' for goodness sake. But even amongst such a storied and well-studied body of work, there can still be a few surprises left to discover. And recently, a team of researchers discovered one of those surprises—one drawing of a castle tunnel from a 1400s-era castle. See, the drawing was of Sforza Castle, and it included depictions of numerous underground tunnels—tunnels that had never been found. The team—which included experts from Polytechnic University of Milan, Codevintec, and Sforza Castel—teamed up to employ ground-penetrating radar and laser scanning that mapped multiple feet under the castle. In doing so, they discovered not only that the tunnels da Vinci alluded to in his drawings existed, but that they may only be a small piece of an intricate system weaving throughout the site. 'The ground-penetrating radar enriched the 3D model with data on known, but inaccessible, spaces, bringing to light unknown walkways and ideas for further studies on secret passages,' Francesca Biolo, researcher at Polytechnic University of Milan, said in a statement. The castle took on new life in the 1400s when the duke of Milan, Francesco Sforza, reconstructed an ancient site. He turned it into the Sforza Castle, complete with towers, courtyards, and frescoed-lined halls. In 1494, Francesco's successor, Ludovico Sforza, built on the castle's tradition and hired Leonardo da Vinci to create art for the castle. According to Art Net, in his effort to complete that project, da Vinci documented the castle's unseen tunnel system, as recorded in Codex Forster I. Experts believe the tunnels were once likely used for military operations, but other portions of the system could have included personal touches as well. One passageway, for instance, connects the castle to the Basilica of Santa Maria delle Grazie, a church built by Francesco that houses da Vinci's 'The Last Supper.' It is also the site of Sforza family burials, which may have afforded those living in the castle quicker access to the tombs of loved ones, such as Ludovico's wife, Beatrice d'Este. Nowadays, the castle complex is home to three different museums—Pinacoteca del Castello Sforzesco, the Museum of the Rondanini Pieta, and the Museum of Ancient Art. While the underground system may not currently be fully accessible, the ground-penetrating radar and laser scanning used to confirm its presence could still unlock a fresh perspective on the Sforza Castel's underground world. 'The goal is to create a digital twin of the Sforza Castle, a digital model that not only represents the current appearances of the castle but also allows you to explore the past, recovering historical elements that are no longer visible,' Franco Guzzetti, professor of geomatics at Polytechnic University of Milan, said in a statement. Adding augmented reality to the virtual paths could invite visitors to explore the underground environments and inaccessible historical places in a fresh museum experience. The artwork of da Vinci has enabled the delight of modern audiences yet again. You Might Also Like Can Apple Cider Vinegar Lead to Weight Loss? Bobbi Brown Shares Her Top Face-Transforming Makeup Tips for Women Over 50
