Leonardo da Vinci exhibition in Astana explores inventions ahead of their time

The international exhibition “Leonardo da Vinci: Genius of the Renaissance” opened in Astana on May 19, bringing visitors into the world of the legendary Italian artist, inventor and scientist, Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports.

photo: QAZINFORM

Hosted in the Kazakh capital through Sept. 30, the exhibition explores Leonardo da Vinci’s artistic legacy, scientific research and engineering ideas through large-scale multimedia installations and reconstructed inventions based on his original sketches and notebooks.

Leonardo da Vinci's weapon of war. Photo credit: Viktor Fedyunin / Qazinform

The exhibition space covers around 3,000 square meters and is divided into thematic zones representing Air, Water, Earth and Fire.

Multi Barrel Gun, potentially more effective weapon against a line of advancing troops. Photo credit: Viktor Fedyunin / Qazinform

More than 40 full-size models of Leonardo’s mechanisms were brought to Astana from museums in Rome and Florence. The collection includes flying machines, engineering structures, military devices and inventions that later influenced modern technologies.

Leonardo da Vinci sketched a parachute while he was living in Milan around 1480-1483. Photo credit: Viktor Fedyunin / Qazinform

Visitors can see devices connected to Leonardo’s studies of air and weather, including a hygrometer, weather vane and anemometer.

A bicycle sketch long attributed to Leonardo da Vinci later sparked debate among scholars. Photo credit: Viktor Fedyunin / Qazinform

A separate military section features machines designed for defense and attack, including a bombard, catapult, armored tank and multi-barrel weapon systems inspired by Leonardo’s concepts.

Design for a flying machine. Photo credit: Viktor Fedyunin / Qazinform

The exhibition also uses LED tunnels, digital projections and holographic installations to recreate how Leonardo’s inventions might have functioned. Another section is dedicated to reproductions of the artist’s most famous paintings and drawings.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that the multimedia exhibition “Banksy: Genius or Vandal?” opened in Astana.