Leonardo in Rome: Influences and Legacy

The catalogue of the exhibition Leonardo in Rome: Influences and Legacy—organized under the High Patronage of the President of the Republic by the National Academy of the Lincei and the Primoli Foundation, curated by Roberto Antonelli and Antonio Forcellino—celebrates the genius of Leonardo da Vinci during his Roman stay. The artist lived in the Vatican from 1513 to 1516, under the patronage of Giuliano de’ Medici, the Pope’s brother, bringing with him immortal masterpieces such as The Mona Lisa, Saint John the Baptist, and The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne.

In Rome, Leonardo devoted himself primarily to his scientific studies: he deepened his research on generation, designed projects for the reclamation of the Pontine marshes, experimented with mirrors (possibly burning mirrors), and, at the same time, continued to paint and refine his works.

The exhibition focuses precisely on that Roman period, between 1513 and 1517, highlighting both the influences the artist absorbed from the city and those he, in turn, exerted on its cultural environment.

Hosted at the Villa Farnesina, the exhibition unfolds in two sections across five rooms. The building—an early Renaissance masterpiece—naturally interacts with the works on display through the frescoes by Raphael and his school, by Baldassarre Peruzzi, and by Sodoma, thus becoming an ideal extension of the artistic narrative.