Leonardo da Vinci Mural Will Be On View in Milan During Olympics

Leonardo da Vinci’s mural, which is being restored, will be on display for five weeks starting on February 7 when the Winter Olympics kick off in Italy next month. This means visitors to Milan who aren’t keen on sports like figure skating and luge can set their sights on the unfinished paintings by a timeless master that line the ceilings and walls of Sforzesco Castle.

It is reported Art Network News”, “Visitors will be allowed to climb the towering 20-foot scaffolding inside the castle’s Sala delle Asse to watch conservators working on the Leonardo da Vinci fresco before it will be blocked again for 18 months, making this limited public access a rare opportunity to see the mural up close during the restoration process. “

The painting, long covered in plaster, was begun shortly before Milan was occupied by the French in 1499. After it was abandoned, “over the following centuries, the castle was used for military purposes, the walls of Sala del Ase were painted over, and the memory of the painting disappeared,” according to Art Network News.

The discovery of original paintings began at the end of the 19th century. After more were discovered in the 20th century, restoration work is currently underway to treat the work’s delicate tempura paint, with restorers “using Japanese rice paper and deionized water to clean the surface of the painting by removing salt that has seeped into the walls.”

During the Games, guided tours will give viewers a closer look at the soon-to-be-completed restoration, while a multimedia installation “will illustrate the history of the Sala delle Asse and Leonardo’s role in the Sforzesco Court.”