DIGITAL EDITION: Da Vinci – The Genius

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Discover Something New at Da Vinci – the Genius

Stolen. Splashed by acid. Stoned by a madman. It’s amazing to find a woman in history who has experienced more turmoil than Britney Spears. And after 700 years, this optical seductress is still gazed upon by millions in Paris every year. Ms. Spears can only dream of having that kind of historical staying power. Safely ensconced behind bullet-proof glass today, Da Vinci – the Genius not only goes inside the most famous treasure ever created, but explores a side of Da Vinci not many know about.

Of course, it’s fitting that the Venice-themed Las Vegas super resort now hosts this extraordinary traveling exhibition. Visitors will discover that Da Vinci (April 15, 1452 – May 2) was much more than an artist, he was an inventor, anatomist, sculptor, engineer, musician and architect. No other exhibit in the world has managed to go inside his mind and capture his unparalleled and diverse talents like Da Vinci – the Genius.

“Secrets of Mona Lisa” is a crowd favorite and reveals the findings of renowned French scientific engineer and photographer of fine art, Pascal Cotte. Cotte was granted unprecedented access to this priceless treasure under strict supervision to conduct extensive evaluation using super-magnified, high-resolution – we’re talking 240,000,000 pixels – sectional images exploring every aspect of the work. His in-depth analysis revealed 25 extraordinary findings including facial hair and varied arm positioning. Be transported to 1503 and see how Da Vinci’s contemporaries saw this masterpiece – pink face, bright mountains, blue sky, green trees – and take away a new perspective on her ambiguous beauty. Want more secrets? Just pay the price of admission.

Tom Zaller, president of Imagine Exhibitions states “Da Vinci – The Genius offers visitors of all ages and backgrounds an entertaining, educational and enlightening experience, whether they are art and history aficionados or seeing Da Vinci’s work for the first time.” Visitors to Da Vinci – the Genius will view more than 200 unique pieces including 75 life-size machine inventions of some of modern society’s most impactful visions, including the helicopter, airplane, automobile, submarine, parachute and bicycle to name a few. Did you know a traveling piano, a catapult and a tank were part of his inventive repertoire? Believe it. All the inventions brought to life were crafted by Italian artisans who pored through more than 6,000 pages of da Vinci’s personal notebooks. Revealing the paranoid side of genius, they deciphered hidden clues, intentional mistakes and mirror-image writing that Da Vinci employed to ensure his work remained top secret.

Because you’re in Las Vegas, don’t expect armed guards watching over every treasure in silence.  Guests are encouraged to push, pull, crank and interact with these exhibits to reach a better understanding of the science behind them.

Besides the breathtaking Italian artwork that delights visitors daily, The Venetian has a proven history of bringing art and culture to the Strip. It hosted the Guggenheim Hermitage Museum for more than seven years in the same space that Da Vinci – the Genius finds its temporary home. Da Vinci – the Genius is also the highlight of The Venetian and The Palazzo’s Carnevale, featuring three months of classic Italian festivities including entertainment, art, music and of course, fine wine. Expect interactive entertainers and glass-shattering opera around every corner during this festival of endless photo ops. “Da Vinci – The Genius is the most complete and comprehensive da Vinci exhibition on the planet,” said John Caparella, president of The Venetian. “It’s a perfect complement to The Venetian’s summer-long Carnevale festival, and the emerging arts community in Las Vegas.”