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10 Leonardo da Vinci Sketches Are Touring the UK

By Michele Debczak

"A study for the head of St Anne." Image Credit: The Royal Collection.
"A study for the head of St Anne." Image Credit: The Royal Collection. / "A study for the head of St Anne." Image Credit: The Royal Collection.
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The sketches of Leonardo da Vinci provide an insightful look into the mind of the original Renaissance man. Now, the Royal Collection is giving fans the opportunity to see 10 of his best as they tour museums throughout the UK.

According to BlouinArtinfo, the exhibition just reached the third stop on its 2016 tour. The 10 Leonardo da Vinci sketches—selected from the Royal Collection’s catalog of nearly 600—touch upon many of the artist’s diverse interests. “The heart compared to a seed” is an excellent example of his fascination with anatomy and botany, and “Cats, lion, and a dragon” is one of his many animal studies.

After a stint at the National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin, the exhibition is now on display at the Nottingham Castle Museum and Art Gallery where it will remain until October 9. After that, art enthusiasts will have one more chance to catch it at the Glynn Vivian Gallery in Wales before the tour comes to an end early next year. You can check out some of the highlights below.

"A map of a weir on the Arno east of Florence"

"Expressions of fury in horses, a lion and a man"

"A deluge"

"A branch of blackberry"

"Studies of cats, lions and a dragon"

[h/t blouinartinfo]All images courtesy of the Royal Collection.Know of something you think we should cover? Email us at tips@mentalfloss.com.