Léonard de Vinci, la manière moderne

500 years after his death, Leonardo da Vinci’s painting is still just as fascinating. And yet, there are only 16 surviving canvasses attributed to him, some of which are unfinished. To understand them, one must go back to how they were produced. Through sketches and notebooks, the comparison of paintings, and the analysis of infrared reflectography – an innovative technique which reveals the drawing beneath the layer of paint – the film underlines the technical and artistic prowess of da Vinci’s work and captures its meaning and emotion. It provides an original perspective on his canvasses, each an outstanding exploration of the real world and a moving testimony of a life spent trying to grasp the world through painting. (ZED)