Rearing Horse and Mounted Warrior, a bronze statuette from the Museum of Fine Arts, was first attributed to Leonardo in 1916 based on similarities to his drawings. New technical evidence gathered from both the Rearing Horse and its accompanying Mounted Warrior suggests that the cast could date from as early as the 16th century, although possibly some years after Leonardo's death in 1519, according to the National Gallery of Art's researchers. No scientific data were discovered that rule out an early casting date, but the origins of the clay or wax models from which the horse and its rider were cast remain a mystery.
The bronze statuette is being shown together with two other bronze horses and another warrior associated with Leonardo. Illustrative panels present evidence related to the works' origins, including reproductions of drawings by Leonardo, x-radiographs, and computer models.
The exhibition was organised by the National Gallery of Art, in association with the Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest. It has been supported by a grant from the Hungarian Cultural Center and the Hungarian Ministry of Education and Culture. The exhibition is part of Extremely Hungary, the Hungarian cultural season in New York and Washington, and runs until September 7, 2009.
After it closes in Washington, the exhibition will travel to the High Museum in Atlanta, then to the Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles in the spring of 2010.
Source: Hungarian News Agency (MTI) / Photo: MTI
