The Leonardo da Vinci: The Battle of Anghiari project will be presented at SPIEF 2026

As part of the SPIEF Petersburg Seasons Cultural Festival, a unique exhibition project dedicated to one of Leonardo da Vinci's most famous works, The Battle of Anghiari, will be presented.

The exhibition is based on a study on the lost Leonardo da Vinci mural, created at the beginning of the 16th century in the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence. "The Battle of Anghiari" is considered one of the most innovative works of the master, which has not survived to this day due to the use of experimental techniques. Artificial intelligence technologies were used to create the exhibition.

The central exhibit of the exhibition is a board on which Leonardo worked out compositional and coloristic solutions to create a future masterpiece, a unique work that preserves the secrets characteristic of the master's work. In 2024, the painting was exhibited at the State Hermitage Museum as part of the exhibition "New Mysteries of Leonardo da Vinci paintings", the results of the study were published in the eponymous publication. The exhibition was preceded by many years of joint research work.

The painting differs significantly from the most famous copy, the Tavola Doria (Uffizi Gallery). When analyzing a work from the Museum of Christian Culture using X-rays, a later painted portrait was discovered. A study in the infrared spectrum revealed preparatory drawings of figures made in charcoal and then refined in ink with his left hand, which is especially noteworthy since Leonardo was left-handed.

An important addition to the exhibition will be a three-dimensional model of the fighting horsemen, thanks to which viewers will be able to see the central group of the composition from an unusual angle.

"Today's new research opportunities, including technical ones, have generated a wave of new discoveries about Leonardo's involvement in various works. "The Battle of Anghiari" is one of Leonardo's most famous works, lost as a result of daring artistic experiments. According to the researchers, in this case we are talking about a blackboard on which the master experimented with composition and drawing," Mikhail Piotrovsky, Director General of the State Hermitage Museum, noted in the introductory article to the publication.

The proposed exhibition project is considered as a possible addition to the cultural program of the Forum and may become a significant element of the SPIEF St. Petersburg Seasons Cultural Festival. The implementation of the initiative will allow the participants and guests of the forum to present a unique example of the interaction of art, science and modern technologies.

An exclusive excursion program is provided for participants and guests of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, which will allow them to get acquainted with the exhibits and scientific discoveries related to the "Battle of Anghiari" in a special format.

The initiator of the project is the Museum of Christian Culture, one of the most important spiritual and educational centers in St. Petersburg, with the participation of the State Hermitage Museum.

Organizers: The Museum of Christian Culture, the State Hermitage Museum with the support of the Roscongress Foundation.