ExhibitionsTeste Grottesche. Etchings after Leonardo da Vinci Grotesque Heads in the Mariano Moret Collection
The Mariano Moret Collection holds a small but exceptional group of prints derived from Leonardo da Vinci drawings, which makes it unique in Spain. In some cases, as in the etchings of Wenzel Hollar, the relationship with the works of the Florentine genius is direct. They copy Leonardo's well-known drawings which were part of the collection of Thomas Howard, 14th Earl of Arundel, at the time of the creation of the prints in the 17th century. Most of these extraordinary drawings, exceptional testimony of Leonardo's mastermind, currently belong to the Royal Collection and are preserved in the Royal Library at Windsor Castle. In other cases, Leonardo's original drawings were lost, so Hollar relied on old copies made by some disciples that were very close to Leonardo, such as his favorite pupil Francesco Melzi.
The Morris Dancers by Daniel Hopfer is another example of a linked print from the Mariano Moret Collection with the work of Leonardo da Vinci. Although evident, this dependence is not as obvious as in Hollar's etchings, since the original drawing that could serve Hopfer as a model to make his print is not preserved.
In this sense, while the exhibition shows some little-known and largely unpublished works, an attempt has been made to unravel the dependency network that connect them to each other, looking for the original sources that could inspire them.
