Leonardo da Vinci

November sees the launch of a new exhibition dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci's aims and techniques as a painter – the first exhibition ever to do so. A selection of international loans, some of which have never been seen before in the UK, make up the display, together with pieces from the National Gallery's own collection.

The exhibiton focuses in particular on the work Leonardo produced as court painter to Duke Lodovico Sforza in Milan in the late 1480s and 1490s, and examines Leonardo’s pursuit for perfection in his representation of the human form.

The final part of the exhibition features a near-contemporary, full-scale copy of Leonardo’s  ‘Last Supper’ – on loan from the Royal Academy – allowing visitors to discover how such a large-scale painting was designed and executed.

Leonardo da Vinci: Painter at the Court of Milan is on display at the National Gallery, London, from 9 November–5 February 2012. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the National Gallery website.

Take a look at some of our other galleries, including the launch of Titanic and pioneers of polar exploration at www.historyextra.com/feature/galleries