Da Vinci’s horse: Rare horse sculpture rests in Sheridan

Da Vinci’s horse: Rare horse sculpture rests in Sheridan

By Levi Pitchford

The Sheridan Press

Via Wyoming News Exchange

SHERIDAN —  In 1493, Italian nobles gasped as Leonardo da Vinci unveiled a towering clay horse at a wedding event hosted by the Duke of Milan. They marveled at its size, 24 feet. But this was only a preview of the final bronze sculpture. 

For a statue commissioned by the Duke in 1482, da Vinci spent 11 years studying horses, sketching and brainstorming innovative techniques to achieve his vision, according to information available on the da Vinci Science Center website.

But war loomed, and French soldiers invaded Milan in 1499. The bronze for the sculpture was taken to make cannons. The French bowmen were not as impressed by the model and used it as target practice. Weather whittled what was left to rubble. Da Vinci never returned to the project and died in 1519 without realizing his vision.

In August 2015, the residents of Sheridan marveled as the Italian nobles did centuries before at the unveiling of the city’s own 8-foot version of da Vinci’s horse. But how was the horse completed? And how did Sheridan obtain one of only five of the sculptures ever made?

The modern story of da Vinci’s Horse starts in 1977, according to the da Vinci Science Center website, with retired airline pilot Charles Dent. Dent read a National Geographic article titled, “The Horse That Never Was” detailing the discovery of da Vinci’s old notebooks containing the designs for the sculpture. 

A lover of Renaissance art, Dent founded nonprofit organization da Vinci’s Horse Inc. and collaborated with myriad scholars, artists and organizations to bring Da Vinci’s vision to fruition. Like da Vinci, Dent died before the sculpture’s completion. His family took over the project.

The family hired sculptor Nina Akamu to finish the design and casting. According to Lin Erickson, executive director and CEO of the da Vinci Science Center, Dent designed the horse with an 8-foot model, planning to scale up to da Vinci’s 24-foot designs. However, the details did not scale well, and Akamu had to redesign the horse once more.

“There was a lot of discussion looking at all of Leonardo’s designs to decide what he would have most envisioned,” Erickson said.

Finally, in 1999, the 24-foot sculpture was completed and dedicated in Milan.

Other horses were completed and placed in various areas including the Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, Michigan; an 8-foot sculpture in Vinci, Italy, Leonardo’s birthplace; and at the Baum School of Art and the da Vinci Science Center in Dent’s hometown, Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Kim Love said the idea to add da Vinci’s horse to Sheridan’s downtown collection happened while he was taking an art class through Sheridan College. Love,  the chair of the Public Arts Committee, was also looking for new pieces to feature when he read the story of the sculpture in class.

“We figured da Vinci’s horse was stylistically a bit different and that it would be a great signature piece,” Love said.

After some Googling and redirected calls, Love connected with Erickson. Love secured funding through the Wyoming Community Foundation and several local sponsors while Erickson collaborated with designers and foundries.

“There were no blips in the service and expertise to get the project done,” Erickson said. “There were so many details to execute the project, but there were many competent people doing the work.”

The dedication ceremony took place Aug. 20, 2015, outside the Downtown Sheridan Association building at 121 S. Main St. as part of the 3rd Thursday Street Festival. Erickson, Love and Dent’s nephew Peter Dent spoke at the unveiling.

“We consider it special that Sheridan has a sculpture. It speaks to the community’s commitment to the arts,” Erickson said.

“It’s interesting how Leonardo found connections where everyone else would miss them,” said Caroline Scutt, da Vinci Science Center director of communications and community relations. “Here we are 500 years after his death, and he’s connected Sheridan, Wyoming with Allentown, Pennsylvania and Italy.”

This story was published on Feb. 5, 2022.