The inauguration will take place at the presence of Giancarlo Faenzi, Vinci's mayor, Romano Nanni, Director of the Biblioteca Comunale Leonardiana, Fred Meijer, Lee Balter, Chairman of the Fonderia Tallix, Peter Dent, Chairman of the Leonardo da Vinci's Horse Inc. Foundation, Giorgio Morelli, a journalist and promoter of the initiative and sculptress Nina Akamu.

Leonardo worked at the project for the Sforza monument for a very long time, 16 years, during which he created many drafts of the Horse also to illustrate the complex technical procedures for the fusion and the straining of the Bronze. None among the existing drawings reveal the definitive position of the Horse or the look of the monument once it is completed.

Nina Akamu studied Leonardo's drawings and notes for other projects as well as his considerations about anatomy, painting, sculpture and natural phenomena for the creation of the statue. The modern Leonardo Horse, can be seen as symbol of the power, the momentum of creative energy and vision skill aimed at a goal distant in time and the Horse's stateliness bear witness to the extent of Leonardo's colossal creation. The gift to Vinci can be intended as a metaphor of Leonardo's immense genius, a paragon term for the creativity and the great season he lived in: Renaissance.

The equestrian bronze statue is 2 metres and 40 cm high, weighs around 900 kg., and is installed on a step pedestal made by Eng. Andrea Pistelli of the Technical Office of the Vinci Municipality. Romano Nanni, Director of the Leonardian Municipal Library has declared that with this new acquisition: "The tradition of homage paid to Vinci and to Leonardo's figure by great artists of International renown is renewed" and that "The Horse is another outstanding work that bears witness to American people's great passion for our Renaissance".

November.2001