Wrapped Monument to Leonardo, Project for Piazza della Scala, Milan, 1971

In the fall of 1970, Christo and Jeanne-Claude wrapped the monument to the king of Italy Vittorio Emanuele II on Piazza del Duomo, and the monument to Leonardo da Vinci on Piazza della Scala with polypropylene fabric and red polypropylene rope. The fabric had been sewn beforehand according to patterns allowing ample folds, amplifying the monumental effect of the statues. The simultaneous wrapping of both monuments emphasized their spatial relationship within the urban structure: from the center of the Galleria, they were visible at opposite ends of the historic passage. While the wrapped equestrian statue of Vittorio Emanuele II towered in front of the late 14th-century Gothic cathedral, the wrapped monument of Leonardo da Vinci formed a contrast to the neoclassical facade of the Teatro alla Scala and the adjacent town hall.
This edition here depicts the wrapping of Leonardo da Vinci’s monument on Piazza della Scala.