UPDATED: January 24, 2012

Rare Leonardo da Vinci ‘Horse and Rider’ Sculpture Unveiled in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 19, 2012/ PRNewswire/ --  A never before seen sculpture by famed Renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci was revealed at an unveiling ceremony held  at the Las Vegas Country Club.  The sculpture, a bronze cast from the mold of the original wax model, was named “Horse and Rider” by world renowned Leonardo expert Carlo Pedretti.  Pedretti, author of more than 50 books and 700 essays on the works of Leonardo, stated in his letter of authentication that “…this wax model is by Leonardo himself.”   The sculpture has been documented in several books and articles on the works of the original “Renaissance Man.”

Dubbing the work “Horse and Rider,” Dr. Pedretti stated that the sculpture was “possibly an equestrian portrait of Charles d’Amboise.”  D’Amboise, the French Governor of Milan, befriended Leonardo upon his arrival in Milan in 1508, and quickly became one of his greatest patrons.  The resemblance between the sculpted rider and Andrea Solario’s portrait of Charles d’Amboise, housed in the Louvre and the same period, is remarkable.

In attendance was the artwork’s owner, Richard A. Lewis from Indianapolis, Ind., who stated he had two objectives for the piece.  “I want to share this remarkable sculpture with the world, and raise money to help people in need.”  Lewis added, “To that end, I have decided to make a small number of reproductions from the original casting for sale to the public.” 

Present at the event were representatives from the Salvation Army, designated by Lewis to benefit from sales of the masterworks and experts from the American Fine Art Foundry, where the sculpture is made.

The bronze reproductions are now on display in the Renaissance Gallery in The Shoppes at the Palazzo, Las Vegas, where they will remain for public viewing and purchase.  Each work will have its own individual number and security safeguards to prevent forgery.  Art encounter, Las Vegas will provide worldwide distribution for the sculpture.

Historical information and video presentation can be found at www.davincihorseandrider.com.

Contact: Jackie Brett at jackiebrett@cox.net or 702-460-1836.

On Monday, December 6th, our appraiser will be featured on a new episode of Pawn Stars entitled "Monkey Business."  Check it out!

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In memoriam

Vance A. Larson
Prolific Artist of Cave and Spirit Paintings and Abstract Expressionism
June 15, 1951 – February 14, 2010

Vance A. Larson, a prolific and world-renowned artist of cave and spirit paintings and abstract expressionism, was found dead in his Cave Creek, Arizona home on February 14th. He had been fighting cancer for over three years.

Larson was born on June 15th 1951 in Lincoln, Nebraska to John Bertrand Larson and Shirley Glynn Lockwood. During his youth his family lived in the Minneapolis, Minnesota area, and later in Concord, Massachusetts and Manchester, Connecticut. He studied at Paier School of Art in New Haven, Connecticut, and later at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. 

In his early career Larson was a charcoal and pastel portrait artist in New Orleans and throughout the U.S., and became known as one of the best black and white portraitists in the Western U.S.  In 1980 he moved to Southern California and began painting dreamlike abstract pastels of soft yet vivid colors. Well-known works from that period include “Catch Your Dreams Like Thunder” and “Running As Free As The Wind.” In 1995, his deep love and respect for aboriginal cultures led him to move to Cave Creek, Arizona, where he developed a style of unique cave and spirit paintings and ancient hunt scenes. Of the more well-known works from that period include his best-selling “Kokopelli Gold.”

During the course of his career Larson painted over 10,000 original works of art and won over 30 Best of Show awards in major U.S. art shows. His paintings can be viewed in prestigious office buildings and hotels, museums, and fine art galleries throughout the world.

A generous, cheerful, passionate and magnanimous man, Larson was often described as being “larger than life.” While a young portrait artist in 1979, he and Cynthia Samuel of New Orleans had a daughter, Athena Diane. In 1989, when he lived in Southern California, he was married to Leslie Ladd of Westlake Village, and had a second daughter, Dana Flora, from that union. Their marriage ended in divorce.

Larson is survived by his daughter, Athena Samuel, and a grandson, James Jacob Wells, of Jackson, Mississippi; his daughter, Dana Flora Ladd, of Los Angeles; his mother, Shirley Lockwood Larson, and step father Bud Kraeling of Minneapolis; his brother, Mark Larson, of Minneapolis; and his twin sister, Valerie Haynes, of Gilbertsville, New York.

A Memorial Show of Larson’s art will be held at the Thunderbird Fine Art & Wine Festival in downtown Carefree, Arizona, on March 5th, 6th, and 7th, 2010. A Remembrance Gathering will be held at Harold’s Corral, 6895 E Cave Creek Rd, Cave Creek, Arizona, on Saturday, March 6th, at  6:00 PM. Friends of Larson, and devotees of his art, are invited to attend.