Royal Collection pleased by ‘fantastic response’ to Leonardo da Vinci exhibition

The Leonardo da Vinci exhibition at The McManus in Dundee attracted almost 45,000 visitors.

An impressive 44,294 people turned out to see the collection, smashing all targets and bringing a 50% increase of visitors to the galleries on the same period last year.

The curator of the Royal Collection has praised the ”fantastic response” of Dundonians to the drawings.

Martin Clayton, curator of drawings and paintings with the Royal Collection, said: ”Everybody I spoke to in Dundee was so enthused by it.

”I think it was so successful because people were amazed by how they could relate to the drawings they aren’t difficult. People could get nose-to-nose to them, almost touching the glass.

”Also, they are in such a good condition that they could have been drawn yesterday.”

He continued: ”With an exhibition of 10 drawings, people had time to linger over each one, and then, because it’s free, they could come back once a week and get to know the drawings better.

”And I think people felt privileged and felt that Leonardo came to Dundee and to their home town.”