Why da Vinci rules

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal"><span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Renaissance poster boy Leonardo da Vinci races up the popularity charts</span><br /><br />Leonardo lives, and yes, he rocks. And the youth the world over, are keeping the faith. Leonardo da Vinci, the poster boy of the Renaissance, is notching up as many young fans as his i-Gen Titanic namesake, making Italy sit up and take notice.<br /><br />The renewed public interest in the artist-inventor has now roused Milan''s museum mandarins into making his life and works more dude-friendly."We realised that more Japanese have seen The Last Supper than Italians themselves, and now''s the time to change that," says Michele Perini, Chairman of Milan''s National Museum of Science and Technology Leonardo da Vinci. Perini who was in Mumbai, mentioned how the growing interest in the Renaissance genius has prompted them to introduce programmes targeted at the younger generation. The interest among the youth has increased in part, thanks to the popularity of the bestseller The Da Vinci Code. <br /><br />What''s da Vinci''s rock star appeal? Simple. He invented wildly fantastic flying machines centuries before they were a twinkle in the eye, painted like a dream and to add some more mystery, often indulged in mirror-writing. "Young minds are only now getting to know da Vinci''s inventiveness," says Perini. And for that tingle of controversy that makes every rock idol kosher, come the recent debates on his mystical leanings, again thanks to the book. Was that Mary Magdalene in The Last Supper? Why was the Mona Lisa smiling? No wonder then, that kids are hooked. "We have 3,50,000 visitors, of which 2,50,000 are pupils of primary and secondary schools," informs Perini. <br /><br />With the buzz building around da Vinci, Milan, where the Tuscany-born genius spent his later years is now claiming its place in the chronicles of one of its favourite sons. Da Vinci worked as engineer/architect/ sculptor/ painter/musician for the court of Ludovico Sforza, and began working on The Last Supper. Milan''s museum has models of his machines which Perini says could well be used even today. "We''d love to take the gadgets across the world, because we believe a museum is not just about memories," he says. Da Vinci an unlikely youth icon? Not really, says Perini, considering the explosive combination of talent. He concludes, "When science, history and art come together, who can resist it?"</div> </div>