Chronology of the Horse

1978-79 | 1980-84 | 1985-86 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992
1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002

1978-79 ...Back to Top

• Dent reads about "The Horse That Never Was" in September 1977 National Geographic and conceives the project.
• Dent travels around the country and to Italy, meeting with leading Leonardo and Renaissance scholars to discuss feasibility of the new Horse.
• Dialogs with leading art historians and equine experts.

1980-84 ...Back to Top

• Ed Lukens engineers a 50-foot diameter dome, as a studio and headquarters; construction begins.
• Research continues as Dent amasses pertinent drawings, books, photographs.
• LDVHI is incorporated and receives tax exempt status from IRS.
• Feature articles in the Allentown, PA Morning Call and Bethlehem, PA Globe Times.

1985-86 ...Back to Top

• Rod Skidmore, graphic designer, and Diane Pinero join Board as Vice-President and Secretary/Treasurer, respectively.
• Outer brickwork of Dome studio is completed.
• Dent begins series of clay and wax maquettes.
• Research on armature design for eight-foot master clay model begins.

1987 ...Back to Top

• Boston artist Ron Dabelle and Washington State media consultant Ali Fujino offer part-time volunteer help.
• John and Sue Greenall's champion Morgan horses take up residence as models for sketching and photography.
• Dent completes additional maquettes.

1988 ...Back to Top

• Dent travels to England for Renaissance studies.
• Philadelphia Painter/Sculptor Garth Herrick begins part-time work on eight-foot model.
• Armature is constructed and first 1,000 pounds of clay placed.

1989 ...Back to Top

• Media interest begins: articles in Lehigh University Alumni Bulletin and The Morgan Horse.
• Chicago consultant Marion Gifford volunteers help in media and planning.
• Pennsylvanian Roger Enloe, former President of the Business Council for the United Nations, comes out of retirement to volunteer as chief fundraiser.
• East Coast foundries are visited and bids solicited, as costs are finalized.
• Barbara Strohl, former Business Manager of the Allentown Art Museum, is hired as Business Manager in December.

1990 ...Back to Top

• Scholars Advisory Council is finalized with international members.
• Leonardo's April birthday party is celebrated at LDVHI's first fundraiser, UN Italian Ambassador Traxler is a guest.
• Sculptor/English teacher Milan J. Kralik, Jr. takes sabbatical from teaching position to volunteer as Project Writer to create newsletter, help with correspondence and travel for LDVHI.
• Dent and Enloe meet with U.S. Ambassador to Italy Peter Secchia in Italy to bring him up-to-date on LDVHI.
• Honorary Committee acquires first three members.
• First issue of The Scribe published. Media interest grows: articles in Art News, Art & Antiques, Equus, Philadelphia Inquirer, Polo Magazine, Equine Images, Achademia Leonardi Vinci, Vol. III.

1991 ...Back to Top

• Symposium, Leonardo da Vinci's Sforza Horse: The Art and Engineering is held at Lafayette College, Lehigh University and the Dome Studio.
• LDVHI volunteers tour Tallix Foundry, Beacon, NY.
• LDVHI presentation at Pennsylvania Art Education Association Conference in Harrisburg, PA in October.
• National TV coverage of LDVHI as Charles Dent is interviewed on CBS Morning Show - April.
• Charles Dent interview on Voice of America - April.
• Foundry Fund established in December.
• Dibner Fund becomes first foundation to contribute to LDVHI.
• One issue of The Scribe published.
• LDVHI featured in New York Times, American Heritage of Invention and Technology, Journal of Art, Morning Call, Achademia Leonardi Vinci Vol. IV; also in National Geographic and Time International.

1992 ...Back to Top

• Early eight-foot clay master model completed - August.
• Smooth-On Company donates rubber mold compound and molds are pulled from early master clay model - September.
• Plaster model made and delivered to Dome ready for foundry - October.
• Reading Museum of Art exhibition and program included portion on Horse - September.
• Pennsylvania Art Educators Association had curriculum session on Leonardo in Dome Studio - April.
• Aquamarine Films filmed part of its movie Renaissance in the Dome Studio - December.
• New Arts Alive, through Berks County TV, does program on The Horse - December.
• Business Council for the United Nations Dinner & Annual Meeting at Dome - November.
• LDVHI presentation at East Stroudsburg Arts Festival.
• Two issues of The Scribe published.
• LDVHI featured in Morning Call (Allentown, PA) column by Paul Carpenter, in articles in Philadelphia Inquirer Sunday Magazine, Le Journal de Mickey, The Express Times (Easton, PA) Achademia Leonardi Vinci, Vol. V. Sunday News (Lancaster, PA).

1993 ...Back to Top

• Fiberglas model coated in faux gold, completed and installed on pedestal outside Dome Studio.
• Fiberglas model invited as "guest" of Italian Ambassador Biancheri at VIP reception in Washington, D.C.
• Roger Enloe elected President of LDVHI.
• Initial contact with major corporations in fundraising efforts.
• Swain School of Allentown, PA "adopts" The Horse.
• Poster, designed by Rod Skidmore, printed; sales begin.
• Two issues of The Scribe and one issue of Horse Flash published.
• The Horse featured on Prime Time newsmagazine with Gary Papa, ABC Philadelphia affiliate WPVI.
• LDVHI featured in Ambassador magazine, La Follia of New York, America Oggi, Washington Times, NIAF newsletter, The Italian Voice, Italian Tribune News, The Observer, Asbury Park Sunday Times, La Repubblica, Morning Call, RUPA Newsletter.

1994 ...Back to Top

• Trustees raise $77,000 for Charles C. Dent's 77th birthday.
• Charles C. Dent diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's Disease and subsequently dies on Christmas day.
• Seven Arts Society organizes a bus trip to The Dome.
• Two issues of The Scribe published.
• The Horse featured in Equine Images, La Repubblica, Maquette, Seven Arts Magazine, Spur.

1995 ...Back to Top

• Peter Dent and Captain Richard P. Munger elected to LDVHI Board of Trustees.
• The plaster model of The Horse transported to Tallix Art Foundry for production scheduling.
• The Horse honored at a Polo Function in Palm Beach Florida.
• CNN featured The Horse in its program Future Watch initially in January then repeated it in December on its "best shows" program.
• LDVHI featured in Ciao, Express-Times, Lehigh Valley Magazine, Modern Casting, Modern Maturity, Morning Call, Seven Arts, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Times Leader (Wilkes-Barre, PA), Washington Post, Yankee Horseman Pedlar and on Channel 69 news several times)

1996 ...Back to Top

• Early eight-foot model of Horse enlarged to 24-foot plaster model at Tallix Art Foundry.
• Three-day reception for national and international press.
• Open House in September for public to view 24-foot Horse.
• Fundraising continues.
• LDVHI featured in: ABC TV's World News Tonight, A & E Television, Austrian TV & Radio, BBC Radio, Belgium News, CBC Radio, Christian Science Moniter, CNN's Future Watch, Equine Images, Figaro Magazine, Fox TV's After Breakfast, Gamma Liaison, Gamma News Agency, Hello (London), Hemispheres (United Airlines), Italian News Agency, Il Journal di Milano, ITN British TV, Korean TV, La Repubblica of Milan, LA Weekly, New Canaan Advertiser (New Canaan, CT), New York Times, NRC Handelsblad (Amsterdam), Non Solo Pasta, OGGI, People Magazine, Philadelphia Inquirer, Point-de-Vue (Paris), Poughkeepsie Journal, RAI - Italian TV, Reuters News Agency, The Reporter (Lansdale, PA) RTI - Italian TV, Scholastic Magazine, Souderton Independent, Sygma News Agency, Talking with Rod O'Shea on WFAS Radio (Westchester, NY), Telegraph of London, Times Herald Record (Newburgh, NY), WTN, WRBG Channel 6, (Schenectady, NY).

1997 ...Back to Top

• Critical review of 24-foot model by scholars and artist.
• Sculptor Nina Akamu hired to develop a new eight-foot clay master model.
• Sculptors Advisory Committee formed.
• Three trips to Italy by LDVHI for site negotiations.
• Revised (final) eight-foot model almost completed.
• Ten-inch model travels to publicity venues for fundraising.
• Early eight-foot fiberglas model featured in Leonardo da Vinci exhibition at Boston Museum of Science
• Grant of $675,000 received from anonymous foundation
• Two Scholars added to Advisory Council of Scholars.
• Fundraising Consultant Nancy Mohr hired.
• Fundraising brochure and video produced.
• LDVHI featured in Bee (Newtown, CT), A & E Biography Magazine, Barn's View, The Daily New Hampshire Gazette, Equus (Number 239), The Horse of the Delaware Valley, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Horse Illustrated, Sculpture Review, In and Around Horse Country, The Italian Tribune News, The Observer (NJ), The Italian Voice, The South Florida Horseman, and Decorative Arts (Mainland China).

1998 ...Back to Top

• Final eight-foot model completed.
• Final 24-foot model enlargement in clay completed.
• Team of sculptor assistants hired for finish work on final 24' clay model.
• Agreement signed with Frederik Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids, Michigan, for site of the American Horse.
• Agreement signed with Tallix Marketing for sale of scale models of Horse (fundraising).
• LDVHI and The Baum School of Art (Allentown, PA) dedicates the Charles C. Dent Memorial Garden at the school, which will be the future home to an eight-foot bronze horse replica.
• Alitalia agrees to fly the Horse to Milan at no cost.
• Letters of acceptance received from Mayor of Milan and Milan City Council.
• LDVHI hosts a "pre-casting" party at Tallix for donors, the general public, and press.
• Michael J. Gelb writes How To Think Like Leonardo da Vinci and dedicates the book to Charles Dent.
• A partial list of national and international press coverage includes: The Morning Call (multiple times), Smithsonian Magazine, Poughkeepsie Journal, The Grand Rapids Press, Il Giornale (Italy), Equus, The Artistic Horseman, Times Union, Animal Watch ASPCA.

1999 ...Back to Top

• Rubber molds pulled from final 24' clay model.
• Bronze casting of over 60 sections of the Horse, using both rammed sand mold and lost wax processes.
• Bronze horse pieces are welded together into seven sub-sections as stainless steel armature is simultaneously fabricated and inserted.
• Bronze eight-foot copy of clay final model cast for Meijer Gardens, and displayed at Allentown Art Museum, Allentown, PA.
• Pedestal design finalized.
• Continued meetings with City of Milan officials and a private Italian corporation, SNAI, for sponsorship regarding site result in an agreement for a new cultural park at the San Siro Hippodrome.
• Two issues of The Scribe are published.
• Lady Maureen Barraclough writes Sovereigns and Soldiers on Horseback, a book which includes a chapter on The Horse.
• A bronze medallion honoring Charles C. Dent and The Horse is designed by Don Everhart, II, and produced by The Franklin Mint for LDVHI to sell.
• Donors, press and general public attend a Gala Buon Viaggio party at Tallix Art Foundry to view the completed, assembled Horse outdoors 25, 26 and 27 June. Over 50,000 people saw The Horse; The NY Times ran a front-page article.
• Work continues on the second 24-foot casting, the "American Horse."
• The Horse sections are crated and shipped to Milan for re-assembly by Tallix workers.
• Unveiling ceremony, 10 September, with world-world TV and press coverage. The Mayor of Milan accepts the gift of The Horse to the Italian people from the American people.
• The American Horse is unveiled on 7 October at Frederik Meijer Gardens, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
• Time Magazine (European Edition) editors recognize The Horse as one of the ten best international designs of the year.
• The Cultural Park in Milan opens to the public 365 days of the year, staffed with guides to greet and inform visitors.
• Press coverage includes: The Philadelphia Inquirer, The New York Times, People Magazine, The Morning Call, Il Giornale (Italy), Il Giorno (Italy), La Repubblica (Italy), NIAF News, The Grand Rapids Press, USA Today, Spiegel, Smithsonian Magazine.

2000 ...Back to Top

• Roger Enloe, Rodney Skidmore, Diane Skidmore, and Captain Rip Munger retire from Board of Trustees.
• Six new trustees elected: Cynthia Farris, Mario Galante, Jeffrey Matzkin, Larry Miley, Edith Ritter, and Dr. Martha Hutson-Saxton.
• Peter Dent elected as new President of LDVHI.
• Dr. Hutson-Saxton elected as new Chairperson.
• An agreement is reached to provide an eight-foot bronze Horse for the town square of Vinci thanks to contributions from Frederik and Lena Meijer, the Family of Ambassador Peter F. and Joan Secchia, former ambassador to Italy, the Tallix Art Foundry, the Comune of Vinci, and LDVHI.
• LDVHI begins its new mission of education about Leonardo and the Renaissance and of encouraging curiosity, imagination and creativity.
• The eight-foot fiberglass model of the Horse "attends" Festa Italiana in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
• The Horse is featured at the annual Pennsylvania Art Educators Association (PAEA) state convention in Allentown, PA.
• Set of 20 slides documenting the creation of The Horse are produced and made available to educators.
• Two issues of The Scribe are published.
• A 15-inch "horse for the blind" with accompanying Braille text is unveiled at the Cultural Park in Milan.
• Mayor of Vinci, Italy participates in send-off events in Allentown, PA, Grand Rapids, MI, and Beacon, NY, for the eight-foot bronze Horse destined for Vinci.
• A partial list of press includes: National Geographic, The Morning Call, Equus, Horse Show, East Penn Press, Milano Live, Italian American.

2001 ...Back to Top

• Student Art Contest "The Horse That Never Was" generated more than 100 entries from Allentown Students.
• An Award Ceremony is held at the Baum School of Art on June 7 to announce the winners of the Student Art Contest.
• Top Winner of Student Art Contest won a week-long trip to Vinci, Italy during November and was accompanied by an Allentown School District teacher.
• The eight-foot Horse is unveiled in Vinci, Italy on September 15 but dedication and celebrations are postponed due to the terrorist attack on the U.S.
• The Mayors of Allentown, PA and Vinci, Italy sign a joint protocol joining the two cities as "sister cities".
• A joint exhibit of student works from Vinci and Allentown was opened in Vinci.
• Vinci Horse dedicated on November 17 with participation from American sponsors including LDVHI, Fred & Lena Meijer, and Tallix Art Foundry.
• Town of Vinci named a plaza just in front of the house in which Leonardo was born after Charles C. Dent.
• Italian Limited Edition stamped postcard with the image of the horse on it was released with a special cancellation mark on September 15.
• Meijer Sculpture Garden dedicated their new Sculpture Education Center featuring the eight-foot horse.
• Fiberglass Horse visited many schools where programs, lectures and lesson plans were designed around it.
• Jean Fritz and Hudson Talbott’s book Leonardo’s Horse was published.
• Jean Fritz came to Allentown in October to visit Union Terrace elementary school and the Allentown Public Library for a program and book-signing.
• Grant received to produce a twelve-foot horse for the Charles C. Dent Memorial Garden at the Baum School of Art in Allentown, PA
• A 10' horse was presented to Governor Tom Ridge from the Lehigh Valley at the Governor’s Awards for the Arts Event in Allentown, PA in October
• In June, the Horse participated in a Wine/Dine event in Allentown, PA.
• On December 1, works from the Student Art Contest were exhibited in LDVHI’s new gallery.
• LDVHI moved its offices from the Dome in Fogelsville to downtown Allentown in October.

2002 ...Back to Top

• Two Trustees added to Board: Robert Lovett and Joan Moran
• Fiberglass Horse visited many schools where programs, lectures and lesson plans were designed around it.
• The Horse participated in the Mayfair Festival of the Arts, Allentown, PA
• Second Annual Student Art Contest held. Winners announced at Mayfair.
• Professional development seminar by Michael Gelb, author of NYT bestseller, "How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci", dedicated to Charles C. Dent
• Twelve-foot horse installed in the Charles C. Dent Memorial Garden at the Baum School of Art, Allentown, PA
• Leonardo’s Imagination event held during weekend of October 5th and 6th to celebrate dedication of the horse in the Charles C. Dent Memorial Garden. Activities included:
  • Kinetic Sculpture Race, competition and parade, emphasizing art and engineering.
  • Mini-Electric Vehicle race, internationally standardized model electric vehicle competition, incorporating artistic design, technology and energy conservation.
  • Display of selected Leonardo da Vinci’s mechanical invention models and copies of some of his manuscripts at the Allentown Art Museum
  • Music & performing arts with performances by Renaissance period costumed actors and musical instruments - Modern music and street performance humorists.
  • Activities relating architecture and physics through an unusual method of measuring the height of one downtown building
  • Mechanics and robotics activities and displays.
  • Book signing by Newbery Award winning children’s author, Jean Fritz, who wrote "Leonardo’s Horse", and acclaimed illustrator Hudson Talbott who illustrated it.
  • Lecture at the Allentown Art Museum, Allentown, PA by Dr. Romano Nanni, Director of the Leonardo Museum and Library in Vinci, Italy.
  • Flight Forum with birds of prey presentation and water rocket launching
  • Tour of the Blake Shuttle, a simulated space station.
  • Hosting of students and a teacher from Vinci, Italy.
  • Display of Second Annual Allentown-Vinci Student Projects.
  • Writing contest for grades 3-12 administered by the Lehigh Valley Writers Academy
  • Renaissance banners project sponsored by Binney and Smith, Inc.
  • Bocci games hosted by Tempo Italiano