Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids in Kent County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Frederik Meijer
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Nina Akamu
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Charles Dent
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Leonardo da Vinci

Leonardo da Vinci’s Horse — Homage to Leonardo — The American Horse

Leonardo da Vinci’s Horse Tablet image. Click for full size.

Photographed by J. J. Prats, July 28, 2026

1. Leonardo da Vinci’s Horse Tablet

The text on this tablet is repeated in Braille on the lower portion of the tablet.

Inscription. This area contains three horse sculptures of different sizes by Nina Akamu, inspired by a monumental equine sculpture first envisioned by Leonardo da Vinci. The 15-inch version here was created specifically to be touched. Feel the details of this horse, then imagine it 20 times larger to understand the scale of The American Horse located 98 feet in front of you. Find the upraised front hoof here and compare it to the size of the raised front hoof of The American Horse. The 8-foot horse behind you, Homage to Leonardo, was Akamu’s working model that she sculpted in clay and then cast into bronze. A team of artists helped Akamu enlarge the design to the 24-foot version and reduce it to the 15-inch version you can touch here.

Frederik Meijer, American, 1919-2011.
Retailer and philanthropist Fred Meijer often sought to support cultural projects that could stir the imagination. In 1996, he learned of a colossal

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equine sculpture once envisioned by Leonardo da Vinci. Meijer was drawn to the grand proportions of this project, its representational imagery, and compatibility with his initial sculpture collection.

Owing to his support and determination, Nina Akamu’s The American Horse eventually became a reality. Meijer’s hope was that this work would inspire the imagination of visitors and would celebrate centuries of creativity since Leonardo’s unfinished project. Additionally, Meijer’s support allowed an identical casting to be installed in Milan, Italy. Both horses were dedicated in 1999, five hundred years after the destruction of Leonardo's original clay model.

Nina Akamu, American, born 1955. Widely recognized as one of the most talented animal sculptors of her generation, Nina Akamu is the artist responsible for the three sculptures on display here. A 1996 commission brought her into this project Akamu’s studies

Frederik Meijer Tablet image. Click for full size.

Photographed by J. J. Prats, July 28, 2026

2. Frederik Meijer Tablet

of horses and the history of equine sculpture, including Leonardo’s sketches and drawings, were among her sources of inspiration.

Homage to Leonardo is the nearby eight-foot bronze. Although the work pays tribute to the Renaissance master, Akamu's original design is likewise indebted to her classical training, her experience as an equestrian, and her familiarity with the history of art. This sculpture served as the master model for the 24-foot colossus featured in the plaza to your right, The American Horse, a monument to imagination.

Charles Dent, American, 1917-1994. Charles Dent was a respected airline pilot, with a deep interest in art. His focus was not contemporary, but emphasized the work of historical figures. In 1977, a National Geographic article on Leonardo’s legendary unfinished stallion sparked Dent’s imagination. He became passionate about recreating the horse and dreamed of a monument in bronze

Nina Akamu Tablet image. Click for full size.

Photographed by J. J. Prats, July 28, 2026

3. Nina Akamu Tablet

to be installed in Milan, Italy. It was to be a symbol of America's appreciation for that country’s cultural heritage. Dent consulted with scholars and historians and created his own clay model of a colossus in the spirit of Leonardo. Although creative, he had no training as an artist, and his version failed to gain acceptance from the artistic community. After his death in 1994, his idea endured, though his horse did not.

Leonardo da Vinci, Italian, 1452 - 1519. Leonardo is universally regarded as among the most imaginative artists and creative thinkers of all time. Among his most significant projects was a monumental equine sculpture. A complex undertaking, the sculpture was to be taller than a two- story building. Leonardo envisioned it “visible from afar, gleaming in the sun.” The scale alone it would have been the world’s largest bronze horse was to be a symbol of power for the Duke of Milan.

Leonardo

Charles Dent Tablet image. Click for full size.

Photographed by J. J. Prats, July 28, 2026

4. Charles Dent Tablet

came to Milan in 1482, and began making sketches of horses. By 1493, he had created a full-scale model in clay. Unfortunately, this model was destroyed in 1499 when French troops invaded the city and used it for target practice. Leonardo’s creative efforts were lost, but his idea for a colossal sculpture became one of the great legends in the history of art.

Erected 1999 by Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Arts, Letters, Music • Charity & Public Work • Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1996.

Location. 42° 58.841′ N, 85° 35.179′ W. Marker is in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in Kent County. It is in Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. It can be reached from East Beltline Avenue Northeast (Michigan Route 44) just north of Exit 38 (Interstate 96), on the right when traveling north. There is a

Leonardo da Vinci Tablet image. Click for full size.

Photographed by J. J. Prats, July 28, 2026

5. Leonardo da Vinci Tablet

fee to enter the gardens and sculpture park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1000 E Beltline Ave NE, Grand Rapids MI 49525, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in West Michigan.

It is also in the American Midwest.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Holmdene (approx. 2½ miles away); Shrine of Our Lady War Dead Memorial (approx. 2½ miles away); Ramona Park (approx. 2½ miles away); Mathias Alten Home & Studio / Mathias Alten (approx. 2½ miles away); Aquinas College (approx. 2½ miles away); Boy Scout Troop 15 / Eagle Scout Gerald "Junior" Ford (approx. 3.2 miles away); Calvin Theological Seminary and Calvin University (approx.

<i>Homage to Leonardo</i> (left) and <i>Leonardo da Vinci’s Horse</i> (right) and Tablets image. Click for full size.

Photographed by J. J. Prats, July 28, 2026

6. Homage to Leonardo (left) and Leonardo da Vinci’s Horse (right) and Tablets

The tablet shown in Photo No. 1 is at the base of Leonardo da Vinci’s Horse facing the other direction. Behind the photographer is The American Horse.

3.6 miles away); Barber Briggs House (approx. 3.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Grand Rapids.

More about this marker. The Duke of Milan that commissioned Leonardo Da Vinci in 1482 to create this statue was Ludovico Sforza.

Nina Akamu’s <i>The American Horse</i> image. Click for full size.

1999 24-foot bronze by Nina Akamu. Photographed by J.J. Prats, July 28, 2026

7. Nina Akamu’s The American Horse

This is cast number 2 of 2. The primary cast of this sculpture, Il Cavallo dello Sforza, is located at the Piazzale dello Sport, near the entrance to the San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy.

Credits. This page was last revised on August 9, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 9, 2026, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 9 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on August 9, 2026, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio.

Frederik Meijer⎯⎯⎯Nina Akamu⎯⎯⎯Charles Dent⎯⎯⎯Leonardo da Vinci

Leonardo da Vinci’s Horse — Homage to Leonardo — The American Horse

Frederik Meijer
⎯⎯⎯
Nina Akamu
⎯⎯⎯
Charles Dent
⎯⎯⎯
Leonardo da Vinci