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A Horse That's More Than Just A Horse

By Cherri Gregg

ALLENTOWN, Pa. (CBS) - The Da Vinci Science Center in Allentown is making its mark in the Midwest…and it's all about a horse.

Leonardo envisioned "Il Cavallo" in the 15th century, but war and circumstance prevented him from completed this masterpiece.

The late Charles C. Dent of Allentown, Pa. – a retired commercial airline pilot, diplomatic activist, and arts patron – dedicated the final 17 years of his to life to bringing The Horse to life.

While Charles C. Dent passed away in 1994, the organization he founded carried on under the leadership of his nephew, Peter C. Dent.

LDVHI unveiled the completed statue on Sept. 10, 1999, before a worldwide audience. The statue stands as a symbol of goodwill between the American people and the people of Italy.

"It's an incredible sculpture, the detail is truly phenomenal," says Lin Erickson, CEO of the Da Vinci Science Center.

She says the group owns the rights to the Da Vinci Horse and have molded sculptures for placement in Michigan, Vinci, Italy, in Allentown and earlier this month they dedicated an eight foot horse in Sheridan, Wyoming.

She hopes when people see the horse, they also see the lessons behind it:

"It's two parts. First that you can pursue your dream on a world stage and then the art and science behind creating a horse cast in bronze."

For more on the Da Vinci Science Center CLICK HERE.

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