London, Santa Maria Novella sponsors an exhibition on Michelangelo, Leonardo and Raphael

The clash between the two titans was not so much a fight for the commission as for a particular vision of what art could be. Raphael was one of the first artists to be fascinated by these unrealised works and created a sketch of Leonardo's composition in one of his metalpoint drawings, which closes the exhibition. As Rebecca Salter, President of the Royal Academy, writes, 'more than five centuries later, it is as if we have caught Raphael peering over Leonardo's shoulder'.

Bringing the beauty of the Renaissance to the present day.

Founded as a convent by Dominican friars who settled in Florence in 1221, the Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella spans more than eight centuries of rich history with the city of Florence. Introducing innovations with the cultivation of herbs and medicines for the monastery's infirmary - and like Leonardo later, countering religious dogma with science - the friars evolved the apothecary's art over the following centuries into aromatic waters and fragrances, such as the landmark citrus essence created for the Queen of France Catherine de' Medici in 1533, which played a key role in the history of European perfumery. 'Acqua della Regina', a fragrance that encapsulates the elegance and grace of Florence, is still a bestseller today.

Leonardo himself long cultivated a fascination for nature, botany and perfumery, which were sources of inspiration for both his work as an artist and his insights as a man of science. Continuing the legacy of the Renaissance and its commitment to quality, excellence and beauty, Santa Maria Novella brings this alchemy of wonders to the present day in 30 countries through 400 shops, with a third shop in London opening in Burlington Arcade, a stone's throw from the Royal Academy.

"It is a particular pride to be at the helm of a brand with such a long and important history. Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella has played a direct role in the development of some of the most significant works of art of the Italian Renaissance,' explains Giovanna Paoloni, CEO of Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella. 'With our support for this exhibition, we want to acknowledge our roots and continue the Renaissance tradition, since the time of the Medici, of supporting the arts, bringing a poetic beauty from the centuries of history of Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella.