Leonardo da Vinci

Universal genius of Leonardo da Vinci

Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist and writer Leonardo da Vinci was born on April 15, 1452, in Anchiano, Tuscany (now Italy). He is one of the greatest thinkers in all of history. He is best known for his paintings, such as The Last Supper and Mona Lisa, but he also had many skills in science and engineering. DaVinci’s work had a profound impact on the world around us today. 

Family of a genius

His father was Messer Piero Fruosino di Antonio da Vinci, a prominent notary, and his mother was Caterina, a young peasant woman who shortly after that married an artisan. Leonardo spent his first five years in the hamlet of Anchiano in his mother's home, and from 1457 lived in the household of his father, grandparents and uncle in the small town of Vinci. His father had married again, and Leonardo, staying close to him, led a life at the heart of a happy, prosperous family.

The Renaissance Man

He epitomized the Renaissance humanist ideal. Leonardo has often been described as the archetype of the Renaissance Man and as a universal genius. The scope and depth of his interests were without precedent in recorded history. His mind and personality seem superhuman to us, while the man himself is mysterious and remote. Marco Rosci states that while there is much speculation about Leonardo, his vision of the world is essentially logical rather than mysterious, and that the empirical methods he employed were unusual for his time.

Legends about Leonardo

Leonardo was a man of many talents. We can all agree on that. Legend has it that Leonardo was the first to build a mechanical knight. More likely, he created the first tank. At least, that's what his drawings suggest. Many believe that he might have been the first to fly, although his invention was never tested.