Leonardo da Vinci
Artist, Inventor, Scientist
Image from Wikipedia
Author: Attributed to Francesco Melzi | License: Public domain
Leonardo da Vinci was born on 15 April 1452 in Vinci, a small town in the Republic of Florence (modern-day Italy). He was the illegitimate son of Ser Piero da Vinci, a Florentine notary, and Caterina, a peasant woman. Raised primarily by his father and extended family, Leonardo spent his childhood in the Tuscan countryside, where his early observations of nature would later shape his scientific and artistic thinking. At around the age of fourteen, he was apprenticed to the renowned Florentine artist Andrea del Verrocchio, gaining training not only in painting but also in metalwork, sculpture, mechanics, and drafting.
By his early twenties, Leonardo had established himself as an exceptionally skilled painter. His early works, such as The Annunciation and The Baptism of Christ (to which he contributed the angel and parts of the landscape), already showed his mastery of light, detail, and naturalism. In the 1480s, Leonardo moved to Milan to work under Duke Ludovico Sforza. There he produced some of his most famous paintings, including The Last Supper, a groundbreaking mural that captured the emotional intensity of the apostles’ reactions at the moment Christ reveals his betrayal. His interest in anatomy, mathematics, and perspective deeply influenced his artistic technique, enabling him to achieve a level of realism and psychological depth rare for his time.
Leonardo’s intellectual curiosity extended far beyond painting. He was a prolific inventor and engineer, filling thousands of pages of notebooks with sketches, scientific reflections, anatomical studies, and mechanical designs. His inventions included concepts for flying machines, armored vehicles, hydraulic pumps, and advanced weaponry—many of them centuries ahead of their time. Although most of these designs were never built during his lifetime, they demonstrate his extraordinary ability to blend scientific analysis with mechanical creativity. His anatomical studies, based on dissections carried out in hospitals and morgues, revealed detailed knowledge of the human body, including the structure of muscles, bones, and organs. These observations improved both his scientific understanding and the lifelike quality of his artworks.
In addition to The Last Supper, Leonardo’s other masterpiece, Mona Lisa, painted during his later years, remains one of the most famous and studied works in art history. Its subtle sfumato technique, enigmatic expression, and atmospheric background exemplify Leonardo’s belief that painting was a science as much as an art. He also created Virgin of the Rocks, Lady with an Ermine, and many unfinished works, reflecting both his perfectionism and his tendency to move between projects driven by intellectual curiosity.
Leonardo spent the final years of his life in France under the patronage of King Francis I, who admired him greatly. He continued to work on his scientific research, engineering projects, and artistic studies, although he completed few large paintings during this period. Leonardo Da Vinci died on 2 May 1519 in Amboise, France, leaving behind a vast legacy of art, science, engineering, and philosophical inquiry.
References
Books about Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci by Walter Isaacson (2018) - View on Amazon
Museums & Memorials
Leonardo da Vinci Museum: Via Roma 68, Vinci, Italy. Visit website
Leonardo3 – The World of Leonardo: Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Piazza della Scala, Milan, Italy. Visit website
Le Clos Lucé (Château du Clos Lucé): 3 Rue du Clos Lucé, 37400 Amboise, France. Visit website
📍 Birthplace Location
🌍 Also born in Italy (18 total)
Born on this day
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