da Vinci Leonardo

Born in Vinci, Italy, in 1452, Leonardo da Vinci became one of the defining figures of the Renaissance. He trained in Florence and went on to work in cities including Milan, Florence, Rome, and later Amboise in France, building a reputation not only as a painter but also as an engineer, designer, and investigator of the natural world.

Only a small number of paintings are securely attributed to him, but several became world-famous, especially The Last Supper and Mona Lisa. Just as important are his notebooks, filled with sketches, observations, and ideas about subjects ranging from flight and mechanics to anatomy and geology.

Leonardo died in 1519, yet his image remains unusually modern: a creative mind driven by careful observation, restless experimentation, and a refusal to stay inside a single field. That mix of imagination and discipline is a big part of why he still fascinates readers centuries later.