Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), a renowned Florentine artist, sculptor, architect, engineer, and scholar, was one of the greatest minds of the Renaissance. Born near Florence in 1452, he died at Cloux, near Amboise, France, on May 2, 1519. He was the natural son of Ser Piero, a notary, and a peasant woman.
Leonardo's talent and precocity were remarkable, and he owed little to circumstances and teachers. His work was not extensive, and what remains can be counted on the fingers of both hands. However, few men have had such varied talents and encyclopedic knowledge. As an artist, he had an original method, where science was the measure of beauty. He combined fact with poetry to conduct wide investigations in nature and to reproduce life according to the laws of life.
Leonardo's biography can be divided into three periods: the Florentine period (1469-82), the Milanese period (1483-99), and the Nomadic period (1500-19).
During the Florentine period, Leonardo entered Verrocchio's studio at the age of about 15. He acquired the techniques of his craft and gave them a new value and beauty. His early works include the face of an angel in Verrocchio's "Baptism of Christ" and the "Annunciation" at the Louvre.
In the Milanese period, Leonardo worked for Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan. He offered his services in various fields, including architecture, sculpture, painting, and military engineering. His notable works include the "Woman with a Marten," the "Virgin of the Rocks," and the "Last Supper."
During the Nomadic period, Leonardo moved frequently between various cities, including Mantua, Venice, Florence, and Milan. He continued to produce scientific works and sketches. Two of his most famous works, now lost or destroyed, were commissioned for the Seigniory of Florence.
Leonardo's last years were spent in France, where he was invited by King Francis I. He never returned to Italy and died in 1519.
