This genius named Leonardo da Vinci may well be considered one because he was not only an artist; he was also an engineer, philosopher, architect, and mathematician. He also contributed a great deal to the study of astronomy and anatomy. Although he was born in the
great Renaissance period, this man is well beyond his time.
Leonardo was born in Anciano, Italy in April of 1452. His father was a notary and her mother was the daughter of a penniless farmer but his parents did not marry only for the reason that her mother did not come from a wealthy family. Although the little Leonardo was never considered a legitimate son, he was integrated into the family of his father and his first wife since they did not have any children. Leonardo'’s family transferred to Vinci when he was still young. There, he went to school to study. At an early age, Leonardo displayed interest in the sciences. He moved to Florence when he was 14 and worked as an apprentice for a famous artist named Verrocchio. It was here where he nourished his
creative mind in painting. It was shortly after his apprenticeship that he began assisting his mentor to do commissioned artworks. And the rest, as they say, is history
Da Vinci is famous for his paintings, such as the
Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. He also was the first to have thought of the ideas like the helicopter, tank, calculator, etc. But because he was hindered by the backwardness of the technology in his time, most of his brilliant ideas were not feasible. Leonardo's life was a life worth lived. He not only shed light into the darkness but also inspired many with his art. He died in 1519 at Clos Luce, Italy.
