Leonardo da Vinci: Renaissance Genius

Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) epitomized the Renaissance ideal of the "universal genius." Born in Vinci, Italy, he excelled as a painter, sculptor, architect, scientist, mathematician, engineer, and inventor. His artistic masterpieces include the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, both revolutionary in their use of perspective and human emotion. His notebooks reveal thousands of sketches and ideas, from flying machines to anatomical studies. Leonardo's scientific approach was ahead of his time. He performed detailed anatomical dissections, studied the flight of birds, designed innovative engineering projects, and explored mathematics and geometry. Despite his genius, Leonardo left many projects unfinished. His perfectionism and diverse interests meant he constantly moved between different fields of study. Yet his legacy influenced countless artists and scientists for generations.