Did you ever wonder just who Leonardo da Vinci was and what he accomplished?

 By David McClelland

This is the second in a three-part blog series about historical figures. The last blog covered Galileo and the final one will be on Sir Issac Newton.

Leonardo da Vinci, hereafter called "da Vinci," lived from 1452 – 1519, or for 67 years. He was a Renaissance painter, architect, engineer, mathematician and philosopher; a genius, the likes of which the world may not see again. In addition to being just about the most intelligent person ever, da Vinci is reported to have been an incredibly handsome man with great strength and a beautiful singing voice. He was a vegetarian and followed a very strict diet. In fact, he loved animals so much that he would often buy caged animals at the market just to set them free.

In an era when left-handedness was considered the devil's work and those afflicted were often forced to use their right hands, da Vinci was an unashamed left-handed writer. It has been suggested that this "difference" was an element of his genius, since his detachment allowed him to see beyond the ordinary. He even wrote backwards and his writings are easily deciphered only with a mirror.

The illegitimate son of a 25 year-old notary, Ser Piero, and a peasant girl, Calerina, da Vinci was born on April 5, 1452 in Vinci, Italy, just outside Florence. His father took custody of the little fellow shortly after his birth, while his mother married someone else and moved to a neighboring town. They kept on having children, although not with each other, and they eventually supplied him with 17 half-sisters and half-brothers. Da Vinci died on May 2, 1519 in Clos Luce', France.

Da Vinci's genius, perhaps more than that of any other figure, epitomized the Renaissance humanist ideal. His paintings, Last Supper (1495 – 97) and Mona Lisa (1503 – 1506) are among the most widely popular and influential paintings of the Renissance era. The Mona Lisa is now in The Louvre in Paris, France. The Last Supper is in the Santa Marie delle Grazzie Abby in Milan, France. His notebooks reveal a spirit of scientific inquiry and a mechanical inventiveness that were centuries ahead of his time.

Now, we both know more about the incredible accomplishments of da Vinci.