Leonardo da Vinci is well known as a master Florentine painter of the Renaissance. He was born and raised in Vinci, a Tuscan mountain town, in 1452. The son of a wealthy notary, he was given the best education that Florence could provide. He had a profound and insatiable love of knowledge and research which proved to be the controlling factor in his life.
He began his career
as a painter, and by 1478 had established himself as an independent master.
In 1482, he entered the service of the duke of Milan as principal engineer
in the duke's military enterprise, constructed
the Martesena Canal, and was active as an architect. In the latter role
he participated in the design of the Cathedral of Milan and other public
buildings. At
this same time, he taught painting to a large group of students, and completed
two of his masterpieces, the "Virgin of the
Grotto" and "The Last Supper", as well as a major sculpture ; a colossal
bronze monument to Franceso Sforza, the duke's father.
Da Vinci continued his career as a military
engineer in Florence beginning in 1502, then from 1506 he divided his time
between Florence and Milan. From
1513, he practiced in Rome going to France in 1516 where he died in 1519.