Other than the well-known artists Michelangelo, Raphael, and Titan, Leonardo Da Vinci was probably the most famous and influential Florentine artist of the High Renaissance period. Not only did Leonardo Da Vinci create magnificent paintings and sculptures still celebrated today as astonishing and masterful works of art, but he also produced noteworthy innovations in the fields of architecture, engineering, and science. Several of his paintings and sketches deriving from his scientific studies-particularly in the fields of anatomy, optics, and hydraulics-anticipated many of the developments of modern science. Leonardo Da Vinci was a masterful artist and innovator, considered by many as artistic master and genius. His continued motivation to advance his knowledge and proficiency in the arts and sciences revealed masterpieces and innovations that exceeded the intellect and designs of his time period.

Born April 15, 1452 in the small Tuscan town of Anchiano near Vinci and Florence, Leonardo Da Vinci enjoyed a happy childhood. As the sibling of a wealthy family, he benefited from the best educational and artistic institutions in Florence, the intellectual and artistic center of Italy. While enjoying a classical education as a teenager, Leonardo desired to experience and understand more or the world and universe, both artistically and intellectually. He utilized his sensory experiences and desire to truly understand all aspects of the world to begin recording his impressions of life in drawings.