The Archetype and The Symbol Of the Renaissance Man - Leonardo da Vinci

Portrait of a Bearded Man, possibly a Self Portrait

Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci - a universal genius (1452 - 1519)
 
Leonard was born April 15/1452 and grew up with his grandparents near Vinci in Tuscany. Before becoming, in 1472, the master of the Florentine artistic corporation "Compagnie Saint Luca" he learned from his art from 1466 Andrea Verrocchio in Florence, and prolonged his studies even five years after its acceptance within the corporation. Between 1482 and 1499, he was a painter, sculptor, engineer, architect at the court of Sforza in Milan. He paints, among others, "The Last Supper" which marked the beginning of the High Renaissance.

In 1500 he returned to Florence, remained there until 1506, painted the famous Mona Lisa and studied the human bodies in the morgue of a hospital.

Between 1506 and 1513, Leonardo da Vinci was the servant of the king of France as governor of Milan and returned to Rome, where he remained until 1516 until his death 2 / May / 1519, he was in the service of the king of France François 1st.

As an artist, Leonardo da Vinci is one of the most important artists of the Italian Renaissance, along with Michelangelo, Raphael and Titian. However, he was more than a painter, engineer, scientist, architect, sculptor and musician. His multiple talents will distinguish forever as a universal genius.