15.4.1452 - 2. 5. 1519

LEONARDO DA VINCI

The universal genius from Italy

was a painter, architect, sculptor, musician, engineer, inventor and scientist.

What is probably his best known illustration, the "Vitruvian Man”, today adorns Italy’s 1 euro coins.
He drew a large number of sketches for paintings and sculptures, designs for objets d’art and artistically valuable illustrations on the subjects of anatomy, biology, engineering, architecture and weaponry.
Only 17 paintings now bear witness to the master’s skills. A particularly famous painting is his portrait of the Mona Lisa, which hangs in the Louvre in Paris. Equally well known is the mural of “The Last Supper” in Milan. Up to the end of his life, he worked on recording the inner essence of the world. His inquisitiveness permeated through his entire creative work. His ideas were ahead of his time in many things, with many of them only realised centuries later.

” Leonardo da Vinci possessed such complete ability that, whatever he turned his mind to, he could solve the most difficult of problems with ease.  He combined great power with deftness and dexterity; his courage and boldness were sublime and magnificent...”
Giorgio Vasari
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