The Matt Crowe Profile Series: Week 1
Leonardo da Vinci

Born April 15, 1452 son of a notary, Ser
Piero, and a peasant girl, Caterina in Vinci,
Italy.

He was a scientist, mathematician,
anatomist, engineer, inventor, painter,
architect, botanist, sculptor, musician,
and writer.

Truly a “Renaissance Man”
Renaissance man
Function:noun
Date:1906
: a person who has wide interests and is expert in several areas

Most people know him as the painter of
these two masterpieces:
The Last Supper
The Mona Lisa

but he was so much more….

He was the first to conceptualize the
helicopter:

He sketched the Vitruvian Man:
depicts ideal human proportions with geometry, now used today as a contemporary
symbol for medical professionals

He also designed tanks and warships:

Even Bill Gates purchased one of his journals
which is a collection of his scientific writings
now called the “Codex Leicester” for
$30.8million

But what made this man so great?

He was once described to have
"outstanding physical beauty", "infinite
grace", "great strength and generosity",
"regal spirit and tremendous breadth of
mind”.

Close to 500 years have passed yet we still
view Leonardo with awe.

His fame was like no not other while he
was alive, and his legacy will continue on
forever.

Leonardo da Vinci
April 15, 1452 – May 2, 1519
"his mind and personality seem to us superhuman, the man himself mysterious and
remote” ~ Helen Gardner