Leonardo da Vinci was an Italian polymath who lived during the Renaissance period from 1452 to 1519. He made numerous contributions in various fields including painting, anatomy, engineering, and cartography. As an anatomist, da Vinci dissected corpses and drew detailed diagrams of the human body, including the heart, muscles, and fetus in the womb. His accurate anatomical drawings expanded knowledge well beyond what was known in ancient times and helped lay the foundations for modern medicine. Though his work was not published in his lifetime, da Vinci's anatomical drawings demonstrated his systematic approach and helped transform European understanding of human anatomy.