Leonardo Da Vinci was born in 1452 in Italy and died in 1519 in France. He was a universal genius known for his expertise in various areas including fine arts, geometry, mechanics, and music. As an apprentice to artist Andrea Verrocchio at age 14, Da Vinci began painting and experimenting with oil paint techniques. In his youth he traveled to Milan and worked on projects for the Duke of Milan, and in his later years he worked independently and for King François I of France. Da Vinci was an incredible inventor who conceived ideas well ahead of his time, including designs for flying machines, parachutes, cranes, irrigation systems, and what would become the modern helicopter. Though some