Leonardo da Vinci
PHL/458
January 6, 2006
Leonardo da Vinci
1452?1519
Who was Leonardo da Vinci? Leonardo da Vinci was an "Italian painter, a sculptor, an architect, a musician, an engineer, and a scientist" (Encyclopedia, 2006, para. 1). Leonardo was born in a hill village in Tuscany near Vinci, Italy. Although he was born the illegitimate son of a Florentine notary, Ser Piero and a peasant woman, Caterina, Leonardo persevered through his dedication, his leadership, and his ability to be a creative and critical thinker, to make his mark in history (Wikipedia, 2002). This paper discusses the life and times of Leonardo da Vinci including his family life and education, the traits that led him to be a prominent thinker, as well as his contributions to society.
The formative years
It is presumed that Leonardo spent his childhood with his father's family in Vinci, which might have been where he gained his enduring interest in nature (Encyclopedia, 2006). "Early sources describe his beauty, charm of manner, and precocious display of artistic talent" (Encyclopedia, 2006, para. 2). Leonardo had nine years of formal schooling, from age five to age fourteen in Vinci while living with his paternal grandparents (Kausal, 1997). During these nine years Leonardo learned to read, write, perform calculations and geometry, and even learned some Latin (Kausal, 1997).
Quite possibly, the most important thing that Leonardo da Vinci learned during his younger years, maybe even more than the need to read and write, was recognizing his artistic ability and that clearly seemed to be Leonardo's "calling". Even as early as five years old, Leonardo's teachers and family realized that the quality of his art was on a scale all its own. Ser Piero, Leonardo's ...