Leonardo da Vinci was born (1452 – 1519) an son of a Florentine noble and peasant woman. He grew up in Vinci, Italy. In his formative years, he developed a love of nature and from an early age began to display his remarkable academic and artistic talents. Leonardo da Vinci was one of the world’s greatest thinkers, artists and philosophers. Seeking after perfection, he created rare masterpieces of art such as ‘The Mona Lisa’ and ‘The Last Supper’. In addition to art, Da Vinci studied all aspects of life from anatomy to mathematics and astronomy. His far-reaching investigations and discoveries sought to show an underlying unity of the universe. Da Vinci is considered to be a key person in the birth of the European Renaissance, which saw an emergence of new ideas, scientific discoveries and the creation of beautiful art.