The quintessential Renaissance man, Leonardo da Vinci's enduring genius left its mark on many disciplines and continues to inspire wonder in modern audiences.

Born in the Tuscan village of Vinci, Leonardo's limited formal training began with an apprenticeship in the studio of Andrea Verrochio c. 1472. Early in his career, Leonardo developed a highly inventive style and boldly experimental techniques that set the standard for the High Renaissance.

Leonardo's innovations, including the introduction of Classical monumentality and balance to painting, his use of a pyramidal composition and a delicate technique of tonal modeling he labeled sfumato, highlight the astonishing range of his creative genius. Relatively few works indisputably attributed to the master's hand have survived and fewer still were ever completed.

Among the ten paintings he completed are two of the most famous paintings in history: the "Last Supper "and the "Mona Lisa." The enigmatic smile of the "Mona Lisa" has intrigued audiences for centuries and held special significance for Leonardo; he never parted with the painting and it was listed among his effects when he died. Leonardo's extraordinary notebooks reveal his pre-occupation with a multitude of diverse subjects and brim with brilliant observations and highly detailed drawings of an extraordinary range of topics from anatomy to weaponry.

As a painter, sculptor, architect, engineer and scientist, Leonardo's reputation brought him into the most powerful circles of 15th and 16th century Italian and French courts. Regarded as the founder of the High Renaissance, Leonardo's works have stood the test of time, transforming the nature of art and inspiring artists and viewers alike for over five centuries.