Leonardo da Vinci was an Italian polymath of the Renaissance, born on April 15, 1452, near Vinci in the Republic of Florence, and died on May 2, 1519, in France. He was celebrated as a painter, engineer, scientist, theorist, architect, and inventor. Da Vinci is best known for iconic paintings such as the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, as well as his Vitruvian Man drawing, which symbolizes the blend of art and science. Besides his artistic achievements, Leonardo made significant contributions to anatomy, mechanics, cosmology, and engineering, though many of his ideas remained unpublished in his lifetime. He worked in Florence, Milan, Rome, and eventually France, leaving behind fewer than 20 confirmed paintings but a vast collection of notebooks filled with scientific observations and inventions. Leonardo's unique combination of artistic skill and scientific curiosity made him the epitome of the Renaissance man and a lasting inspiration across many fields.