Leonardo da Vinci was a renowned Italian polymath who lived during the Renaissance period. He was an artist, scientist, inventor, and engineer, and is widely considered to be one of the most important figures in the history of art and science.

Da Vinci is most famous for his unique artworks such as the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, which are considered masterpieces of the High Renaissance. He was a masterful painter, who was also skilled in sculpture, architecture, and mechanics. His painting were considered highly detailed, realistic and showed remarkable use of light and shadow, which were not common in his time.

In addition to his artistic talents, da Vinci was also a gifted original scientist and inventor. He made detailed observations of the natural world and was interested in the workings of the human body, the movement of water, and the flight of birds. He produced hundreds of drawings and notes on a wide range of scientific and technical subjects, which covered areas such as anatomy, optics, and aerodynamics. Many of his inventions, although never built during his lifetime, were considered ahead of his time.

Da Vinci lived during a time of great cultural and intellectual change in Europe, and he was deeply interested in the world around him. He was also a curious person, and throughout his life, he sought to understand the natural world and to improve the human condition. He was continually exploring new ideas and experimenting with different techniques, and his works have had a lasting impact on art, science and technology.

Despite the fact that he was not recognized as the leading figure during his lifetime, Leonardo's work has been highly recognized and respected for centuries. He is considered one of the most important figures in the history of art, as well as a symbol of the Renaissance and a model of the "Renaissance Man" or "universal genius." His notebooks, where he recorded his observations, sketches and ideas, are considered some of the most important historical documents in the history of science and technology.