Leonardo da Vinci

The Profile

Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) was an Italian polymath of the High Renaissance, active as painter, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, and architect.

Born in Vinci in 1452 and died in Amboise in 1519; central figure of the High Renaissance known for sfumato and chiaroscuro; active in Florence, Milan, Rome, and at the French court; major surviving works include the Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, and Saint John the Baptist; influential drawings include the Vitruvian Man.

Three reviews spotlight Leonardo’s technical precision and big ideas. One rejects wild theories around the Mona Lisa, praising its chiaroscuro and unity of figure and landscape. Another explores the twin versions of The Virgin of the Rocks and their subtle differences. A third leans into the ambiguity of Saint John the Baptist and Leonardo’s lifelong blend of art and inquiry.