3 Belian: Leonardo Da Vinci

Leonardo Da Vinci was born on April 15, 1452, in Vinci, Italy, just outside Florence. Growing up in his father's Vinci home, Leonardo had access to scholarly texts owned by family and friends. He was also exposed to Vinci's longstanding painting tradition, and when he was about 15, his father apprenticed him to the renowned workshop of Andrea Del Verrochio in Florence. Even as an apprentice, Leonardo demonstrated his colossal talent. For example, one of Leonardo's first big breaks was to paint an angel in Verrochio's "Baptism of Christ,". Leonardo's interests were so broad, and he was so often compelled by new subjects, that he usually failed to finish what he started. This lack of "stick-to-it-ness" resulted in his completing only about six works in these 17 years, including "The Last Supper" and "The Virgin on the Rocks," The Last Supper, The Mona Lisa, The Virgin on the Rocks and Baptism of Christ are among the most popular paintings. A work three years in the making, Leonardo Da Vinci's The Last Supper remains one of the greatest masterpieces of all time and The Last Supper is among the most sold of all Da Vinci posters. The 16th century oil painting of the Mona Lisa, also referred to as ‘La Giaconda’, is considered by the art world to be one of his most famous works. Leonardo died on May 2, 1519 in Cloux, France.