Leonardo da Vinci (April 15, 1452 – May 2, 1519) was a legendary Italian polymath—painter, sculptor, architect, engineer, and scientist—who epitomized the High Renaissance ideal of the "Universal Man" (Homo Universalis). Working across Florence, Milan, Rome, and France, he created iconic masterpieces including the Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, and Lady with an Ermine. Leonardo revolutionized art through his mastery of sfumato, psychological nuance, and anatomical precision, while his visionary scientific notebooks cemented his legacy as one of history's greatest intellects.