Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) was an Italian polymath whose areas of interest included invention, painting, sculpting, architecture, science, music, mathematics, and engineering. Known as a quintessential Renaissance man, his genius epitomized the Renaissance humanist ideal. His most famous works include the "Mona Lisa" and "The Last Supper." His notebooks reveal a spirit of scientific inquiry and a mechanical inventiveness that were centuries ahead of his time.