Leonardo Da Vinci

Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) was born in Vinci, a small town in the Republic of Florence, now Italy. He lived and worked across several key centres of the Italian Renaissance, including Florence, Milan, and Rome, and spent his final years in France at the court of Francis I. A true polymath, Leonardo is renowned for his mastery across multiple disciplines including painting, drawing, sculpture, engineering, anatomy, and architecture. His art is characterised by a deep interest in the human form, nature, and scientific observation, with iconic works such as The Last Supper and Mona Lisa exemplifying his skill in composition, sfumato technique, and psychological depth. Though only a relatively small number of paintings by Leonardo survive, his influence on Western art is immeasurable. His drawings and notebooks are held in major institutions such as the Royal Collection (UK), the Louvre (Paris), and the Biblioteca Ambrosiana (Milan). While his works are rarely traded due to their rarity and institutional ownership, those attributed to him are among the most valuable and sought-after in art history, with Salvator Mundi famously setting a record auction price in 2017. Leonardo remains one of the most studied and celebrated figures in the global art market.