Leonardo da Vinci

Hello! My name is Leonardo. I was born a long, long time ago, on April 15, 1452, in a small town called Vinci in Italy. Even as a little boy, I was full of wonder! I loved to wander through the fields and forests, watching birds soar in the sky and rivers flow down the hills. I filled notebooks with drawings of everything I saw: swirly water, detailed flowers, funny-looking animals, and the faces of people I met. I wanted to capture all the beauty of the world on paper.

When I was a teenager, I moved to the big, busy city of Florence. It was so exciting! I became an apprentice in the workshop of a famous artist named Andrea del Verrocchio. An apprentice is like a student who learns by helping. I learned how to mix colorful paints, carve stone into statues, and design beautiful things. The workshop was always buzzing with creativity, and I soaked it all up like a sponge. I didn't just want to be a good artist; I wanted to be the best! I practiced every day, and I said to myself, 'I will create something wonderful!'

As I grew up, my mind was always racing with new ideas. I painted pictures that people still talk about today. You might have seen one of a lady with a mysterious smile, called the Mona Lisa, which I started around 1503. Another famous one is a huge painting called The Last Supper that I finished in 1498. But I didn't just paint. I was fascinated by everything! I studied how the human body worked. I watched birds for hours and drew plans for amazing flying machines because I dreamed of soaring through the clouds just like them. My notebooks were my treasure, filled with thousands of pages of inventions, drawings, and scientific discoveries.

I worked for kings and powerful people all over Italy and even spent my last years in France, where I passed away on May 2, 1519. I never stopped learning and asking questions. I wanted to understand how the world worked, from the tiniest seed to the brightest star. My story teaches us that it’s wonderful to be curious. So, keep asking questions, keep dreaming, and never be afraid to imagine something new. You never know what amazing things you might discover!