Leonardo Da Vinci What are the sources we possess learning about the life and work of Leonardo da Vinci and what are their strengths and weaknesses in revealing his personality?

Much of what we have learned about Leonardo da Vinci's life and inventions has been uncovered from the hundreds of drawings and writings he left behind. To date, thousands of these handwritten works have been spread across European museums and libraries. It is thought that Leonardo had the intention of publishing his works in a formal reference. However, this task, like many others, was never completed. The manuscripts that he left behind serve as indicators of the breadth and depth of his creative and ingenious mind. However, many are also illegible and written in reverse script. His stream of consciousness thinking and non-sequential order of the documents seem to suggest a mind and personality that was truly. They are overflowing with strange acronyms, spellings, scribbles, theories and random notes that are hard to decipher.

Leonardo lived during the period known as the Renaissance. Describe this period and state in what ways you think he was a product of his time and in what ways ahead of his time?

The Renaissance was a period of rapid change in the arts. Literature, painting, and all forms of creative expression were greatly impacted by the exposure to other cultures Europeans experienced during the transition from medieval to modern times. The Renaissance is thought to have occurred from 1350 -- 1600 C.E. Leonardo da Vinci reflected the ingenuity of the Renaissance. During the Renaissance,...

The scientific. The era gave birth to the humanities as we know them today. Renaissance men were writers, sculptors, painters, scientists, poets, and politicians. Leonardo can be considered a reflection this era because his talents were interdisciplinary in nature and illustrated the potential intellectual capacity of man. He was ahead of his time because he often reasoned contrary to popular opinion and thought.
Leonardo had wide ranging interests. Describe some of his activities outside of painting.

Many people know Leonardo for his extraordinary paintings such as the Last Supper and the Mona Lisa. However, beyond being a skilled painter, Leonardo was also a talented sculptor, inventor, mathematician and engineer. He possessed a natural curiosity and was eager to test his hypotheses about different things. Some of his inventions include a thread cutting machine, the water wheel, the machine gun, solar power, the calculator, and a flying machine that resembles the modern day helicopter. He was also a gifted scientist and had interests in civil engineering and geology, as well as human anatomy. Many medical students still use his "Vitruvian Man" sketch detailing the intricacies and internal systems of the human body.

Leonardo was a creative writer and had a knack for storytelling and philosophy. In one of his famous quotes he stated, "Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen." He was passionate about myriad forms of…