Léonard de Vinci, Amphithéâtre Romain, 1482

A leading figure of the Renaissance, Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) trained in Florence in the workshop of Verrocchio before establishing his reputation in Milan, Rome, and at the court of King Francis I. His inspiration stemmed from an empirical and obsessive observation of nature. For him, art and science were inseparable, with drawing serving as the supreme tool for dissecting and theorizing the mechanisms of life, from anatomy to fluid dynamics.

His creative revolution lay in the introduction of disruptive principles and a holistic engineering approach. In painting, he invented the innovative sfumato technique, a layering of glazes that eliminates contours to create an atmospheric illusion. In mechanics, he applied scientific methodology to technical description, anticipating aerodynamic lift centuries ahead through his designs of flying machines.

His legacy is embodied in universal masterpieces such as the Mona Lisa and his renowned notebooks. By elevating the craftsman to the status of intellectual, he profoundly redefined the role of the artist. Today, his interdisciplinary approach and his concept of biomimicry—seeking the keys to technological innovation in living systems—remain fundamental to contemporary research and creation.