Almost five hundred years ago, Florence, Italy was home to great artists. Anybody who wanted to become an artist came to this city and worked under an experienced older artist.  A fourteen year old boy began studying art with the artist Verrocchio, a famous artist.

This young boy was smart, strong and clever. He seemed to be interested in everything music, machines, birds, human anatomy and machines. He was special. Everybody was fond of him, and they thought that he would become a great artist. We all know him today. His name was Leonardo Da Vinci.

Soon the boy grew up and was given the task of painting the altar of the church. People waited patiently and excitedly, but the painting went on and on. This young man did a lot of research on the objects that he wanted to draw. That is why it took him a long time to get the paintings done.

People started to lose faith in him and thought that he was always making notes rather than finishing his work.

They said, “He would not be able to finish anything even though he is talented.”

Leonardo kept drawing pictures and did research on everything around him. Mountains and valleys, Sun and the stars, seashore inspired him.

When he died, he left behind two world famous paintings Mona Lisa and the Last Supper. For a long time, people did not realize the wealth of information that Leonardo  had left behind. More than his paintings, his brilliance is hidden in the textbooks that he filled. The textbooks were filled with beautiful pictures and notes that no one could read. “These are silly”, some said. “Waste of time”, said the others until they figured out that Leonardo was writing the notes backwards. He did not want people to pry and read his notes.

When people could read the notebooks, they were amazed at the intricate explanation of a bird’s flight and then the design for an air machine. There were designs of  machine that we know as bicycle. He even drew an early parachute.

Leonardo Da Vinci was  a pioneer, he knew before everyone how the rocks were formed, muscles worked and  blood circulated in our bodies.

Can you think of anyone who knew so many things before anybody else thought of them? Perhaps not :)