Leonardo da Vinci was one of the greatest figures in European history. He is regarded as a(n)【小题1】because of his wide range of【小题2】. Da Vinci is probably best known for his painting, the “Mona Lisa”, one of the most famous paintings in the world. The painting is kept in the Louvre Museum in Paris and millions of people go to see it every year.

When da Vinci was 15, his father sent him to work as an apprentice with the aritst Verrochio. Da Vinci's work soon became better than his master's. As he wanted new challenges and more money, da Vinci went to Milan in 1482 to work for the Duke of Milan. He spent 17 years there and it was during this time that da Vinci began to show what an enormously【小题3】man he was.

Da Vinci was not just a(n)【小题4】artist. He also had an international【小题5】as an inventor, scientist, mathematician and philosopher. Just like the Chinese inventors responsible for inventing. gunpowder, paper and the compass, da Vinci had ideas that were【小题6】of his time. In da Vinci's case, however, many of his【小题7】did not become reality until much later. He produced designs for many machines which were only built centuries later. The ideas he had included flying machines, parachutes and submarines Da Vinci also proposed the idea that the earth rotates around the sun.

As da Vinci had such a wide range of interests, his attention often changed from subject to subject and he left many【小题8】unfinished. He spent most of his time studying science, either by going out into nature and observing things or by locking himself away in his workshop dissecting bodies or thinking about the meaning of life.

Although da Vinci suffered from paralysis of the hand in later life, he continued drawing pictures and designs right up to his death in 1519. Da Vinci's achievements were truly【小题9】. It is difficult to think of anyone who has achieved so much in so many different【小题10】. That's what makes him such a unique figure in European history.