10 Smartest Human Beings Of All Time

The Renaissance produced many great individuals – Raphael, Michelangelo, and Machiavelli were all geniuses. But in terms of pure intellect, Leonardo da Vinci was in a league of his own.

Da Vinci is best known for his paintings. ‘Last Supper’, ‘Lady with an Ermin’, ‘Saint John the Baptist’, and – of course – ‘Mona Lisa’ are all renowned pieces of art. But what makes da Vinci such a remarkable man is his ability to excel in many academic fields.

Throughout his life, da Vinci was fascinated by the world around him and recorded his observations. His notebooks cover a range of topics, such as mechanical engineering, astronomy, optics, architecture, nature, biology, and his own original inventions. Da Vinci even outlined his own flying machines that were centuries ahead of their time.

Yet he didn’t hoard his genius. Using his reputation as the most admired artist in Italy, da Vinci set up his own workshops and took on many apprentices. He also collaborated with other Italian painters, such as Andrea del Verrocchio.

The diversity of da Vinci’s genius is why he’s called ‘The Renaissance Man’. He is the perfect symbol for this fascinating and intellectual period of history.