Mona Lisa Mania

Much has been written about Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519). We know he was a forward thinker (who wrote backwards) who was always looking for new ways to do things. We thought it might be interesting to place him in the 21st Century… in a personals ad.

Aires Renaissance Man

Gentle SWM vegetarian, love animals, plants, nature. Scientist, painter, inventor, engineer, mathematician, philosopher, musician, astronomer, botanist, geologist, cartographer, visionary. Despise war though I have worked as a military engineer to invent advanced deadly weapons. Love to paint, sketch, draw, fly. I'm told I am handsome, have a great physique, a splendid singing voice. Enjoy walks through the Alps. Looking for an enigmatic, mysterious woman with interior depth.

Here's how the ad might have looked in "The Florence Gazette."

In Leo's Handwriting backwards:

1452: Born April 15, in Anchian near Vinci, Tuscany, Italy.
1467: Apprentices at the studio of Andrea del Verrocchio in Florence
1472: Accepted as member of Florentine painters guild, Compagnia di San Luca.
1473: Paints The Annunciation
1474: Paints Ginerva de' Benci and Madonna of the Carnation.
1477-81: Works independently in his own studio
1480: Invents prototype of the parachute
1481-1481: Paints Adoration of The Magi
1482- 1489: Invited by Duke Ludovico Sforza to work in Milan, leaves unfinished Adoration of the Magi.
1483: Paints first version of Virgin of The Rocks, begins equestrian statue.
1490: designs Il Paridiso, theatrical produced for Sforza-Aragon nuptials.
1495-98: Paints The Last Supper
1500: Went to Mantua, Venice and Florence after Milan was captured by the French troops.
1502: Military Architect for Cesare Borgia
1503-06: Returns to Florence. Paints the Mona Lisa and begins work on The Battle of Anghiari (unfinished).
1506: Leaves Florence for Milan
1510: Completes painting Virgin and Child with St. Anne
1513-16: Goes to Rome at the invitation of Guiliano de Medici
1516-19: Leaves for Cloux, near Amboise on the River Loire at the invitation of King Francis I
1519: May 2, dies at Cloux, at the age of 67.