Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519) born in Italy was known as the universal man because of his many and varied talents. Many seem to remember him more for his paintings such as the Mona Lisa and the portrait of the last supper which was the focus of the the recent hit book and movie the Da Vinci Code, but he was more than that.
Leonardo was a paintor, sculptor, architect, engineer, inventor, scientist, scholar, anatomist, botanist and zoologist, all combined into a single personality. No wonder he was called ten men in one, try finding people like that today.