Presses Universitaires de France and Frémeaux & Associés offer this biography of Leonardo da Vinci, analyzed and explained by Pascal Brioist, Professor of Modern History at the University of Tours and member of the Centre d'études supérieures de la Renaissance. Leonardo da Vinci is one of the most emblematic figures of the Renaissance. An illegitimate son deprived of a university education, his self-taught approach in many fields guarantees the originality of this universal mind who was much more than the author of the Mona Lisa or the inventor of flying machines. He was also a renowned anatomist, engineer, philosopher, architect and inventor. His ability to excel in a variety of fields demonstrates an inquisitive mind that transcended the conventions of his time, questioning certainties and recognizing no authority other than that of experience. Pascal Brioist presents the career of this extraordinary man, set against the political, cultural and scientific backdrop of the Italian Renaissance. Leonardo da Vinci's legacy goes far beyond his works, and his innovative vision has influenced generations of scientists, artists and thinkers. Claude COLOMBINI FRÉMEAUX