Leonardo’s early drawings and paintings demonstrated a rare talent. His father and his father’s friends recognized his talent and encouraged him. When he was 15, he was sent to Florence. In Florence, he became an apprentice to a famous master painter. For the next few years, Leonardo worked at his master’s workshop. It wasn’t long before his ability surpassed that of his master. Some people say that his master became jealous of Leonardo’s great talent. They say that the master vowed to never paint again! In 1478, with his father’s help, Leonardo set up his own workshop.
达芬奇早期的绘画作品就已显露出罕见的天赋，父亲及父亲的朋友都认可他的天赋并鼓励他。15岁时，他被送去佛罗伦萨，在那里他成了一位著名的绘画大师的学生。接下来的几年里，达芬奇在老师的工作室里学习，很快他的能力就超过了老师。有人说老师嫉妒达芬奇的才华，发誓再也不画画了！1478年，在父亲的帮助下，达芬奇成立了自己的工作室。
In 1482, he entered the service of a powerful man in the city of Milan. This man was the Duke of Milan. For the next few years Leonardo designed buildings, machinery and weapons of war. Weapons were important because Italy was constantly at war during this period. From 1485 to 1490, Leonardo produced designs for a variety of weapons. In his notes, he predicted the development of advanced weapons such as submarines and flying machines. In 1499, the French invaded Italy and Leonardo left Milan.
1482年，他为米兰市一个大人物服务，这个人就是米兰公爵。接下来的几年里，达芬奇设计了建筑、机械和战争的武器。武器很重要，因为这段时期意大利一直处于战争中。从1485年到1490年，达芬奇设计了各种各样的武器。在他的笔记中，他预测了先进武器的发展，如潜艇和飞行器。1499年，法国入侵意大利，达芬奇离开米兰。
Altogether, Leonardo spent 17 years in Milan. During this period, he spent much of his time studying nature. He dissected bodies, both human and animal, to study and illustrate anatomy. His detailed illustrations are masterpieces. Leonardo filed many notebooks with drawings and ideas. He wrote backwards, so you need a mirror to read them.
达芬奇在米兰总共生活了17年。在此期间，他花了很多时间研究大自然。他解剖人类和动物的尸体，研究并图释解剖学，详细的图释成了他的代表作。达芬奇在大量的笔记本上画满了图，写满了想法。不过他是反着写的，所以你需要一面镜子来阅读。
After 1500, Leonardo spent time in a number of Italian cities. He worked very slowly, and the range of his interests was very wide. As a result, Leonardo left many paintings and projects unfinished. One painting that he did finish was the Mona Lisa, one of the world’s most famous paintings. People are still interested in this painting, 500 years after he painted it. Though there are many theories, nobody knows who the woman in the painting really was.
1500年后，达芬奇在意大利的很多城市生活过。他工作起来很慢，兴趣范围非常广。因此，达芬奇留下了许多未完成的画作和项目。他完成的画作《蒙娜丽莎》是世界上最著名的绘画作品之一。在他画成500年后，人们仍然对其感兴趣。虽然有很多种说法，但没有人知道画作中的女人究竟是谁。
In 1516 Leonardo left Italy for good when the French King, Francis I, offered him a position. There he had the freedom to paint and draw whatever he wanted. Leonardo died in 1519, at the age of 67. Some say that the French King, who had become a close friend, was with him when he died. He was buried in a church which was destroyed during the French Revolution. The exact location of his remains is unknown.
1516年，当法国国王弗朗西斯一世向达芬奇提供职位时，他离开了意大利。在那里，他可以随心所欲地绘画。1519年，达芬奇去世，享年67岁。有人说，在达芬奇死时，已成为他好友的法国国王和他在一起。他被埋葬在一座在法国大革命中被摧毁的教堂里，遗体的确切位置无人知晓。
