Leonardo’s anatomical studies began as a means to improve his art but evolved into a rigorous scientific endeavor. He performed dissections of both humans and animals, producing detailed drawings of muscles, bones, and organs. His work, which remained unpublished in his lifetime, reflected a belief in the body as a system governed by mechanical and geometric laws, and it laid the groundwork for modern anatomical science.

An apprenticeship is a position by which one individual learns a skill through hands-on, practical experience under the tutelage of another who excels at such skills. Leonardo was apprenticed to Andrea del Verrocchio in Florence, where he learned a range of techniques—from painting and sculpture to mechanics and theatrical design. This hands-on training reflected the Renaissance workshop tradition and became the foundation for Leonardo’s interdisciplinary thinking. His early contributions to collaborative works during this period reveal his precocious skill and curiosity.

Chiaroscuro is the use of strong contrasts between light and dark to create a sense of volume and three-dimensionality. Leonardo mastered and advanced this technique in his paintings, particularly in The Virgin of the Rocks and The Last Supper. It allowed him to create lifelike figures and a dramatic, atmospheric effect that contributed to the emotional