Queens Name Explorer

Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519) grew up in Tuscan, with his father. He practiced sculpture, architecture, engineering, and scientific inquiry, but was most known for his paintings. Born during the Renaissance era he studied under the sculptor Andrea Verrocchio. He quickly gained artistic skills and joined Compagnia di San Luca in Florentine at 20.

For most of his artistic career, Leonardo bounced back and forth between Florence and Milan. He first moved to Milan in 1483. There, he undertook projects like The Virgin of the Rocks and the famous illustration for “On the Divine Proportions” named the Golden Ratio. After living 16 years in Milan, the French invaded, prompting Leonardo to go back to Florence, where he created his iconic portrait, the ‘Mona Lisa’.

Leonardo returned to Milan in 1508, serving under French rulers. As a result, his work was influenced by religious practices, and he began working on a composition known as The Virgin and the Child. Despite battling ill health, including paralysis from a stroke, Leonardo continued his scientific exploration of anatomy, architecture, and other fields. Some of his works include a helicopter blueprint, parachute, flying machine, and scuba gear. In 1519, Leonardo died, leaving his estate to his pupil Francesco Melzi.

Curated Collection: the STEAM Society

This STEAM collection spotlights the famous scientists whose achievements set in motion pivotal moments in history. ANATOMY + ART **I.S. 061 Leonardo Da Vinci** Although he is most recognized as the painter of projects like the Mona Lisa and the Burlington House Cartoon Da Vinci was invested in inventing and how art, science, and mathematics intersect. BIOLOGY + PIANO **George Washington Carver High School for the Sciences** George Washington Carver invented machinery to make cultivating crops more efficient and used the fruits of his labor to invent household essentials like bleach, glue, and flour. ELECTRICIAN/ INVENTOR + PUBLICIST **Benjamin Franklin High School for Finance & Information Technology** Benjamin Franklin’s career extended way outside of politics. Outside of founding his own business and contributing to the moral pillars of the United States, Franklin was committed to inventing and experimenting with how electricity could assist everyone. PHYSICS/ SOUND ENGINEERING **P.S. 205- The Alexander Graham Bell School** Alexander Graham Bell invention of the telephone was revolutionary for communication. It allowed for the public access of long-ranged conversations and local information, connecting communities nationwide. CHEMISTRY **M.S. 158 Marie Curie** Marie Curie was well known in both the science community for being the first woman to earn a Nobel Prize for Physics in 1903. Curie went on to earn another Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1911. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE + LITERATURE **Rachel Carson Intermediate School** Rachel Carson set environmental advocacy in motion when she argued against anthropogenic stresses on wildlife. Her works of writing have allowed for the education of the public to these dangers as well as voiced a call to action for the ban of the chemicals. MECHANIC and DRAFTSMAN + LITERATURE **Latimer Gardens** Along with the greatest inventors of the times, Lewis Latimer was self-taught in mechanical engineering. He worked with names like Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Alva Edison and Hiram S. Maxim to form the base plans for the inventions we have today. Latimer was just as much an artist as a scientist.