Extrait du livre Leonardo Da Vinci
Leonardo Da Vinci by Tony Hart and Susan Hellard Flowerpot Childre's press
Leonardo Da Vinci
On the day that Leonardo da Vinci was born, his proud grandfather, Antonio, wrote in his family records, “Saturday, April 15th at 10:30 p.m., 1452, there was born to me a grandson, the child of Ser Piero, my son.” Leonardo was born in a tiny village near a town called Vinci in Italy. His family had taken the name of the town as their surname. Leonardo's parents did not marry each other and so, although he spent his first months being nursed by his mother, Leonardo soon went to live with his father's parents, Antonio and Monna Lucia da Vinci. "It is such pleasure to have a young baby in the house again", sighed Monna Lucia happily.
Leonardo’s father, Ser Piero, was a busy lawyer. He soon married and was often away from the village, working in Florence. His mother lived nearby and even when she was married, Leonardo would often visit her and her growing family. Leonardo’s uncle, Francesco, looked after the family estate, and when he was still very young, Leonardo went everywhere with him, tending the olive trees and grapevines and learning a love of nature. When Leonardo was only four-years-old, he watched with his uncle as a hurricane tore through the countryside, destroying everything in its path. Leonardo never forgot the experience and throughout his life he was fascinated by weather and the power of nature.
