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| April 1452 |
Leonardo was born in Anchiano, near Vinci. He was the illegitimate child of Ser Piero and Caterina. |
| around 1465 - 75 |
Serves his apprenticeship with Andrea Del Vecchio in Florence. Works together with him on some of his paintings (e.g. Tobiolo e l'Angelo, London, National Gallery; Battesimo di Cristo, Florence, Uffizi) |
| 1474 - 76 |
Paints the Portrait of Ginevra de' Benci (Washington, National Gallery of Art) |
| 1478 |
He is asked to paint an altarpiece for San Bernardo Chapel inside the Palazzo Vecchio. He starts painting "Due Vergini Marie", one of which could be identified with Madonna Benois, now kept at St Petersburg Hermitage. |
| 1480 - 82 |
Paints Adorazione dei Magi, which is kept in the Uffizi Gallery, and San Gerolamo, which is kept inside the Pinacoteca Vaticana |
| End of 1482 |
He moves to Milan. Tradition (Anonimo Gaddiano, Vasari) says that Lorenzo il Magnifico sent him there as lyre player for Ludovico il Moro |
| April 25 1483 |
He sets a contract with the Confraternita dell'Immacolata Concezione for the painting of "Una Nostra Donna" inside the Church of San Francesco Grande in Milan |
| around 1483 |
He writes a letter to Ludovico il Moro offering his services as an architect, engineer, soldier, sculptor and painter |
| around 1486 |
He paints the first version of "Nostra Donna", which he was asked to paint in 1483, (Vergine delle Rocce, now in Paris, Louvre). |
| around 1485- 87 |
He paints Ritratto di Musico (Milan, Pinacoteca Ambrosiana) |
| around 1489 -90 |
He paints the portrait of Cecilia Gallerani, the Lady with an Ermine (Cracow) |
| 1494- 98 |
He paints The Last Supper inside Santa Maria delle Grazie refectory, Milan |
| 1499 |
He goes away from Milan at the end of the year, after the fall of Ludovico il Moro. He takes refuge in Mantua, at Isabella d'Este's. He paints her portrait (the cartoon is kept at the Louvre) |
| 1500 March |
He is in Venice, where he works on a plan to defend the Friuli against the Turkish |
| 1501 March |
He is in Rome and in Tivoli, where he can study the antiquities before going to Naples, where he would meet the Count of Ligny |
| 1502 - 03 summer |
He serves Duke Valentino, the son of Alessandro IV. He visits the cities of his dominion (Urbino, Pesaro, Cesena, Cesenatico and Piombino). |
| 1504 |
The republic of Florence entrusts him with the execution of a large painting on the walls of the Palazzo Vecchio. He competes with Michelangelo, who is entrusted with the painting of the Anghieri Battle (a defeat). He starts painting the portrait of Monna Lisa del Giocondo (The Monnalisa, Louvre) |
| 1505 |
Back to Piombino, he works on the project to defend Jacopo Appiani |
| 1506 - 07 |
He is asked to go back to Milan, to serve the King of France |
| 1508 |
He ends the second version of the Vergine delle Rocce (London, National Gallery) |
| 1508 - 13 |
He serves the French in Milan. He studies hydraulics and anatomy. He designs a villa for Charles d'Amboise. In these years he paints the Sant'Anna, which is now kept at the Louvre |
| 1513 - 15 |
Giuliano de' Medici gives him hospitality in Rome |
| 1515 |
He goes to Bologna, where he meets the King of France Francesco I |
| 1517 -19 |
He goes to the Castle of Cloux, near Amboise, where the King of France wanted him to be "premier peintre, architecte du Roi, mescanischien d'Estat". |
| May 2 1519 |
He died in Amboise. His heirs Francesco Melzi and Gian Giacomo Capriotti, called Salai, take his manuscripts and his paintings back to Italy |
