Andrea del Verrocchio

Born out of wedlock to a successful notary and a lower-class woman in, or near, Vinci, he was educated in Florence by the renowned Italian

painter and sculptor Andrea del Verrocchio. He began his career in the city, but then spent much time in the service of Ludovico Sforza in

Milan. Later, he worked in Florence and Milan again, as well as briefly in Rome, all while attracting a large following of imitators and

students. Upon the invitation of Francis I, he spent his last three years in France, where he died in 1519. Since his death, there

has not been a time where his achievements, diverse interests, personal life, and empirical thinking have failed to incite interest and admiration,[3][4] making him a frequent namesake and subject in culture.