When Leonardo was young his family tried to give him the best education that they could. They recognized Leonardo's talents as a painter and did nothing to discourage it.

Leonardo showed a great deal of potential as an artist and he continued to grow and learn. He became very advanced socially and intellectually. Around the year 1466, he had become an apprentice as a studio boy to Andrea del Verrocchio who, at the time, was an incredibly well-known painter and sculpter of that day. Working with Verrocchio definetly helped Leonardo to advance even more, he was introduced to a variety of activites from painting portraits and "altarpieces" to building sculptures of marble and bronze.

By 1476, he was still mentioned as Verrucchio's assistant even though he had entered into the painters guild in Florence.

In 1478, as a 26 year old, he became an independent master. His first few painting jobs either didn't work out or were unfinished. Yet, Leonardo's accomplishments were not hindered by these.

One of his first paintings is called the Portrait of Ginerva de'Benci (shown right).