Across the centuries, each generation has interpreted Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519), finding him to be remarkably modern. At the 500th anniversary of his death (May 2, 2019) we can consider Leonardo’s meaning in our era. Our fundamental nature as human beings has not changed in 500 years, but our environment has transformed at an extraordinary rate, along with our perspectives on his accomplishments—and our own. THE NATURE OF GENIUS Leonardo is a genius and a potent symbol of the “universal man”