Leonardo stayed in Milan for 17 years, until the war with France made living there impossible. While in Milan, he produced thousands of pages of sketches.
He drew plants, animals, human bodies, buildings, people, canals, contact lenses, bridges, parachutes, and more. The drawings show his remarkable skill as a draftsman and his far-ranging genius. His careful observation yielded accurate drawings. Leonardo’s illustrations aided not only doctors but also inventors, botanists, and engineers.
Leonardo left Milan in 1500 and traveled in Italy, finally settling again in Florence. In 1516, at the invitation of King Francis I, Leonardo moved to France, where he died in 1519, at age 67.