The passato remoto, at least for me, was one of the most difficult tenses to learn in Italian because I don't use it every day. Below is a short biography on the life of Leonardo Da Vinci. Using the passage below, translate the English into Italian using either the passato remoto or the imperfetto. Please avoid the use of the passato prossimo when possible. The purpose of this exercise is to practice and improve upon your usage of the passato remoto:Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (April 15, 1452 – May 2, 1519) was an Italian polymath; a scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, painter, sculptor, architect, botanist, musician and writer.
Born as the illegitimate son of a notary, Piero da Vinci, and a peasant girl, Caterina, at Vinci in the region of Florence, Leonardo was educated in the studio of the renowned Florentine painter, Verrocchio.
Leonardo remained in Verrocchio's workshop until 1477. Leonardo entered the service of the Duke of Milan in 1482. He spent 17 years in Milan, leaving after Duke Ludovico Sforza's fall from power in 1499. The Duke put Leonardo to work designing weapons, buildings and machinery. From 1485 to 1490, Leonardo produced studies on many subjects, including nature, flying machines, geometry, mechanics, municipal construction, canals and architecture (designing everything from churches to fortresses).
His Milan workshop was a veritable hive of activity, full of apprentices and students. Leonardo's interests were very broad, and left dozens of paintings and projects unfinished or unrealized and spent most of his time studying science. Around 1503, Leonardo reportedly painted the "Mona Lisa." From 1513 to 1516, he worked in Rome, maintaining a workshop and undertaking a variety of projects for the Pope. He continued his studies of human anatomy and physiology, but the Pope forbade him from dissecting cadavers.
One of Leonardo's last patrons, Giuliano de' Medici, died in March of 1516. Leonardo was then offered the title of Premier Painter and Engineer and Architect of the King by Francis I in France. His last and perhaps most generous patron, Francis I provided Leonardo a lucrative commission, including a stipend and manor house near the royal chateau at Amboise. Leonardo died on May 2, 1519 in Cloux, France. Legend has it that King Francis was at his side when he died, cradling Leonardo's head in his arms.
I will post my response to the translation in the next few days.
