LeonardodaVinci(1452-1519),anItaliaRenaissanceartist,naturescientist,engineerandthefounderofmechanicstheory,madetheimpressivecontributionstotheformingofclassicalhydraulicsandfluidmechanics.
DaVinci'sphilosophyideaisneartomaterialism.Hethoughtthateverythingintheworldmustobeytheobjectivenaturerules,knowledgecamefromsentienceanditwasimportanttodotheorygeneralization.Heemphasizedthatmathematicsandmechanicswerethebasisofnaturescience.Healsohadmanygreatfanciesanddiscoveriesonmilitaryaffairs,water-conservancy,civilengineeringandmechanicalengineering
DaVinci'smechanicsresearchworkwasnotonlytheoretic.Healsodesignedlotsofmachinesandapplianceswiththeprinciplesofmechanicsandmechanicalengineering.Hetookpartinthedesignandconstructionofcanals,waterconservancyandarchitecturalengineering.Basedonthestudyofbirdwingsmotion,heschemedoutanaircraftin1493forthefirsttime.
DaVincihadquitealotofraremanuscriptsonhydraulics,whichwaspublishedasWaterMotionandSurveyafterhedied.