Leonardo da Vinci’s father, Ser Piero, was a notary. Ser Piero was a successful Florentine legal notary whose professional work involved preparing, authenticating, and recording legal documents.
Leonardo was born out of wedlock in 1452 to Ser Piero and Caterina, a woman from a lower social class. Because Ser Piero’s career and household were based largely in Florence, Leonardo eventually grew up in the extended family home and later moved into the city, where he entered Andrea del Verrocchio’s workshop.
Ser Piero’s profession also helps explain the title “ser” in Leonardo’s full name, Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci. It was a courtesy title associated with his father’s standing. A common mix-up is to imagine that Leonardo inherited an artistic trade from his father; Ser Piero was a legal professional, while Leonardo’s artistic training came through the Florentine workshop system. Ser Piero’s family included a long line of notaries, making the profession part of the family’s established social identity.