Leonardo da Vinci is not only one of the most famous artists in history, but he was also a botanist, a writer, and an inventor. Even though most of his inventions were not actually built in his lifetime, many of today’s modern machines can be traced back to some of his original designs. The parachute, the military tank, the bicycle, and even the airplane were foretold in the imaginative drawings that can still be seen in the fragments of da Vinci’s notebooks. Over 500 years ago, this man conceived ideas that were far ahead of his time. The author of this passage is praising da Vinci primarily for his

A) artistic talent

B) fame

C) intellect

D) foresight