The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci, Vol. 1

Volume 1 of 2-volume set. Total of 1,566 extracts includes writings on painting, sculpture, architecture, anatomy, mining, inventions, and music. Dual Italian-English texts, with 186 plates plus over 500 additional drawings.

Scientist, painter, mechanical engineer, sculptor, thinker, city planner, storyteller, musician, architect — Leonardo da Vinci, builder of the first flying machine, was one of the great universal geniuses of Western civilization. His voluminous notebooks, the great storehouse of his theories and discoveries, are presented here in 1566 extracts that reveal the full range of Leonardo's versatile interest: all the important writings on painting, sculpture, architecture, anatomy, astronomy, geography, topography, and other fields are included, in both Italian and English, with 186 plates of manuscript pages and many other drawings reproduced in facsimile size.The first volume, which contains all of Leonardo's writings on aspects of painting, includes discussions of such basic scientific areas as the structure of the eye and vision, perspective, the science of light and shade, the perspective of disappearance, theory of color, perspective of color, proportions and movements of the human figure, botany for painters, and the elements of landscape painting. A section on the practice of painting includes moral precepts for painters and writings on composition, materials, and the philosophy of art. The second volume contains writings on sculpture, architecture (plans for towns, streets, and canals, churches, palaces, castles, and villas, theoretical writings on arches, domes, fissures, etc.), zoology, physiology (including his amazingly accurate theories of blood circulation), medicine, astronomy, geography (including has famous writings and drawings on the movement of water), topography (observations in Italy, France, and other areas), naval warfare, swimming, theory of flying machines, mining, music, and other topics.A selection of philosophical maxims, morals, polemics, fables, jests, studies in the lives and habits of animals, tales, and prophecies display Leonardo's abilities as a writer and scholar. The second volume also contains some letters, personal records, inventories, and accounts, and concludes with Leonardo's will. The drawings include sketches and studies for some of Leonardo's greatest works of art — The Last Supper, the lost Battle of Anghiari, The Virgin of the Rocks, and the destroyed Sforza monument.

I. PROLEGOMENA AND GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK ON PAINTING Clavis Sigillorum and Index of Manuscripts.?The author's intention to publish his MSS. The preparation of the MSS. for publication Admonition to readers The disorder in the MSS Suggestions for the arrangement of MSS. Treating of particular subjects General introduction to the book on painting The plan of the book on painting The use of the book on painting Necessity of the theoretical knowledge The function of the eye Variability of the eye Focus of sight Differences of perception by one eye and by both eyes The comparative size of the image depends on the amount of lightII. LINEAR PERSPECTIVE General remarks on perspective The elements of perspective:?of the point Of the line The nature of the outline Definition of perspective The perception of the object depends on the direction of the eye Experimental proof of the existence of the pyramid of sight The relations of the distance point to the vanishing point How to measure the pyramid of vision The production of the pyramid of vision Proof by experiment General conclusions That the contrary is impossible A parallel case "The function of the eye, as explained by the camera obscura" The practice of perspective Refraction of the rays falling upon the eye The inversion of the images The intersection of the rays Demonstration of perspective by means of a vertical glass plane The angle of sight varies with the distance Opposite pyramids in juxtaposition On simple and complex perspective The proper distance of objects from the eye The relative size of objects with regard to their distance from the eye The apparent size of objects defined by calculation On natural perspectiveIII. SIX BOOKS ON LIGHT AND SHADE GENERAL INTRODUCTION. Prolegomena Scheme of the books on light and shade Different principles and plans of treatment Different sorts of light Definition of the nature of shadows Of the various kinds of shadows Of the various kinds of light General remarks FIRST BOOK ON LIGHT AND SHADE. On the nature of light The difference between light and lustre The relations of luminous to illuminated bodies Experiments on the relation of light and shadow within a room Light and shadow with regard to the position of the eye The law of the incidence of light SECOND BOOK ON LIGHT AND SHADE. Gradations of strength in the shadows On the intensity of shadows as dependent on the distance from the light On the proportion of light and shadow THIRD BOOK ON LIGHT AND SHADE. Definition of derived shadow Different sorts of derived shadows On the relation of derived and primary shadow On the shape of derived shadows On the relativity intensity of derived shadows Shadow as produced by two lights of different size The effect of light at different distances Further complications in the derived shadows FOURTH BOOK ON LIGHT AND SHADE. On the shape of cast shadows On the outlines of cast shadows On the relative size of cast shadows Effects on cast shadows by the tone of the back ground A disputed proposition On the relative depth of cast shadows FIFTH BOOK ON LIGHT AND SHADE. Principles of reflection On reverberation Reflection on water Experiments with the mirror Appendix:?On shadows in movement SIXTH BOOK LIGHT AND SHADE. The effect of rays passing through holes On gradation of shadows On relative proportion of light and shadowsIV. PERSPECTIVE OF DISAPPEARANCE Definition An illustration by experiment A guiding rule An experiment On indistinctness at short distances On indistinctness at great distances The importance of light and shade in the Prospettiva de' perdimenti The effect of light or dark backgrounds on the apparent size of objects Propositions on Prospettiva de' perdimenti from MS. C.V. THEORY OF COLOURS The reciprocal effects of colours on objects placed opposite each other Combination of different colours in cast shadows The effect of colours in the camera obscura On the colours of derived shadows On the nature of colours On gradations in the depth of colours On the reflection of colours On the use of dark and light colours in painting On the colours of the rainbowVI. PERSPECTIVE OF COLOUR AND AERIAL PERSPECTIVE General rules An exceptional case An experiment The practice of the Prospettiva de' colori The rules of aerial perspective On the relative density of the atmosphere On the colour of the atmosphereVII. ON THE PROPORTIONS AND ON THE MOVEMENTS OF THE HUMAN FIGURE Preliminary observations Proportions of the head and face Proportions of the head seen in front Proportions of the foot Relative proportions of the hand and foot Relative proportions of the foot and of the face Proportions of the leg On the central point of the whole body The relative proportions of the torso and of the whole figure The relative proportions of the head and of the torso The relative proportions of the torso and of the leg The relative proportions of the torso and of the foot The proportions of the whole figure The torso from the front and back Vitruvius' scheme of proportions The arm and head Proportions of the arm The movement of the arm& The study of the antique The necessity of anatomical knowledge How to acquire practice Industry and thoroughness the first conditions The artist's private life and choice of company The distribution of time for studying On the productive power of minor artists A caution against one-sided study How to acquire universality Useful games and exercises II. THE ARTIST'S STUDIO.?INSTRUMENTS AND HELPS FOR THE APPLICATION OF PERSPECTIVE.?ON JUDGING OF A PICTURE. On the size of the studio On the construction of windows On the best light for painting On various helps in preparing a picture On the management of works On the limitations of painting On the choice of a position The apparent size of figures in a picture "The right position of the artist, when painting and of spectator" III. THE PRACTICAL METHODS OF LIGHT AND SHADE AND AËRIAL PERSPECTIVE Gradations of light and shade On the choice of light for a picture The distribution of light and shade The juxtaposition of light and shade On the lighting of the background On the lighting of white objects The methods of aërial perspective IV. OF PORTRAIT AND FIGURE PAINTING. Of sketching figures and portraits The position of the head Of the light on the face General suggestions for historical pictures How to represent the differences of age and sex Of representing the emotions Of representing imaginary animals The selection of forms How to pose figures Of appropriate gestures V. SUGGESTIONS FOR COMPOSITIONS. Of painting battle-pieces Of depicting night-scenes Of depicting a tempest Of representing the deluge Of depicting natural phenomena VI. THE ARTIST'S MATERIALS. Of chalk and paper On the preparation and use of colours Of preparing the panel The preparation of oils On varnishes On chemical materials VII. PHILOSOPHY AND HISTORY OF THE ART OF PAINTING. The relation of art and nature Painting is superior to poetry Painting is superior to sculpture Aphorisms On the history of painting The painter's scope X. STUDIES AND SKETCHES FOR PICTURES AND DECORATIONS On pictures of the Madonna Bernardo di Bandino's portrait Notes on the Last Supper On the battle of Anghiari Allegorical representations referring to the duke of Milan Allegorical representations Arrangement of a picture List of drawings Mottoes and Emblems REFERENCE TABLE TO THE NUMERICAL ORDER OF THE CHAPTERS