Cover of The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci — Volume 1

The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci — Volume 1

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  • 518 chapters
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"The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci — Volume 1" by da Vinci Leonardo is a collection of writings attributed to the renowned Renaissance artist and thinker, composed during the late 15th and early 16th centuries. This work encompasses Leonardo's thoughts on art, science, and philosophy, revealing the multifaceted genius of a man who was as much an artist as he was a scientist. The manuscript dives into various subjects, including perspective, light, shadow, and the principles of painting, capturing the intricate relationship between the visual arts and scientific inquiry. The opening of this volume begins with a preface discussing the unique and often perplexing nature of Leonardo's writings, which were compiled over many years and across various topics without a strict organizational structure. This introduction highlights the challenges faced by translators and interpreters of Leonardo's work due to his idiosyncratic handwriting and erratic arrangement of ideas. Moreover, the text sets the stage for a deeper exploration of Leonardo's concepts, particularly in the realms of perspective and the function of the eye, leading into meticulous observations and revolutionary theories that would influence both artists and scientists long after his time.

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  • Leonardo, da Vinci, 1452-1519 · Notebooks, sketchbooks, etc.

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Chapter 1

How by a certain machine many may stay some time under water. And how and wherefore I do not describe my method of remaining under water and how long I can remain without eating. And I do not publish nor divulge these, by reason of the evil nature of men, who would use them for assassinations at the bottom of the sea by destroying ships, and sinking them, together with the men in them. Nevertheless I will impart others, which are not dangerous because the mouth of the tube through which you breathe is above the water, supported on air sacks or cork.

[Footnote: The leaf on which this passage is written, is headed with the words Casi 39, and most of these cases begin with the word 'Come', like the two here given, which are the 26th and 27th. 7. Sughero. In the Codex Antlanticus 377a; 1170a there is a sketch, drawn with the pen, representing a man with a tube in his mouth, and at the farther end of the tube a disk. By the tube the word 'Channa' is written, and by the disk the word 'sughero'.]

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Contents

Show all 518 chapters
  1. Volume 1
  2. Preface
  3. Chapter 1
  4. Chapter 2
  5. Chapter 4
  6. Chapter 5
  7. Chapter 7
  8. Chapter 8
  9. Chapter 9
  10. Chapter 10
  11. Chapter 11
  12. Chapter 12
  13. Chapter 13
  14. Chapter 14
  15. Chapter 15
  16. Chapter 16
  17. Chapter 17: On the Sections of [the Book on] Painting
  18. Chapter 18
  19. Chapter 19: Of the Mistakes Made by Those Who Practise Without Knowledge
  20. Chapter 21: Introduction to Perspective: — That Is of the Function of the Eye
  21. Chapter 22
  22. Chapter 23
  23. Chapter 24
  24. Chapter 25
  25. Chapter 28
  26. Chapter 29
  27. Chapter 30
  28. Chapter 32
  29. Chapter 33
  30. Chapter 35
  31. Chapter 36
  32. Chapter 37
  33. Chapter 38
  34. Chapter 39
  35. Chapter 42
  36. Chapter 44
  37. Chapter 45
  38. Chapter 46
  39. Chapter 47
  40. Chapter 48
  41. Chapter 49
  42. Chapter 50
  43. Chapter 51
  44. Chapter 52
  45. Chapter 53
  46. Chapter 54
  47. Chapter 55
  48. Chapter 56
  49. Chapter 57
  50. Chapter 60
  51. Chapter 61
  52. Chapter 62
  53. Chapter 63
  54. Chapter 64
  55. Chapter 65
  56. Chapter 66
  57. Chapter 67
  58. Chapter 68
  59. Chapter 69
  60. Chapter 70
  61. Chapter 71
  62. Chapter 75
  63. Chapter 76
  64. Chapter 77
  65. Chapter 78
  66. Chapter 79
  67. Chapter 80
  68. Chapter 81
  69. Chapter 82
  70. Chapter 83
  71. Chapter 84
  72. Chapter 85
  73. Chapter 86
  74. Chapter 89
  75. Chapter 90
  76. Chapter 92
  77. Chapter 95
  78. Chapter 98
  79. Chapter 99
  80. Chapter 100
  81. Chapter 101
  82. Chapter 102
  83. Chapter 104
  84. Chapter 106
  85. Chapter 107
  86. Chapter 108
  87. Chapter 109
  88. Introduction
  89. Chapter 113
  90. Chapter 115
  91. Chapter 116
  92. Chapter 117
  93. Chapter 118
  94. Chapter 119
  95. Chapter 120
  96. Chapter 121
  97. Chapter 122
  98. Chapter 123
  99. Chapter 125
  100. Chapter 126
  101. Chapter 127
  102. Chapter 128
  103. Chapter 129
  104. First Book on Light and Shade: On the nature of light (130. 131)
  105. Chapter 130
  106. Chapter 131
  107. Chapter 132
  108. Chapter 133
  109. Chapter 135
  110. Chapter 136
  111. Chapter 137
  112. Chapter 138
  113. Chapter 139
  114. Chapter 140
  115. Chapter 141
  116. Chapter 144
  117. Chapter 145
  118. Chapter 146
  119. Second Book on Light and Shade: Gradations of strength in the shadows (148. 149)
  120. Chapter 148
  121. Chapter 149
  122. Chapter 150
  123. Chapter 153
  124. Chapter 154
  125. Chapter 156
  126. Chapter 157
  127. Third Book on Light and Shade: Definition of derived shadow (158. 159)
  128. Chapter 158
  129. Chapter 159
  130. Chapter 160
  131. Chapter 161
  132. Chapter 162
  133. Chapter 163
  134. Chapter 164
  135. Chapter 165
  136. Chapter 166
  137. Chapter 168
  138. Chapter 169
  139. Chapter 171
  140. Chapter 173
  141. Chapter 174: The Farther the Derived Shadow Is Prolonged the Lighter It Becomes
  142. Chapter 178
  143. Chapter 179
  144. Chapter 180
  145. Chapter 181
  146. Chapter 182
  147. Chapter 183
  148. Chapter 184
  149. Chapter 186
  150. Chapter 187
  151. Fourth Book on Light and Shade: On the shape of the cast shadows (188-191)
  152. Chapter 190
  153. Chapter 191
  154. Chapter 194
  155. Chapter 196
  156. Chapter 197
  157. Chapter 198
  158. Chapter 199
  159. Chapter 200
  160. Chapter 202
  161. Fifth Book on Light and Shade: Principles of reflection (203. 204)
  162. Chapter 203: Of the Way in Which the Shadows Cast by Objects Ought to Be Defined
  163. Chapter 205
  164. Chapter 207
  165. Chapter 208
  166. Chapter 209
  167. Chapter 210
  168. Chapter 211
  169. Chapter 212
  170. Sixth Book on Light and Shade: The effect of rays passing through holes (213. 214)
  171. Chapter 213
  172. Chapter 214
  173. Chapter 215
  174. Chapter 216
  175. Chapter 217
  176. Chapter 218
  177. Chapter 219
  178. Chapter 220
  179. Chapter 221
  180. Chapter 222: Of the Diminished Distinctness of the Outlines of Opaque Bodies
  181. Chapter 223
  182. Chapter 224
  183. Chapter 225: Of the Atmosphere That Interposes Between the Eye and Visible Objects
  184. Chapter 227
  185. Chapter 230
  186. Chapter 231
  187. Chapter 234
  188. Chapter 235
  189. Chapter 236
  190. Chapter 237
  191. Chapter 239
  192. Chapter 241
  193. Chapter 243
  194. Chapter 244
  195. Chapter 245
  196. Chapter 246
  197. Chapter 247
  198. Chapter 249
  199. Chapter 250
  200. Chapter 251
  201. Chapter 254
  202. Chapter 260
  203. Chapter 262
  204. Chapter 269
  205. Chapter 270: Of the Rays Which Convey Through the Air the Images of Objects
  206. Chapter 271
  207. Chapter 272
  208. Chapter 273
  209. Chapter 274
  210. Chapter 275
  211. Chapter 276
  212. Chapter 278
  213. Chapter 280
  214. Chapter 281
  215. Chapter 282
  216. Chapter 283
  217. Chapter 284: Why Beautiful Colours Must Be in the [Highest] Light
  218. Chapter 285
  219. Chapter 286
  220. Chapter 288
  221. Chapter 292
  222. Chapter 293: All Colours Are at a Distance Undistinguishable and Undiscernible
  223. Chapter 294: How a Painter Should Carry Out the Perspective of Colour in Practice
  224. Chapter 295
  225. Chapter 296
  226. Chapter 297
  227. Chapter 298
  228. Chapter 299
  229. Chapter 300
  230. Chapter 301
  231. Chapter 302
  232. Chapter 305
  233. Chapter 306
  234. Chapter 309
  235. Chapter 310
  236. Chapter 312
  237. Chapter 313: (a b) is equal to (c d)
  238. Chapter 315
  239. Chapter 316
  240. Chapter 317
  241. Chapter 319
  242. Chapter 320
  243. Chapter 321
  244. Chapter 322
  245. Chapter 324
  246. Chapter 326
  247. Chapter 327
  248. Chapter 328
  249. Chapter 331
  250. Chapter 332
  251. Chapter 333
  252. Chapter 334
  253. Chapter 335
  254. Chapter 336
  255. Chapter 337
  256. Chapter 340
  257. Chapter 341
  258. Chapter 342
  259. Chapter 343
  260. Chapter 345
  261. Chapter 347
  262. Chapter 348
  263. Chapter 349
  264. Chapter 350
  265. Chapter 351
  266. Chapter 354
  267. Chapter 355
  268. Chapter 356
  269. Chapter 357
  270. Chapter 358
  271. Chapter 359
  272. Chapter 360
  273. Chapter 362
  274. Chapter 363
  275. Chapter 364
  276. Chapter 365
  277. Chapter 366
  278. Chapter 367
  279. Chapter 368
  280. Chapter 369
  281. Chapter 371
  282. Chapter 372
  283. Chapter 373
  284. Chapter 374
  285. Chapter 375
  286. Chapter 376
  287. Chapter 378
  288. Chapter 380
  289. Chapter 381
  290. Chapter 383
  291. Chapter 385
  292. Chapter 386
  293. Chapter 388
  294. Chapter 389
  295. Chapter 390
  296. Chapter 391
  297. Chapter 392
  298. Chapter 393
  299. Chapter 394
  300. Chapter 395
  301. Chapter 396
  302. Chapter 397
  303. Chapter 399
  304. Chapter 402: Why, Very Frequently, Timber Has Veins That Are Not Straight
  305. Chapter 403
  306. Chapter 404
  307. Chapter 407
  308. Chapter 408
  309. Chapter 409
  310. Chapter 410
  311. Chapter 412
  312. Chapter 413
  313. Chapter 414
  314. Chapter 415
  315. Chapter 416
  316. Chapter 417
  317. Chapter 418
  318. Chapter 419
  319. Chapter 422
  320. Chapter 423
  321. Chapter 424
  322. Chapter 425
  323. Chapter 426
  324. Chapter 428
  325. Chapter 429
  326. Chapter 431
  327. Chapter 432
  328. Chapter 433
  329. Chapter 434
  330. Chapter 435
  331. Chapter 436
  332. Chapter 437
  333. Chapter 438
  334. Chapter 440
  335. Chapter 441
  336. Chapter 442
  337. Chapter 443
  338. Chapter 444
  339. Chapter 445: Of the 4 Points of the Compass [in Landscapes]
  340. Chapter 446
  341. Chapter 447
  342. Chapter 449
  343. Chapter 450: Of the Spaces [Showing the Sky] in Trees Themselves
  344. Chapter 451
  345. Chapter 453
  346. Chapter 455
  347. Chapter 456
  348. Chapter 457
  349. Chapter 458
  350. Chapter 459
  351. Chapter 460
  352. Chapter 461
  353. Chapter 462
  354. Chapter 463
  355. Chapter 465
  356. Chapter 466
  357. Chapter 467
  358. Chapter 468
  359. Chapter 469
  360. Chapter 471
  361. Chapter 473
  362. Chapter 476
  363. Chapter 477
  364. Chapter 478
  365. Chapter 479
  366. Chapter 480
  367. Chapter 481
  368. Chapter 482
  369. Chapter 483
  370. Chapter 484
  371. Chapter 485
  372. Chapter 487
  373. Chapter 488
  374. Chapter 489
  375. Chapter 490
  376. Chapter 491
  377. Chapter 492
  378. Chapter 493
  379. Chapter 494
  380. Chapter 495
  381. Chapter 496
  382. Chapter 497
  383. Chapter 499
  384. Chapter 500
  385. Chapter 501
  386. Chapter 502
  387. Chapter 503
  388. Chapter 505
  389. Chapter 506
  390. Chapter 507
  391. Chapter 508: A Way of Developing and Arousing the Mind to Various Inventions
  392. Chapter 511
  393. Chapter 512
  394. Chapter 515
  395. Chapter 516
  396. Chapter 518
  397. Chapter 519
  398. Chapter 520
  399. Chapter 523
  400. Chapter 524
  401. Chapter 525
  402. Chapter 526
  403. Chapter 529: How the Mirror Is the Master [and Guide] of Painters
  404. Chapter 530
  405. Chapter 531
  406. Chapter 532
  407. Chapter 533: How in Small Objects Errors Are Less Evident Than in Large Ones
  408. Chapter 534: Why a Painting Can Never Appear Detached As Natural Objects Do
  409. Chapter 535
  410. Chapter 536
  411. Chapter 537
  412. Chapter 539
  413. Chapter 541
  414. Chapter 542
  415. Chapter 543
  416. Chapter 544
  417. Chapter 545
  418. Chapter 547
  419. Chapter 548
  420. Chapter 549
  421. Chapter 550
  422. Chapter 551
  423. Chapter 552
  424. Chapter 553
  425. Chapter 554
  426. Chapter 555
  427. Chapter 556
  428. Chapter 558
  429. Chapter 559
  430. Chapter 560
  431. Chapter 561
  432. Chapter 563: Of the Background That the Painter Should Adopt in His Works
  433. Chapter 564
  434. Chapter 565
  435. Chapter 566
  436. Chapter 567: Why Faces [Seen] at a Distance Look Dark
  437. Chapter 568
  438. Chapter 569
  439. Chapter 570
  440. Chapter 571
  441. Chapter 572
  442. Chapter 573
  443. Chapter 574
  444. Chapter 575
  445. Chapter 579
  446. Chapter 581
  447. Chapter 583
  448. Chapter 584
  449. Chapter 585
  450. Chapter 586
  451. Chapter 587
  452. Chapter 590
  453. Chapter 591: Of Undulating Movements and Equipoise in Figures and Other Animals
  454. Chapter 592
  455. Chapter 593
  456. Chapter 594
  457. Chapter 595
  458. Chapter 596
  459. Chapter 597
  460. Chapter 599
  461. Chapter 600
  462. Chapter 601
  463. Chapter 602
  464. Chapter 603
  465. Chapter 604: Of the Way to Represent a Night [Scene]
  466. Chapter 606
  467. Chapter 607
  468. Chapter 608
  469. Chapter 609
  470. Chapter 610
  471. Chapter 611
  472. Chapter 612
  473. Chapter 616
  474. Chapter 617
  475. Chapter 618
  476. Chapter 619
  477. Chapter 621
  478. Chapter 626
  479. Chapter 628
  480. Chapter 630
  481. Chapter 631
  482. Chapter 632
  483. Chapter 634
  484. Chapter 635: Varnish [or Powder]
  485. Chapter 637: Varnish [or Powder]
  486. Chapter 640
  487. Chapter 641: Mould(?)
  488. Chapter 645
  489. Chapter 646
  490. Chapter 649
  491. Chapter 650
  492. Chapter 652: He Who Despises Painting Loves Neither Philosophy Nor Nature
  493. Chapter 653
  494. Chapter 654
  495. Chapter 655
  496. Chapter 656
  497. Chapter 658
  498. Chapter 659
  499. Chapter 660
  500. Chapter 662
  501. Chapter 663: [In the autumn of] 1478 I began the two Madonna [pictures]
  502. Chapter 664
  503. Chapter 665
  504. Chapter 666
  505. Chapter 667
  506. Chapter 668
  507. Chapter 669
  508. Chapter 670
  509. Chapter 672
  510. Chapter 673
  511. Chapter 674
  512. Chapter 676
  513. Chapter 677
  514. Chapter 679
  515. Chapter 680
  516. Chapter 681
  517. Chapter 682
  518. Chapter 684
  519. Chapter 685
  520. Chapter 688
  521. Chapter 693
  522. Chapter 699
  523. Chapter 703
  524. Chapter 704
  525. Chapter 705

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About this edition

This free edition of The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci — Volume 1 by da Vinci Leonardo comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #4998, released 2004-01-01. It is in the public domain in the United States, so you can read it here in full at no cost, on any phone, tablet or computer. Genre: Essays, Letters & Speeches, Art, Philosophy & Ethics.

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