The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci — Volume 1 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 360 pages of information about The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci — Volume 1.

The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci — Volume 1 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 360 pages of information about The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci — Volume 1.

[Footnote 8:  The sketch No. 2 on Pl.  XXIV stands, in the original, between lines 7 and 8.  Compare also the sketches on Pl.  LIV.] A man who has to deal a great blow with his weapon prepares himself with all his force on the opposite side to that where the spot is which he is to hit; and this is because a body as it gains in velocity gains in force against the object which impedes its motion.

On hair falling down in curls.

389.

Observe the motion of the surface of the water which resembles that of hair, and has two motions, of which one goes on with the flow of the surface, the other forms the lines of the eddies; thus the water forms eddying whirlpools one part of which are due to the impetus of the principal current and the other to the incidental motion and return flow.

[Footnote:  See Pl.  XXV.  Where also the text of this passage is given in facsimile.]

On draperies (390—­392).

390.

OF THE NATURE OF THE FOLDS IN DRAPERY.

That part of a fold which is farthest from the ends where it is confined will fall most nearly in its natural form.

Every thing by nature tends to remain at rest.  Drapery, being of equal density and thickness on its wrong side and on its right, has a tendency to lie flat; therefore when you give it a fold or plait forcing it out of its flatness note well the result of the constraint in the part where it is most confined; and the part which is farthest from this constraint you will see relapses most into the natural state; that is to say lies free and flowing.

EXAMPLE.

[Footnote 13:  a c sia.  In the original text b is written instead of c—­an evident slip of the pen.] Let a b c be the fold of the drapery spoken of above, a c will be the places where this folded drapery is held fast.  I maintain that the part of the drapery which is farthest from the plaited ends will revert most to its natural form.

Therefore, b being farthest from a and c in the fold a b c it will be wider there than anywhere else.

[Footnote:  See Pl.  XXVIII, No. 6, and compare the drawing from Windsor Pl.  XXX for farther illustration of what is here stated.]

391.

OF SMALL FOLDS IN DRAPERIES.

How figures dressed in a cloak should not show the shape so much as that the cloak looks as if it were next the flesh; since you surely cannot wish the cloak to be next the flesh, for you must suppose that between the flesh and the cloak there are other garments which prevent the forms of the limbs appearing distinctly through the cloak.  And those limbs which you allow to be seen you must make thicker so that the other garments may appear to be under the cloak.  But only give something of the true thickness of the limbs to a nymph [Footnote 9:  Una nifa.  Compare the beautiful drawing of a Nymph, in black chalk from the Windsor collection, Pl.  XXVI.] or an angel, which are represented in thin draperies, pressed and clinging to the limbs of the figures by the action of the wind.

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The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci — Volume 1 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.