47

Of the line.

[figure]

DEFINITION OF THE NATURE OF THE LINE.

The line has in itself neither matter nor substance and may rather be called an imaginary idea than a real object; and this being its nature it occupies no space. Therefore an infinite number of lines may be conceived of as intersecting each other at a point, which has no dimensions and is only of the thickness (if thickness it may be called) of one single line.

HOW WE MAY CONCLUDE THAT A SUPERFICIES TERMINATES IN A POINT?

An angular surface is reduced to a point where it terminates in an angle. Or, if the sides of that angle are produced in a straight line, then—beyond that angle—another surface is generated, smaller, or equal to, or larger than the first.

Taken from The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci edited by Jean Paul Richter, 1880.

46 * 48
I * III
Notebooks of Leonoardo da Vinci
II: Linear Perspective.
General remarks on perspective.
40,
41
The elements of perspective--Of the Point.
42,
43,
44,
45,
46
Of the line.
47,
48,
49
The nature of the outline.
50
Definition of Perspective.
51
Experimental proof of the existence of the pyramid of sight.
52,
53,
54
The relations of the distance points to the vanishing point.
55,
56
How to measure the pyramid of vision.
57
The Production of pyramid of Vision.
58,
59,
60,
61,
62,
63,
64
Proof by experiment.
65,
66
General conclusions.
67
. . .