63

The Production of pyramid of Vision.

[figure]

Every body in light and shade fills the surrounding air with infinite images of itself; and these, by infinite pyramids diffused in the air, represent this body throughout space and on every side. Each pyramid that is composed of a long assemblage of rays includes within itself an infinite number of pyramids and each has the same power as all, and all as each. A circle of equidistant pyramids of vision will give to their object angles of equal size; and an eye at each point will see the object of the same size. The body of the atmosphere is full of infinite pyramids composed of radiating straight lines, which are produced from the surface of the bodies in light and shade, existing in the air; and the farther they are from the object which produces them the more acute they become and although in their distribution they intersect and cross they never mingle together, but pass through all the surrounding air, independently converging, spreading, and diffused. And they are all of equal power [and value]; all equal to each, and each equal to all. By these the images of objects are transmitted through all space and in every direction, and each pyramid, in itself, includes, in each minutest part, the whole form of the body causing it.

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

62 * 64
I * III
Notebooks of Leonoardo da Vinci
II: Linear Perspective.
. . .
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
That the contrary is impossible.
68
A parallel case.
69
The function of the eye as explained by the camera obscura.
70,
71
The practice of perspective.
72,
73
Refraction of the rays falling upon the eye.
74,
75
The inversion of the images.
76
The intersection of the rays.
77,
78,
79,
80,
81,
82
Demomstration of perspective by means of a vertical glass plane.
83
. . .