442

of the spectator.

OF THE HERBS OF THE FIELD.

Of the plants which take a shadow from the plants which spring among them, those which are on this side [in front] of the shadow have the stems lighted up on a background of shadow, and the plants on which the shadows fall have their stems dark on a light background; that is on the background beyond the shadow.

OF TREES WHICH ARE BETWEEN THE EYE AND THE LIGHT.

Of the trees which are between the eye and the light the part in front will be light; but this light will be broken by the ramifications of transparent leaves—being seen from the under side—and lustrous leaves—being seen from the upper side; and the background below and behind will be dark green, being in shadow from the front portion of the said tree. This occurs in trees placed above the eye.

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

VII * X
Notebooks of Leonoardo da Vinci
VIII: Botany for Painters and Elements of Landscape Painting.
. . .
422
The proportions of light and shade in a leaf.
423,
424,
425,
426
Of the transparency of leaves.
427,
428,
429
The gradations of shade and colour in leaves.
430,
431,
432,
433,
434
A classification of trees according to their colours.
435
The proportions of light and shade in trees.
436,
437,
438,
439,
440
of the spectator.
441,
442,
443
The effects of morning light.
444,
445,
446,
447,
448
The effects of midday light.
449
The appearance of trees in the distance.
450,
451
The cast shadow of trees.
452
Light and shade on groups of trees.
453,
454,
455,
456,
457
On the treatment of light for landscapes.
458,
459,
460,
461,
462
. . .