550

On the choice of light for a picture.

THAT SHADOWS CAST BY A PARTICULAR LIGHT SHOULD BE AVOIDED, BECAUSE THEY ARE EQUALLY STRONG AT THE ENDS AND AT THE BEGINNING.

The shadows cast by the sun or any other particular light have not a pleasing effect on the body to which they belong, because the parts remain confuse, being divided by distinct outlines of light and shade. And the shadows are of equal strength at the end and at the beginning.

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.
. . .
530
On the management of works.
531,
532
On the limitations of painting.
533,
534,
535
On the choice of a position.
536,
537
The apparent size of figures in a picture.
538,
539
spectator.
540,
541,
542,
543,
544,
545,
546,
547
Gradations of light and shade.
548
On the choice of light for a picture.
549,
550,
551,
552,
553,
554,
555
The distribution of light and shade.
556,
557,
558,
559
The juxtaposition of light and shade.
560,
561
On the lighting of the background.
562,
563,
564,
565
On the lighting of white objects.
566
The methods of aerial.
567,
568,
569,
570
. . .