Natural perspective mixed with accidental perspective
The foreshortened square a b c d and the wall that hides the distortion
The right folio (62r) is densely written on the theory of perspective, headed by a long horizontal projection line with lettered points, while the left folio (61v) carries only faint geometric sketches and a short optical note. Leonardo defines natural perspective, where equal things diminish with distance, against accidental perspective, where unequal things are set at chosen distances on a wall so that off-axis they appear monstrous. He works this out with a foreshortened square a b c d and a second square e f g h, arguing that the natural diminution of the wall itself conceals the distortion. A brief note on the left folio relates the proportion of the bases of the angle of incidence to the sides of their triangles.
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Natural perspective versus accidental perspective
In natural perspective, of things of equal magnitude the more remote appears smaller and the nearer larger, diminution matching distance. Accidental perspective instead places unequal things at various distances on a wall whose distance from the eye is unequal along its length, so that when the eye moves off its station point everything drawn appears monstrous.
The squares a b c d and e f g h
The square a b c d drawn above is a foreshortened square seen by an eye placed at the middle of its front. The mixed square e f g h must appear similar to a b c d while the eye stays fixed between c d, and the natural perspective of the wall conceals the defect of the distortion.
Proportion of the bases of the angle of incidence
The proportion of the nearness that the bases of the angle of incidence have to one another is the same as that of the sides of their triangles.
Horizontal projection line
A long ruled line runs across the head of the right folio, carrying lettered points that mark the wall and eye positions used in the perspective demonstration below. It is the construction to which the surrounding text repeatedly refers.
