The science of light and shadow through apertures
Ray-triangles of a window's light, colour edges, and graded derivative shadow
This sheet develops Leonardo's science of light and shadow passing through apertures. Lettered ray-triangles show how a 'simple light' a b projects through a slit f g so that points L, K, i and h receive successively less of it, down to the deepest shadow. Leonardo argues that the edges of colours passing through a narrow aperture are stronger than their middles, and analyses why derivative light from a window strikes a dark wall with graded, non-uniform brightness, defining where derivative shadow begins. A marginal line notes the 'flux and reflux of fire with air,' and the page ends with the instruction to turn it over.
On this page
A simple light seen whole only through a slit f g
A simple light a b is seen whole only at point m through the aperture f g, its rays forming the triangle a e m. Point L lacks a quarter of the light, K half, and i only a quarter is left, while h sees only the faint end of the light together with the deepest shadow e r.
Colour edges are stronger through a narrow aperture
The edges of every colour that pass through apertures are more distinct than their middles, and images of any colour entering a dark place through a narrow slit are of stronger colour at their edges. That thing becomes darker which is seen by the greater sum of darkness.
Why a window's light strikes a wall unevenly
Derivative light entering through the aperture r S does not strike the wall o c with uniform brightness: point c, seen by the whole window a b, is brightest, while e, g and m are each lit by an ever smaller part of the window. Point o is thus the edge of the lit band and the beginning of the deepest derivative shadow.
