Light through an aperture, a domed church plan and mechanism sketches
Four mounted fragments: optics of shadow, a centralized plan, small mechanisms and a pinnacle
This restored sheet mounts four fragments (a-d) of a single leaf; three carry only curators' notes that they are blank. The drawn fragments show small studies of mechanisms and architectural details with the notes 'make them double, that is 4 f m n' and 'one and a half braccia,' and a centralized, domed church plan with four projecting arms. A longer note on optics accompanies a diagram of light rays passing through an aperture (labelled t S r y x v -n a m o), holding that no opaque body is seen unless clothed in shaded and lit surface and that derivative light is surrounded by primitive shadow. A tall pinnacle-like element is drawn on the narrow left fragment.
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Light rays through an aperture; shadow on opaque bodies
No opaque body is seen unless clothed in shaded and illuminated surface, and the air and every transparent body carries the images (species) of objects to the eye. Derivative light is surrounded by primitive shadow, and derivative shadow by derivative light. The diagram is labelled t S r y x v -n a m o.
Centralized, domed church plan
A ground plan of a centrally-planned church: a domed core ringed by chapels with four cross-arms projecting outward, of the type Leonardo repeatedly explored.
Small mechanism studies with dimensions
A dense panel of small pen sketches of mechanisms and fittings, annotated 'make them double, that is 4 f m n' and a measurement of 'one and a half braccia.'
Tall pinnacle study
The narrow left-hand fragment carries a tall, slender vertical element rising from a decorated base, resembling a pinnacle or spire.