Perspective in Painting, Given Free to Sculpture by Nature
Shadow, light, and mathematical perspective in the paragone
A short paragraph closing the argument of the previous leaf. Leonardo says the painter must investigate the true qualities and quantities of shadows and lights, whereas nature places them in the sculptor's work of itself. Likewise perspective, the most subtle invention of the mathematical studies, which by lines makes the near seem remote and the small seem large, is supplied to sculpture by nature without any invention on the sculptor's part. Below the ruled paragraph the leaf shows only the show-through of the following page.
On this page
The painter must reason out the true light and shade
The painter, with subtle investigation, must set down the true qualities and quantities of the shadows and lights; here, by contrast, nature places these of itself into the works of the sculptor.
Perspective as a mathematical invention nature gives sculpture free
Perspective is called the most subtle investigation and invention of the mathematical studies, which by force of lines makes what is near appear remote and what is small appear large. Sculpture is aided by nature in this and achieves it without any invention on the sculptor's part.