Virtue Nourishes the Soul; Heeding an Enemy's Judgment
Virtue as the soul's true wealth, and why a painter should welcome an enemy's criticism over a friend's praise
This folio of the Treatise on Painting closes Leonardo's discourse on wealth by asking what fame remains of those who served only bodily desires like brute animals, and insisting that only the study of virtue feeds soul and body. He notes philosophers who gave away their riches and urges nourishing children with virtues, which alone are faithful riches. Chapter 65a then warns that nothing deceives us more than our own judgment of our works, so the painter should heed an adversary's criticism as readily as a friend's praise, since hatred is more powerful than love and flattery born of envy blinds the maker.
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Only the study of virtue nourishes soul and body
Leonardo asks what fame remains of those who served only the filthy desires of the body like brute animals, and tells the painter to blame no one but himself if necessity leaves him no time to study, since only the study of virtue feeds soul and body. He cites philosophers who gave away their riches to avoid disgrace and advises nourishing children with virtues, the only faithful riches that leave us only with life itself. To wait until one has amassed money as a dowry for old age is to fill the vessel of virtue with dreams and vain hopes.
Chapter 65a: heed the enemy's judgment over the friend's
Nothing deceives us more than our own judgment when passing sentence on our works; it judges enemies' things well but not friends', since hatred and friendship are the most powerful passions among living beings. Leonardo therefore urges the painter to hear an adversary's remarks on his work no less willingly than a friend's, for hatred is more powerful than love and a true friend, being another self, may deceive himself. A third kind of judgment, moved by envy, produces flattery that praises good beginnings only to blind the maker with a lie.