Painters Who Blame Poor Pay; Heeding Others' Judgment
Idlers who hide behind gold and azure; and why even a layman can rightly judge a painted figure's faults
The chapter on the universal painter concludes with a sweeping list of what a good painter must render equally well, from mountainous and level sites, springs, rivers and cities to public and private buildings, tools, dress and ornament. Next, 'Of the Sorry Excuse of Those Who Falsely Call Themselves Painters' mocks idle painters who blame poor pay for poor work, arguing they should keep good pieces to prove they can work at any price. A final chapter urges the painter to welcome everyone's judgment while at work, since even a non-painter has true knowledge of the human form and can tell whether a figure is hunchbacked or misshapen, so that one profits from others' criticism. The folio is a plain text column with no drawings.
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The good painter must render all things equally well
The universal painter must handle with equal skill mountainous and level sites, springs, rivers, cities, public and private buildings, instruments fit for human use, and various garments, ornaments and crafts. All these belong to him whom one would call a good painter.
Idlers who blame poor pay for poor work
A breed of painters who study little live off the beauty of gold and azure, foolishly claiming they withhold good work because of poor rewards and could do as well as anyone if well paid. Leonardo derides them: they ought instead to keep good pieces on hand, priced for every sort of buyer, to show their true ability.
Welcome everyone's judgment while working
The judgment of everyone should not be refused while one paints. Since a man deceives himself in his own works, one should heed others' criticism, and, failing to see the fault in oneself, consider it in others and so profit from their errors.
Even a layman can judge a figure's defects
Even a non-painter has true knowledge of the human form and can judge whether a man is hunchbacked, has one shoulder high or low, or a large mouth or nose or other defects. If men can truly judge the works of nature, still more can they judge a painter's errors.