One Vanishing Point for Many Scenes; Light That Gives Relief
Composing a saint's life on one plane, and particular light for detachment
Leonardo answers how to paint a saint's life in many episodes on one wall: set the first plane's point at the beholders' eye level, place the largest story there, then diminish figures and buildings across hills and plains, filling the height with large trees, angels, birds or clouds fit to the story. Chapter 120 holds that figures lit by a particular light show more relief than those under universal light, because the particular light casts reflected lights that detach figures from their grounds; a figure before a particular light in a large dark space gets no reflection and serves only for night scenes. Chapter 121 opens the question of whether the lights and shadows of bodies or their outlines are of greater use.
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Many episodes on one wall, governed by a single point
Set the first plane with its point at the height of the beholders' eyes and paint the first story large upon it; then diminish figures and buildings step by step over various hills and plains to complete that story. The rest of the wall's height should carry large trees compared with the figures, or angels, birds or clouds suited to the subject. Otherwise do not meddle with it, for every such work would be false.
Chapter 120: particular light gives more relief than universal light
Figures lit by a particular light show more relief than those under universal light, because the particular light produces reflected lights that detach figures from their grounds. These reflections rise from the lit part of one figure and rebound into the shadow of the figure in front, illuminating it in part. A figure before a particular light in a large dark space receives no reflection and shows only its lit side; this is to be used only for imitating night, with a small particular light.
Chapter 121: lights and shadows, or outlines, of greater use?
The page ends with the opening of a chapter asking which is of more discourse and utility: the lights and shadows of bodies, or their outlines. Leonardo begins to answer that the terminations of bodies are of greater discourse and ingenuity.