Painting: Shadow, Colour, Relief, and the Shoulder in Motion
Imperceptible shadows, colour borrowed from surroundings, and a marginal figure of coiled springs
A dense 'Painting' note collects rules of light and colour: within shadows there are further shadows imperceptible in darkness and shape, since globular surfaces carry as many darknesses and brightnesses as the objects before them; the part of an opaque body is most shadowed or lit where nearest the shadowing or lighting thing; and every opaque surface partakes of the colour of its object more strongly as that object is nearer or more powerful. Things seen between light and shadow show the greatest relief. A closing instruction turns to the outward figure, urging study of how the shoulder varies in every motion of the arm and likewise the neck, hands, feet and chest over the flanks. In the margin a small drawing of coiled springs accompanies the text.
On this page
Imperceptible shadows and borrowed colour
Within shadows lie further shadows imperceptible in darkness and shape, for globular surfaces hold as many darknesses and brightnesses as the objects set before them. A body is most shadowed or lit where nearest the shadowing or lighting thing, and every opaque surface takes on its object's colour more strongly the nearer or more powerful that object is; bodies seen between light and shadow show the greatest relief.
The shoulder's variation in every motion of the arm
Leonardo directs the painter to note how the shoulder changes in all the motions of the arm, between up and down, inward, outward, backward, forward, and in whirling and every other motion. The same attention is to be given to the neck, hands, feet, and the chest over the flanks.
Coiled springs drawn in the margin
In the lower right margin a small figure shows coiled or threaded springs, drawn alongside the painting notes. The bundle supplies only the caption for this sketch and no accompanying transcribed text.