The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci Complete


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shade will be one thing if the object is in a dark place with a  
particular light, and another thing if it is in a light place with  
direct sunlight; one thing in a dark place with a diffused evening  
light or a cloudy sky, and another in the diffused light of the  
atmosphere lighted by the sun.  
5
54.  
OF THE JUDGMENT TO BE MADE OF A PAINTER'S WORK.  
First you must consider whether the figures have the relief required  
by their situation and the light which illuminates them; for the  
shadows should not be the same at the extreme ends of the  
composition as in the middle, because it is one thing when figures  
are surrounded by shadows and another when they have shadows only on  
one side. Those which are in the middle of the picture are  
surrounded by shadows, because they are shaded by the figures which  
stand between them and the light. And those are lighted on one side  
only which stand between the principal group and the light, because  
where they do not look towards the light they face the group and the  
darkness of the group is thrown on them: and where they do not face  
the group they face the brilliant light and it is their own darkness  
shadowing them, which appears there.  
In the second place observe the distribution or arrangement of  
figures, and whether they are distributed appropriately to the  
395  


Page
393 394 395 396 397

Quick Jump
1 306 613 919 1225