The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci Complete


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a. First Class.  
The Chapel "degli Angeli," at Florence, built only to a height of  
about 20 feet by Brunellesco, may be considered as the prototype of  
this group; and, indeed it probably suggested it. The fact that we  
see in MS. B. 11b (Pl. XCIV, No. 3) by the side of Brunellesco's  
plan for the Basilica of Sto. Spirito at Florence, a plan almost  
identical with that of the Capella degli Angeli, confirms this  
supposition. Only two small differences, or we may say improvements,  
have been introduced by Leonardo. Firstly the back of the chapels  
contains a third niche, and each angle of the Octagon a folded  
pilaster like those in Bramante's Sagrestia di S. M. presso San  
Satiro at Milan, instead of an interval between the two pilasters  
as seen in the Battistero at Florence and in the Sacristy of Sto.  
Spirito in the same town and also in the above named chapel by  
Brunellesco.  
The first set of sketches which come under consideration have at  
first sight the appearance of mere geometrical studies. They seem to  
have been suggested by the plan given on page 44 Fig. 2 (MS. B, 55a)  
in the centre of which is written "Santa Maria in perticha da  
Pavia", at the place marked A on the reproduction.  
a) (MS. B, 34b, page 44 Fig. 3). In the middle of each side a column  
is added, and in the axes of the intercolumnar spaces a second row  
of columns forms an aisle round the octagon. These are placed at the  
580  


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