423

The proportions of light and shade in a leaf.

OF THE SHADOWS OF A LEAF.

Sometimes a leaf has three accidents [of light] that is: shade, lustre [reflected light] and transparency [transmitted light]. Thus, if the light were at n as regards the leaf s, and the eye at m, it would see a in full light, b in shadow and c transparent.

Taken from The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci edited by Jean Paul Richter, 1880.

Notebooks of Leonoardo da Vinci

VIII: Botany for Painters and Elements of Landscape Painting.

. . .

The direction of growth.

403,

404,

405,

406,

The forms of trees.

408,

409,

410,

The insertion of the leaves.

412,

413,

414,

415,

416,

417,

418,

Light on branches and leaves.

420,

421,

The proportions of light and shade in a leaf.

423,

424,

425,

Of the transparency of leaves.

427,

428,

The gradations of shade and colour in leaves.

430,

431,

432,

433,

A classification of trees according to their colours.

The proportions of light and shade in trees.

436,

437,

438,

439,

of the spectator.

441,

442,

. . .