OF THE QUALITY OF LIGHT.

In proportion to the number of times that _a b_ goes into _c d_ will

it be more luminous than _c d_. And similarly, in proportion as the

point _e_ goes into _c d_ will it be more luminous than _c d;_ and

this light is useful for carvers of delicate work. [Footnote 5: For

the same reason a window thus constructed would be convenient for an

illuminator or a miniature painter.]

[Footnote: M. RAVAISSON in his edition of the Paris MS. A remarks on

this passage: _"La figure porte les lettres_ f _et_ g, _auxquelles

rien ne renvoie dans l'explication; par consequent, cette

explication est incomplete. La figure semblerait, d'ailleurs, se

rapporter a l'effet de la reflexion par un miroir concave."_ So far

as I can see the text is not imperfect, nor is the sense obscure. It

is hardly necessary to observe that _c d_ here indicate the wall of

the room opposite to the window _e_ and the semicircle described by

_f g_ stands for the arch of the sky; this occurs in various

diagrams, for example under 511. A similar semicircle, Pl III, No. 2

(and compare No. 149) is expressly called '_orizonte_' in writing.]

519.

That the light should fall upon a picture from one window only. This

may be seen in the case of objects in this form. If you want to

represent a round ball at a certain height you must make it oval in

this shape, and stand so far off as that by foreshortening it

appears round.

520.

The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci — Volume 1 · 第 268 / 366 题