OF

DA

DRIVINGS
LEONARDO
VINCI

LONDON.

SOUTHAMPTON
NEW

YORK

NEWNES

GEORGE

STREET.
CHARLES

LIMITED
STRAND

SCRIBNEKS

w.c

SONS

The

St.,

Tavistock

LIBRARY
THE

Press

Ballantyne

London

ILLUSTRATIONS

OF

LIST

FLATK

PROFILE

OF

WARRIOR

A
OF

PORTRAIT

ISABELLA

STUDY

OF

AN

OLD

STUDY

OF

DRAPERIES

STUDY

OF

Frontispiece

D'ESTE

MAN

FOR

KNEELING

FIGURES

in

OF

HEAD

BACCHUS

iv

MAN

BETWEEN

BATTLE

HORSEMEN

AND

MONSTERS

vi

ON

SEATED

WOMAN

GROUND

AND

CHILD

KNEELING

vn

HEADS

OF

STUDIES

ON

YOUTH
STUDIES

FOR

THE

THE

EQUESTRIAN

STATUE

OF

SFORZA
ST.

VIRGIN,

STUDIES

IX

THE

FRANCESCO

vin

HORSEBACK

ANNE

AND

INFANT

xi

...

OF

CHILDREN

xn

COMBAT

STUDY

xin

FOR

MADONNA

xiv

STUDIES

FOR

"THE

HOLY

ySTUDIES

FOR

"THE

LAST

FAMILY"

xv

...

COURTYARD

OF

STUDY

OF

STUDY

FOR
OF

THE

HEAD

STUDY

OF

LANDSCAPE

STUDY

OF

xvi

AN

OF

xvn

APOSTLE
"THE

xvm

ADORATION
xix
xx

TREE

HEADS.

VST. JOHN

OF

BACKGROUND
MAGI"

CANNON-FOUNDRY

THE

TWO

SUPPER"

xxi

CARICATURES
THE

xxn

BAPTIST

xxm

THE

HEAD

OF

CHRIST

xxiv

CARICATURES
.

HEAD

OF

OF

STUDY

'

AN
A

xxv

ANGEL
MAN'S

xxvi

HEAD

xxvn

LIST

ILLUSTRATIONS

OF

PL*"

HANDS

OF

STUDIES

WITH

FIGHTING

DRAGON

'.

LION

xxvm

KNEELING

MAN

OF

PORTRAIT

OF

STUDY
THE

HEADS
STUDY

STUDY

OF

BUST

WOMAN

xxxiv
xxxv

CARTOON

xxxvi

HORSES

OF

xxxvn

AND

WOMAN

FOR

DRAPERY

OF

ARMOUR

IN

KNIGHT

xxxm

HEAD

OF

STUDIES

AND

MEN

ANNE

ST.

xxxn

HIMSELF

BY

LEONARDO,

OF

HEADS

SIX

xxxi

ANIMALS

OF

STUDIES

OF

xxx

STUDY

PORTRAIT

xxix

....

KNEELING

FIGURE

xxxvm
xxxix
xl

HEAD

YOUTHFUL

CHILD

xli
'

STUDY
HEAD

OF

STUDY
STUDY

GIRL'S
STUDIES

AN

OLD

HEAD

OF

MAN

xliii

xliv

HEAD

THE

OF

OF

ST.

PHILIP

FOR

THE

"

SUPPER"

LAST

STUDY

"LEDA"

FOR

xlii

OF

xlv

DRAPERY

HEAD
OF

xlvi
xlvii

SATYR

WITH

LION

xlviii

/
/

THE

DRAWINGS

OF

LEONARDO
BY

C.

DA
LEWIS

HIND

EONARDO
t

and
use

VINCI

stimulating

most

of pen

and

the

unknown
Here

in

is

make

in

text

showing

to

eager
his " Treatise

text

the

"

and

with

him

as

The

force

naturallyas
The

Painting

on

behind."

drawing

readiest

egoistictalker.
that

Open the pages

which
greatest twist

himself

at

the

The
self-expression.
to

came

drawing

is

books.

illustrated

turning to look
hardly needed.

is

wished

sketch

an

in

the

amplify

modern

to

in

of

way

crayon

monologue
outline
designs
and

found

VINCI

DA

The

supplies all

"

aid

almost

random.

at
a

man

can

accompanying
that

Leonardo

convey.

Unlike

authentic
Velasquez, whose
drawings are almost negligible,
chalk
absent
from
were
or
pencil,
silver-point,
rarely
pen,
of
and
Monna
"Lisa
Leonardo's
face
the
in
The
and
hand,
although,
Virginof the ^ocks and the St. Anne^ it is an exaggeration to say that
have
had
been
he would
of his work
none
quite as highly esteemed
the
drawings that we
preserved,it is in
except the drawings been
the

realise

extent

of

"

of

Leonardo

remains,

now

called

continent

Leonardo."

The

ward-smil
in-

as
pictures,that have given Leonardo
place apart in the painting hierarchy,appear again and
of sculpture,where
the
in the domain
drawings. And
also triumphed, although nothing modelled
by his hand
women

painter a
again in

that

we

the

read

in

Vasari

of

certain

"

heads

of

women

smiling."
His

"

spiritwas

biographer,
of

"

at

never

his mind

devising new
soaring mind is

was

Billi,his

rest," says Antonio

ever

things."

earliest

The

lessness
rest-

nowhere
evident as
so
profound and
drawings and in the sketches that illustrate the manuscripts.
Nature, in lavishingso many
centration,
giftsupon him, perhaps withheld conlike
the
it
he
be
did
that,
bee,
might
argued
although
leave a flower until all the honey or nourishment
he needed
not
was
withdrawn.
of
sheet
He
begins a drawing on a
tion
paper, his imaginathat

in the

darts

and

leaps,and

the

paper

is

soon

covered

with

various
7

VINCI

DA

LEONARDO

OF

DRAWINGS

THE

designs. Upon the margins of his manuscripts he jotted down

Atlanticus
Codex
the clauses of the
pictorialideas. Between
Leda.
find an earlysketch for his lost pictureof
we
him
world
The
at large to-dayreverences
as
a
painter,but to
of the full circle of life.
but
Leonardo
section
a
painting was
Everything that offered food to the vision or to the brain of man
of Milan
In the letter that he wrote
to the Duke
appealedto him.
he sets forth,in detail,
his qualifications
his services,
in 1482, offering
in engineeringand
militaryscience, in constructingbuildings,in
from
one
place to another, beginning with the
conducting water
I
construct
can
clause,
bridges which are very lightand strong
and very portable." Not
until the end of this long letter does he
mention
the brief statement,
the fine arts, contentinghimself with
I can
further
execute
sculpturein marble, bronze, or clay,
he be."
also in paintingI can
do as much
as
else,whoever
any one
Astronomy, optics,physiology,
geology, botany, he brought his
"

"

"

"

mind

bear

to

is dazed

Leonardo

Indeed, he

all.

upon

by

the

of his

range

undertakes

who

to

He

activities.

write

engineerto Cassar Borgia ; he occupied himself with the

in Lombardy ; he
of hydraulicworks
proposed to
of San Giovanni
Baptistery
the Loire by an
immense
with flying-machines
; and

at

canal
his

of his

Painting and
He
genius/'*
sparedno

him.

Matteo

as

musician.

della

Bandello,

Grazie, gives the

Florence
the

with

he

schemed

Saone

upon

military

was

tion
construc-

raise the
connect

to

he

experimented
his skill
to
earlybiographerstestify
;

modellinghe regardedbut
labour

over

of the

member

creation

convent

of

followingaccount

his

as

that

moiety

absorbed

of Santa

Maria

method

when

was
as
wont,
Supper.
myself have
the scaffolding
often ^een, to mount
earlyin the morning and work
until the approachof night,and in the interest of paintinghe forgot

engaged

both

meat

when

he
his

him,

too,

The

upon

and

did

not

work,
at

Last

"

He

four days
three, or even
came
two,
but
in
hour
two
or
a hand,
ting
contemplaspent an
the
I
and
criticising figures. have seenexamining

drink.

noon,

There

stir

when

the

sun

stood

in

the

sign of Leo,

leave

the

of the town), where

he was
(in the centre
engaged
della Grazie,
to Santa Maria
on
equestrianstatue, and go straight
the scaffolding,
three
seize a brush, add two
touches to a
mount
or
and return
forthwith."
singlefigure,
Leonardo
impressedhis contemporariesarm touched their imaginations,
Cellini describes
he captivates
even
as
us
to-day.Benvenuto
Francis
Leonardo's
words
as
King
during the last
hanging upon
and saying that "he
did not believe that any other
years of his life,
Corte

Vecchia

his

had

man

into the world

come

Leonardo."

as

essay
word
in Mr.

Herbert

that

"

at

should, in

Life."

As

the

to

The

"

on

catalogue

lovelyreproductionsthrough
pages,
the pinnacleof his appreciation.In
on
of Leonardo's

Richter's

"

treatise

in

of sketches

wealth

His

text, one
activity.Some

mental

the
still

are

promise a complete edition

on
Painting is easily
"

Treatise

"

and

realises

the

"

The

"

da Vinci

of Leonardo

Works
Literary
which
begins:

student

young

of perspective, to
after which,
:

first place,acquire_a
knowledge

the

him

of Vasari's

last

volume, and

recent

"

Berenson, in his costlywork

Masters," has included

earlydate.

an

wonderful

enable

McCurdy's

the Italian Government

in Dr.

perhapsthe

said

has

the

sweep

but
unpublished,

great a knowledge

so

Florentine

placed his favourites

with
their
manuscripts,
the tremendous

Mr.

VINCI

DA

luminously imaginative

Pater's

edition

Bernhard
the

raisorwe,has scattered

of the MSS.

in

P. Home's

drawings,Mr.
Drawings of

accessible

knows

achievement

his

upon

attained

had

scientific criticism

Leonardo, and

on

who

Everybody

LEONARDO

OF

DRAWINGS

THE

dimensions

objectits proper

give every
of an able master, to accustom
the care
he be under
requisife~~tnat
him, by degrees,to a good styleof drawing the parts. Nexi^Jbe
should study Nature, in order to confirm jind fix in his mind
the
to

it is

\yTJlc1TTiehas
"oQlj^selgrecepts

reason
some

time

eye
all that
"

in

viewing
judgment, in

and

he
"

Colours

is entitled

for Ever."

Milan,
"

been

has

In view

fadingfrom

almost."

He

least of them

is

red

chalk

that he may

order

able

be

taught." Chapter ccxxx.

How
to painta Picture

series of
of his

"

Fables

reader
"

from

to

in

form

to

put

in

the

section

his

practice
on

that will Last Almost

The
to

hast

Supperat

and
surprises,
his

word

the

insert

the

not

pen,

included

hand

exists

in

works.
literary

of Leonardo
portrait
the

drawing in

also bestow

must

old masters,

of
of the present condition
wise
was
sight,Leonardo

is the

authentic

works of various

giving the
constantly

Dr. Richter's edition

One

"

the

He

learnt.

at
library

by

his

Turin.

own

Dating

"

the

the last

from

incessant

years of his

the face of a seer, moulded

it shows
life,
by
marked
The
lines.
firm, strongly
thought
eyes lurk deep
beneath
shaggy brows, the hair and beard are long and straggling
into

"

it is the face of

has
"

man

pondered deeplyover

curled

and

well

has

who

what

peered into
he discerned.

kept,"in the words

of

hidden
The

things and who

is no longer

beard

contemporary

document,

full
he is described as
of a fine person, well proportioned,
of grace and of a beautiful aspect, wearing a rose-coloured
tunic,
then in use."
short to the knee, althoughlong garments were
wherein

Mr.

"

Berenson

has

suggestedthat

the

youth in

armour,

who
9

alone

is

away from
of
portrait Leonardo

the

turns

VINCI

DA

and

scene

himself.

in

of the Magi

Adoration

Leonardo's

figuresin

all the

among
Louvre

LEONARDO

OF

DRAWINGS

THE

the

the spectator,
reproduced his own

looks towards

Botticelli

figuresimilarly
placedin his Adoration of the Magi.
da Vinci's drawings is in the
The
largestcollection ot Leonardo
Castle.
Windsor
They are not accessible to the
Royal Library at
but under certain conditions
they may be examined.
publicin general,
features in

Louvre, the British Museum, the UfEzi,

the Royal Library at Turin, the Venice
Academy, and in the portfolios
of Paris,and Dr. Mond
of privatecollectors such as M. Bonnat
collections

Other

in the

are

of the British
drawings in the Print Room
able
which
are
Museum,
easilyavailable to students,include the remarkMalcolm
Head
from
the
Collection,
of a Warrior in profile,
This beautiful and minutely
is reproduced in this volume.
which
and
finished head
bust in silver-point
early
belongs to Leonardo's
period,when he was stillunder the influence of his master, Verrocchio.
of

The

London.

Indeed, there is

of Verrocchio's

head

suggestedby
pupilto show
the

task.

Dr.

of

how, in the hands

be made

can

delightthe

with

the

subservient

the

as

to

firm

the

and

whole,

subservient
famous

also contains

theme.

main

of

tion
detailed decora-

The

eye follows
and helm.

sheet

decorator's

the
to

the

Leonardo

of the face.

contour

ingenuity

artist's vision.

has

It is War

British
The
is War* militant.
group
of those grotesque heads, specimens of

and
reproduced in this volume, horrible faces of men
grimacing and screechingat one another, with protruding
beak-like
In a
chins, looming from the discoloured paper.

are

women

lipsand
drawing
horseback

power

strikingexample

in

throughout remained
Rodin's
as
quiescent,
which

the

to

is

profuseand

most

have handled

armour
exquisite
imaginativedrawing
is
nothing
superfluous.Every quaint and

theme

Museum

drawing

the

master,

Nothing is insistent ;
detail leads
curious
up
saw

this

effort of the

an

he would

in which

manner

it may,

as

profile
represents

that this

Gronau

that

of

statue

Verrocchio

Be

this arrogant warrior and the

Colleoni
Venice ; it has been
at

between

resemblance

at

Milan

there

fightinga

of arrested

are

two

grotesque

movement.

sketches

of

animal, that
There

are

wild-fowl,dragons,and the like,snarlingat

a
are

also

combat,

man

in
startling

drawings of
and

on

their

fearful

making
frightful
why
onslaught. Critics have tried to explain the reason
Leonardo
is
into
the
these
but
gazed
explanation probably
gulfs,
than
the
and
more
nothing
fertility fecundityof his imagination.
The
grotesque and the terrible often have an attraction for gifted
minds, forminga relief from the endless quest after beauty and the
10

one

another

DRAWINGS

THE

of

physicalstrain

that

verses

Rossetti

posed
com-

guished
distin-

in his collected works.

included

not

are

heights.

the

on
livingcontinually

VINCI

DA

LEONARDO

OF

of his leisure

the byways
livingwriter has confessed
of
the
are
study criminology.The late Arthur Strong,
brightenedby
commenting on the grotesques by Leonardo da Vinci at Chatsworth,
His method
was
contributes
and interesting
this curious
theory:
of
circle
shadow
the
akin to the geometry
of projection.Just as
a
certain
of
face
of
human
lines
is an ellipse,
the
a
a
so
by projecting
that

"

marked
the

type he
but

secret

enabled

was

dog, the ape, or the swine,

drawings at Windsor we see
a

lion until it

quickensinto

the

as

the

lower

process appliedto the head

canine form."

of

also comments

Chatsworth,

in

as

picturesascribed

other

copies

abound

at

process of siftingthe
said to be complete. John

be

may

the

The

collections.

Leonardo

to

upon
that

Vinci

da

Leonardo

of drawings by
forgeries

and

ot

late librarian of Chatsworth

The

the

and
sheet

In

be.

might

case

same

shadow,

bete humaine

the

kinship between

real

most

exhibit, as in

and

detect

to

Appendix to his life of Leonardo, published

in 1828, catalogues
picturesfrom the hand of the master.
nearlyfifty
Mr.
McCurdy, in his study of the records of Leonardo's life,has
William

Brown,

reduced

that

in the

estimate

generous

disagreement about

authentic, a
indubitably
of
study,and
purposes
flame-like
little but
that
his

Florentine, whose
drew

Leonardo

"

much
was

with

be

the

mind
"

was

from

evidence,

as

left

Morelli

and

others

of those drawings whose

authenticity
left to right. But this test is far from
business of a forger,
to
study mannerisms.
to

in his

comments

left,the famous

handwriting,which

letter

to

the Duke

"

painted

The

left hand."

and
right,

to

who

fact

shading of
from right to

result that the

the

the

bear

and

universe

that wonderful

left-handed,with

drawings usuallyruns

left,should

is stillconsiderable

There

ten.

drawings, but there are enough

bewilderingvarietyindeed, for all practical
to
proclaim the abounding geniusof this
of

some

to

not

pointedout,

have

lines of direction
as
perfect,

Many
also

it is the

of the

ran
usually

of Milan

run

being an

of

from
first

drawings
from

right
exception.

from
part, a note
pen-drawing in the Uffizi has, in
The words that remain
the beginning has been
which
torn
away.
bre 1478 ichomiciai le 2 Vgine Marie," which
may be
: ".
are
"October
1478,I began the two of the VirginMary."
interpreted,
with the pen, others are in chalk
of the drawings are made
Most
the

In the well-known
silver-point.
and some
of pastel,
there are
traces
and

drawn

on

lower

fine linen with

Isabella a"Este
of the

sketches

of the Louvre
of

draperyare

brush.
n

OF

LEONARDO

of Leonardo's

earliest

DRAWINGS

THE

One

landscapedated

the

years of age.
left-hand top corner
one

The

when

these words

of S.

day

his first attempt, is

not

Uffizi,done

signed,and

"

drawings,if

in the

1473
It is

VINCI

DA

he

twenty-

was

of the Snow,

Mary

in the

inscribed

are

the fifth

of

August, 1473."
day
Another
drawing that
of

ink

and

in

pen
fastened behind

be

assignedto
youth hanging from a

can

his back.

unfortunate

This

of

hanged for the murder

is supposed that Leonardo
was

who
It

was

of the

that he

execution, and

Leonardo

preparatory

study.

the

of the sketch, which

margin

Bernardo

de

commissioned
the

is in the

is this

Bandini,

Medici

in

1479.

paint a picture

to

drawing

nothing if

was

his hands

with

rope

was

Giuliano

made

the sketch

periodis

of Bandini

as

of
possession

M.

On

conscientious.

not

Bonnat,

Small
tan-coloured
note
:
describingBandini's costume
cap,
black satin doublet, lined black jerkin,blue coat
lined with
fur of
foxes' breasts,and the collar of the cloak covered with velvet speckled
"

black and
As

turn

we

da

Leonardo

Vinci,

we

draughtsmanship
to
not

was

at

never

and

over

Pen

drew

He

and

but because
remain

draw

the Monna
the Windsor

pencilbear

to

Collection

beauty of

Mr.

lambs

destroyed.He
He

hands

of that third

and

province,he
Child

perhaps the
of the

sheets

for Madonna

were

never

was

loved

motive.

lamb, learninghis
to
testify
12

raced

he

drew,

content

Leonardo's

to

most

lessons

Child
at

direct and

his

world

The

come."

are

opinion as

right hand,"

perfecthand

that

was

says
ever

of

drawings of children, women,

picturesthat have been lost or
with
the stereotypedand conventional
picture,such as satisfied Francia.
seeker after beauty,and life being

intriguethe

The

"

from

Florentine

difference of

no

for

preparatory

were

wife of

of the

Lisa's hands.

arrangement for a sacred

curious, as well as a
ever

was

; his hand

conceived,and

reproducedin this volume

Monna

"is

McCurdy,
painted."
Probablymany

his

that his

a
preparatory stage for the making of a picture,
he must.
Despitethe hundreds of drawings that

for the marvellous

cats, and

drawings by
passionthat

witness

for the love of it

all "the
official upon
head
ends
whose
there
this point,but
is
Critics differ on

the

of the

there are
studies extant
no
examples of his industry,
Lisa, although it has been suggestedthat the hands

as

sketches

black hose."

diversified

the

that his brain

the throngingpictures

obey
as
necessarily

reminded
continually

him.

rest.

Baroncelli

examine

are

to

was

mind

di Bandino

red ; Bernardo

human

element

playingwith
mother's

the

into
cat,

knee, numbers

large-hearted
humanity.

Madonna

hugging
of them
With

him

the Child

always a child, acting like

is

that haunted
is

smiles

the mother

while

dipping

him,

into

hand

drawing

in his

of Leonardo

us.

bowl

the Child

drawing

In another

in

chubby arms,

eternal,personalsmile

the

"

In

child.

cat
protesting

it fascinates

as

chubby

clutches

he

the British Museum

VINCI

DA

LEONARDO

OF

DRAWINGS

THE

and again the

porridge,

of

There
smile of Leonardo.
enigmatic,persisting
sheet at
fewer than twenty-seven drawings of animals on one
are
no
his
instance
but
in
The
some
Windsor.
imagination
majorityare cats,
be
which
animal
to
name
can
has invented
no
given.
a
hybrid
is apparently
the Child
In a drawing at Milan
receivinga lesson in
is entirely
of Leonardo's
special studies. "He
one
geometry
for
writes
and
has
no
painting,"
patience
wrapped up in geometry,
her
letter from
in reply to
a
Isabella d'Este
to
a
correspondent
Since he has been in Florence,"
askingwhat Leonardo was doing.
the correspondent,he has worked
continues
only on one cartoon.
Mother

smiles

the

"

"

"

"

This

infant

represents an

himself

from

There

his mother's

is

seizes

arms,

year, who,

one

lamb, and

picturesof

that these

record

no

of about

Christ

the

freeing
claspit."

seems

to

Child

with

cat

or

of porridge,were
into a bowl
ever
dropping his hand
who
the
finished ; but the drawings were
seen
Raphael,
by
young
from these imagiIt is curious to turn
from them.
drew inspiration
native

lamb,

or

designsto
as

the literal

of

Leighton'sdrawing

as carefully
tree, searched out
bolder and so
lemon-tree, but so much

studyof

drawing that might

of
have been produced in an engineer's
office,showing a number
nude
a
heavy cylinderby lever-power,probably a
lifting
figures
designdating from the periodwhen he held the post of military
engineer to Caesar Borgia. During his residence at Pavia, when,
much

confident

more

treatment

producedin honour
masque
Isabella of Aragon, and on
he also
of the

; or

constructed

activities,he

other

among

in

Sacred

to

another

of

Moderns

who

drawing

for

try

to

cords

positionin
for the

with

to

the

tournament,
convey the relic

The

Cathedral.

pulleyof

the Nail

some

years

studies of the

"Proportion" in

is entitled
before

"

firstundergoing the

paintwithout
in

schools

the

nude, readingat the

his

in
pre-occupation
and

Galeazzo

of

of

Cross."

Leonardo's
on

kind

arrangeda

occasion

different

for

the

designedan apparatus of pulleysand

Nail

that

scenery
of the marriageof Gian

sketch is inscribed," In the Cathedral

the

to

"Treatise
his work

on

the

should
same

time

Painting."

"

ponder
the

over

chapters
hearted
whole-

What

! It
followingextract
firstwaking in the Morning,

studyingin the Dark, on

no
going to Sleep." I have experienced
Of

drudgery

shows

small
13

benefit,

THE

DRAWINGS

when

in the dark

the outlines
bed, by retracingin my mind
such as
I had previously
studied,particularly

in

which

forms

of those

and

appearedthe
method
they will
had

be confirmed

His

who
and

to

hands

retain ;

treasured upon the

studied with the same

and

and

He

drapery.
storingand

by

this

memory."
and
fidelity
for

ever
paring
prehis
mind,
ever
developing
if life were
his
endless.
of
the
as
hands,
ever
cunning
increasing
short for this giant,
all too
were
sixty-sevenyears of activity
of
mortals
excelled in every worthy pursuit
except commerce
knew
who
of
the
Florentine
A
Quattrocento,
politics.
poet

gave

experimenting,for

and

for

he

comprehend and

difficult to

most

Flowers, trees, and wings he

that
felicity

VINCI

DA

LEONARDO

OF

in

Leonardo

early manhood,

his

him

described

was

as

the

man

who
from

himself

tear
a
perhaps excels all others, yet cannot
away
His
and
to
in
completion."
brings one
picture,
years scarce
many
We
fresh
forth
shoots.
mind was
can
imagine
putting
continually
him, before beginning to paintthe wings of the angelin his picture
of The Annunciation in the Louvre, studyingthe ways of birds at rest
of man
and in flight,
and consideringthe problem of the possibility
to
came
ever
achievingthe conquest of the air. Such ideas never
in a moment
written
but there is a passage in his writings,
fruition,
had
vision
of man
of exaltation,when
he
on
floating
pinionsin the
of the triumph. In
ether, and himself as inventor and originator
"

that
wrote

his

of vision

moment
:

"

He

fame, and

will fillthe
will

perfectedSantos-Dumont, Leonardo
and all writingswith
universe with wonder
of

give deathless

renown

to

the

nest

which

witnessed

his birth."

human, and
Through all his dreams, through all his scientific,
of
ceased from the quest
beauty,that
grotesque imaginings,he never
often in the faces
he expressed
which
so
artist,
their hair and hands, in the looks of children, in the

of the

obsession

of his women,
fall and fold of

true

of armed
knightssetting
figures
recall
the face of
forth to tourney or to battle.
One
only has to
in the Louvre
St. Anne
picture,the curling,plaitedhair about the
head of Leda
in the Windsor
drawing,the strange sexless charm of
Monna
the smile of St. John the Baptistin the Louvre
Lisa,
picture,
of
the
head
the
and
the
Rocks,
sceptical angel in The Virginof
St. Philipin the Windsor
drawing, to be impressedagain by the
that Leonardo
palling,
enigmaticbeauty,always new, never
gave to
the world..
of the Virginand Child with St. Anne
In the cartoon
which
hangs in the Diploma Galleryat Burlington House, one of
and
draperies,

in the

"

"

the

nation's greatest treasures, which

so
this country possesses a characteristic and
*

*4

few

Londoners

ever

visit,

Leonardo.
unapproachable

DRAWINGS

THE
It differs materially
from

Virginand

Virgin,not
upwards, and
each

picturein
being nearlyon a

St. Anne

the

the Child, her hand

at

the

the

has

St. Anne

LEONARDO

the

Louvre, the heads of the

level ; St. Anne

is

gazing at
fingerpoints

the
upraised,

is
in

included

Baptistis

face of

the

the

composition.But

the

Leonardo

identical with

Milan, and with

at

of St. Thomas's

the motion

the

Diploma Gallerycartoon

and

with

the

sketch

of labour

that

finished.

One

is
in

the finished

with

the Venice

at

Leonardo

hand

The

in

to

gave

is almost

Last

Supper
Comparing

of St. John in the Louvre.

the hand

mediaeval

the

of St. Anne

hand
upward-pointing

The

write.

in

inward, extenuating

smile, suggestingthat attribute of aloofness of which

schoolmen

VINCI

DA

OF

picturein

the

Louvre,

realise the

Academy, we
picturebefore

he

would

years
call it

drawings of draperyreproducedin this volume

for
the garment that enfolds the Virgin'slimbs
an
exquisite
study
the Louvre
picture.
The

series of heads

again his

hint,but

that

in

the

remarkable
firm
the

in

woman

the

heads
the

of the
and

neck

face,the

often have

Milan

nose

attitude that

an

of caricature,

touch

himself

have

we

likeness

is akin

the

Louvre.

in

sketch
his

to

The

round, protrudingchin,

and

ample bosom, betoken

brows.

severe

that he allowed

extreme

at
profile

thin

sweet,

down,

cast

of a
unflattering
presentment
drawing of Isabella d'Este,now

contour

long

about
are

pushed to

never

in the grotesque.
In the bust of

pages show
confined in

reproducedin these
or
flowing or in plaits,

eyes of his women

whose
his men,

rarelygivesto
a

women

delicate

always the

he

of

of hair, either
head-dresses

love

and

strange
And

of the

that

on

his

this occasion

But
the drawing of
eye, not his imagination,held the mastery.
Isabella d'Este is largerin conception,and this grave and simple
is so
lady of the Italian Renaissance
presentment of a distinguished

informed

with

finest efforts.

Leonardo's
to

serve

assured

an

Leonardo

never

later Isabella d'Este

"

When

you

promised
Leonardo

were

no

record that he

at

justlyhailed

Mantua, and

one

to

reproachinghim

Leonardo

country and drew

designed

was

succumb

to

for his

which

years

delay:

in chalk
portrait
colours."
in
picture
our

day paint our

Mantegna, ductile

in

the

of

hands

her blandishments.

of

one

as

There

you
But

the
is

the ladyby paintinga certain small

gratified
for
made
a littlepictureof the Madonna
petition
and sweetness, just as his nature
would
enable him
to

that she

full of faith

in the

not, like
He
did not

was

Marchioness.
work

wrote

would

you

it is

study for the portraitof the Marchioness

completed,if indeed he ever began it. Five

the

as

that
power
made
It was

ever

"

"

15

DRAWINGS

THE

OF

her."

conceive

of

making

Leonardo

VINCI

DA

had

engrossingthan the
of so great a lady as

pursuitsmore
the
please
vanityeven

pictureto

the Marchioness

The

LEONARDO

of Mantua.

flame of Leonardo's

imaginationdid

burn with

not

the desire

full of faith and sweetness.

provide little picturesof the Madonna
He
do thingsin his own
must
inspirehim
way, and that way would
such
with
to produce
Bacchus
of a young
the head
a drawing as
from
the
clothed
in
long,curling hair,
a
just peeping
costume,
to

sketch, of

similar

kneeling Leda,
how

the

artist

Leda, which
bleau, but is
while
the

material

such

to

drawing
graduallyevolved

was

turns

one

of her

the

to

find

we

children

who

claspsthe

arms

or

Chatsworth, showing

at

the

Here, too, the eyes of the

lost.

now

She

as

of Isabella d'Este

dress

design for the final pictureof

collection of King Francis at Fontaine-

in the

seen

the

woman

the

breaking from

are

eggs,

shells,and

broken

The

swan.

cast.
down-

are

children

just scrambling into existence,are as characteristic of

Leonardo's
passion for the episodesof life as the Child playingwith
the cat, or
dipping his fist into the bowl of porridge. Leda is the
ings,
only mythologicalpicturethat he painted. The preparatory drawlike the drawingsfor others of his lost or destroyedworks, such
the SforzaStatue,and the Battle of the Standard
as
numerous.
are
There
is no
mistakingthe drawings for the Sforza statue, although
it is not
of the many
designs of equestrian
easy to decide which
were
figures

Trivulzio
fewer

for the

Monument.

than

we

that Leonardo's

tramplingon a
conception for
records
trace
as

to

One

four sketches

rider,which,

on

fallen enemy,
a

sheet

drawings

for the

was

to

the

over

years
drawings,remains.

cast
successfully

in

and
seem

charger

contemporary

statue

There

is

to-dayno
doubt

some

bronze, which
had

that after Leonardo

no

this tremendous

It is clear from

spent sixteen

of it,except in the
whether
it was
ever

It would

Sforza's

Francesco

make

shows

of horse

group

but that he abandoned

quieterdesign.

Angelo's taunt

Windsor

the

for the

which

Sforza,and

twenty-sixfeet high.

told,was

are

of
one

firstintention

that Leonardo

Michael

of Francesco

Statue

explains

finished the model

model
that
Leonardo's
Probably it was
the French
at any
was
rate
or
destroyed,
severelydamaged, when
entered Milan
in 1500.
at the time:
wrote
Fra Sabba da Castiglione
I have
record
and I cannot
to
speak of it without griefand
indignation so noble and masterlya work made a target by the

he

was

unable

to

cast

it.

"

"

Gascon

bowmen."

In his
in this

writingsLeonardo
grand conceptionof
16

describes
a

war

as

"

bestial

frenzy,"and

rearinghorse tramplingupon

warrior,

THE

DRAWINGS

is

tryingto protect
intention
to pillorythe
who

slightsketches.

bestial

"

in

war,

the

time

of

producing
of

and

in

even

the shouts of barbaric warfare

as

we

was

war

depictedwith
Cartoon for the

never

for the last

studies

each

gnash at

The

Battle

of Anghiari,

filled with
soldiers,

other,and

cries.

greater force than

of

heads

two

men

in

the lust of
a

drawing

in the very act of slaying,

mouths
wide
Gallery,
look
almost
Leonardo
breathingfury,are
painfulto

Buda-Pest

upon.

picturewhile still in the midst of the task, as

bestial frenzy." But
continuingto portray the
battle picturesprobablyinterested him.
There is

this battle

with
disgusted

the horses
a

perhapshis

his shield,it was

of war, while at the same
with

The
in orderly
quietresting-places
portfolios.

incoherent

scream

open,
abandoned
if

"

horses

VINCI

splendidvigour of this group,

Battle ofAnghiari,
stimulate
us

hear

We

their

frenzy

Leonardo's

where

in

from

them

DA

LEONARDO

The

design.
in the
figures

the maddened
draw

horror

heroic

the

himself

OF

"

in the

drawing of Horsemen and Soldiers at

marvellous
knowledge of the action of the

gallopinghorse

that reveals

in

high speed. Indeed, the

Vasari

that

horse

one

was

book

of Leonardo's

of such

studies

Windsor
horse

at

jects.
favourite sub-

when
destroyed
In the large and
the French
entered
Milan.
minute
drawing that
he made
as a preparatory studyfor the background of his pictureof
The Adoration of the Magi, which
was
changed and curtailed so
in the final composition,there are
much
horses, curvettingand
prancing,and in the foregrounda camel is seen reposing. Actuality
in the persons of the retainers of the kings,
is introduced
busy with
In
their
leisure
their own
with
mock
combat.
a
affairs,
amusing
the drawing in the Uffizi, of which
the
we
give a reproduction,
retainers are shown
below the great double staircase engaged in a joust.
if
One wonders
who
did not reach his usual standard of
Velasquez,
when
he drew a prancingsteed,ever
saw
perfection
any of Leonardo's
horses.
drawings of resolute and spirited
he paintedthe head of Christ in his Crucifixion
when
Velasquez,
the
face with
veiled
the long hair as if he shrank from
at Madrid,
attemptingto portray the sacred features,
althoughnothingdeterred
him
from paintingthe head boldlyand freelyin his Christ at the
Column.
Historytells of a similar meticulous
modesty on the part
of Leonardo
in regard to the head
of the central figure
in his hast
the suggestionof Zenale, that
he left unfinished,on
', which
Supper
could not surpass the majestyof certain of the Apostles'
heads.
Several preliminarystudies for The Last Supper exist, many
of

which

modern

prominent in

states

criticism

refuses

the eye of the world

to

accept
is the

as

was

authentic.

pastelof

the head

The

most

of Christ
*7

in the

Brera

softness and
sense

of

of the

at

Of

Milan.

sadness,there

of the
virility
drooping face

authorities of the Brera

the

cannot

head
and

VINCI

DA

LEONARDO

OF

DRAWINGS

THE

in

beauty of the head, feminine in its

but it has not the
be two
opinions,
the Milan
fresco,although the pose
downcast

the

eyes

Milan

Gallery at

a
Leonardo, and Dr. Richter describes it as
in
is
which
head
of
in pencilfor a
Christ,
"

are

identical.

The

assignthe pastelhead to
genuinehalf-lifesize study

of prestate
deplorable
servation
in
Brera
its
the
In Mr.
pastel
McCurdy's opinion,
have been,
its inceptionmay
of his, whatever
present state is none
vicissitudes
whatever
of
But
to judge."
and of that it is impossible
tiful
retouchingthe Brera pastelmay have undergone,it remains a beauthing. The full-sized heads at Weimar, bold and inspiriting
and St. James the Elder,
drawings,of Judas and St. Peter, St. Thomas
not
St. Andrew, and St. Bartholomew
are
by Leonardo.
of the heads of the
about
the authenticity
doubt
There
is no
Collection, or of the two
preparatory,
Apostles in the Windsor
also
The
Last
of
at
Windsor, or
sketches for the composition
Supper
writing,
handof the drawing in red chalk at Venice, containingLeonardo's
his
the figureof St. John is shown
in which
grief-stricken,
the
idea
hidden
at
mere
body thrown forward upon the table,his face
me."
of
shall
One
of the awful words,
betray
you
Leonardo's will,executed
on
April 23, 15 19, in the chateau of
a

"

"

Cloux,

near

orders the celebration

He

is extant.

Amboise,

of four

high

masses

commends
and

his

soul

thirtylow

to

masses,

God,
and

the walls of Milan, to Salai and Battista

without
vineyard,
In takingleave of this restless,
de Villanis.
richlyendowed and rare
turn
we
again to the last lines of Pater's essay, and with him
spirit,
the great Florentine
wonder
how
experiencedthe last curiosity."
is always alert when
thinking of
Then, perhaps,for the mind
he
of his manuscriptswherein
in one
recall a note
Leonardo, we
of
boat
the
a
steam
that some
help
day with
expresses his conviction
his
in
another
and
be set in motion,
handwriting,
passage
may
for
four high
order
those
the
self
than
real
his
to
nearer
perhapsreally
I thought I was
When
this :
and thirtylow masses
learningto
but learningto die."
live,I was
wills his

"

"

"

18

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