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Leonardo da Vinci

Leonardo da Vinci Quotes

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Famous Leonardo da Vinci Quotes

“It reflects no great honor on a painter to be able to execute only one thing well -- such as a head, an academy figure, or draperies, animals, landscapes, or the like -- in other words, confining himself to some particular object of study. This is so because there is scarcely a person so devoid of genius as to fail of success if he applies himself earnestly to one branch of study and practices it continually.”

IfsWellsPersonsAbleAnimalPracticeStudyFailingOne ThingFiguresObjectsParticularGeniusHonorPainterLandscapeBranchesAcademy
Author:Leonardo da Vinci
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“I say that in narrative paintings one should mingle direct contraries close by, because they produce strong contrasts with one another, and all the more so when they are very close together; that is, the ugly next to the beautiful, the big to the small, the old to the young, the strong to the weak; in this way you will vary as much as possible and close by.”

WayShouldBigsTogetherBeautifulYoungNextStrongProducePaintingDirectWeakUglyContraryNarrativeContrastVary
Author:Leonardo da Vinci
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“I think it is no small attraction in a painter to be able to give a pleasing air to his figures, and whoever is not naturally possessed of this grace may acquire it by study, as opportunity offers in the following manner: be on the watch to take good parts of many beautiful faces of which the beautiful parts are established by general repute rather than by your own judgement, for you may deceive yourself by selecting faces that resemble your own, since it often seems that such similarities please us; ... so therefore choose the beautiful ones as I tell you and fix them in your mind.”

ThinkingGivingMindMaySeemsAbleBeautifulFacesOpportunityWatchesStudyGraceAirFiguresPleaseOffersFollowingAttractionPainterJudgementAcquirePossessedDeceivingSimilarityBeautiful Face
Author:Leonardo da Vinci
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“Let the painter composing narrative pictures take pleasure in wealth and variety, and avoid repeating any part that occurs in it, so that the uniqueness and abundance attract people to it and delight the eye of the observer. I say that a narrative painting requires (depending on the scene), wherever the eye falls, a mixture of men of diverse appearances, of diverse ages and dress, combined together with women, children, dogs, horses, buildings, fields, and hills.”

PeopleMenChildrenEyeAgeTogetherFallWealthPleasureDogFieldsBuildingPaintingSceneHorseDressesDelightAppearancePainterVarietyHillsNarrativeAbundanceDiverseUniquenessObserversMixturesComposing
Author:Leonardo da Vinci
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“Never make heads straight on the shoulders, but turn them aside to the right or to the left, even though they look down, or upward, or straight ahead, because it is necessary for them to look lively and awake and not asleep. And do not depict the front or rear half of the whole person so that too much straightness is displaced, one half above or below the other half; and if you should wish to use stiff figures, do so only in portraying old people.”

PeopleIfsShouldLooksPersonsWholeUseTurnsLeftWishHalfToo MuchFrontsFiguresShouldersAwakeOld PeopleLivelyOther HalfOne HalfPortrayingWhole Person
Author:Leonardo da Vinci
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“Many will think they may reasonably blame me by alleging that my proofs are opposed to the authority of certain men held in the highest reverence by their inexperienced judgments; not considering that my works are the issue of pure and simple experience.”

ThinkingMenMayCertainSimpleIssuesPureAuthorityJudgmentHighestBlameProofReverenceConsideringBlame Me
Book:Delphi Complete Works of Leonardo da Vinci (Illustrated)
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“People reveal themselves completely only when they are thrown out of the customary conditions of their life.”

PeopleCharacterConditionsDepthThrownReservesCharacter BuildingBeing StrongStrength Of CharacterGood CharacterGreat CharacterStrength And WeaknessStrong WillMoral CharacterStrong PeopleJust Stay StrongStrong CharacterStrong InspirationalBuilding CharacterStrength WeaknessHuman StrengthAdversity And StrengthStrength In Adversity
Author:Leonardo da Vinci
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