The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci (23 page)

The movement of the torso (355-361).

355.

Observe the altered position of the shoulder in all the movements of
the arm, going up and down, inwards and outwards, to the back and to
the front, and also in circular movements and any others.

And do the same with reference to the neck, hands and feet and the
breast above the lips &c.

356.

Three are the principal muscles of the shoulder, that is
b c d
,
and two are the lateral muscles which move it forward and backward,
that is
a o
;
a
moves it forward, and
o
pulls it back; and bed
raises it;
a b c
moves it upwards and forwards, and
c d o
upwards and backwards. Its own weight almost suffices to move it
downwards.

The muscle
d
acts with the muscle
c
when the arm moves forward;
and in moving backward the muscle
b
acts with the muscle
c
.

[Footnote: See Pl. XXI. In the original the lettering has been
written in ink upon the red chalk drawing and the outlines of the
figures have in most places been inked over.]

357.

The loins or backbone being bent. The breasts are are always lower
than the shoulderblades of the back.

If the breast bone is arched the breasts are higher than the
shoulderblades.

If the loins are upright the breast will always be found at the same
level as the shoulderblades.

[Footnote: See Pl. XXII, No. 1.]

358.

a b
the tendon and ankle in raising the heel approach each other
by a finger's breadth; in lowering it they separate by a finger's
breadth.

[Footnote: See Pl. XXII, No. 2. Compare this facsimile and text with
Pl. III, No. 2, and p. 152 of MANZI'S edition. Also with No. 274 of
LUDWIG'S edition of the Vatican Copy.]

359.

Just so much as the part
d a
of the nude figure decreases in this
position so much does the opposite part increase; that is: in
proportion as the length of the part
d a
diminishes the normal
size so does the opposite upper part increase beyond its [normal]
size. The navel does not change its position to the male organ; and
this shrinking arises because when a figure stands on one foot, that
foot becomes the centre [of gravity] of the superimposed weight.
This being so, the middle between the shoulders is thrust above it
out of it perpendicular line, and this line, which forms the central
line of the external parts of the body, becomes bent at its upper
extremity [so as to be] above the foot which supports the body; and
the transverse lines are forced into such angles that their ends are
lower on the side which is supported. As is shown at
a b c
.

[Footnote: See Pl. XXII, No. 3.]

360.

Note in the motions and attitudes of figures how the limbs vary, and
their feeling, for the shoulderblades in the motions of the arms and
shoulders vary the [line of the] back bone very much. And you will
find all the causes of this in my book of Anatomy.

361.

The pit of the throat is over the feet, and by throwing one arm
forward the pit of the throat is thrown off that foot. And if the
leg is thrown forward the pit of the throat is thrown forward; and.
so it varies in every attitude.

362.

Indicate which are the muscles, and which the tendons, which become
prominent or retreat in the different movements of each limb; or
which do neither [but are passive]. And remember that these
indications of action are of the first importance and necessity in
any painter or sculptor who professes to be a master &c.

And indicate the same in a child, and from birth to decrepitude at
every stage of its life; as infancy, childhood, boyhood, youth &c.

And in each express the alterations in the limbs and joints, which
swell and which grow thinner.

363.

O Anatomical Painter! beware lest the too strong indication of the
bones, sinews and muscles, be the cause of your becoming wooden in
your painting by your wish to make your nude figures display all
their feeling. Therefore, in endeavouring to remedy this, look in
what manner the muscles clothe or cover their bones in old or lean
persons; and besides this, observe the rule as to how these same
muscles fill up the spaces of the surface that extend between them,
which are the muscles which never lose their prominence in any
amount of fatness; and which too are the muscles of which the
attachments are lost to sight in the very least plumpness. And in
many cases several muscles look like one single muscle in the
increase of fat; and in many cases, in growing lean or old, one
single muscle divides into several muscles. And in this treatise,
each in its place, all their peculiarities will be explained—and
particularly as to the spaces between the joints of each limb &c.
Again, do not fail [to observe] the variations in the forms of the
above mentioned muscles, round and about the joints of the limbs of
any animal, as caused by the diversity of the motions of each limb;
for on some side of those joints the prominence of these muscles is
wholly lost in the increase or diminution of the flesh of which
these muscles are composed, &c.

[Footnote: DE ROSSI remarks on this chapter, in the Roman edition of
the Trattato, p. 504: "
Non in questo luogo solo, ma in altri ancora
osserver� il lettore, che Lionardo va fungendo quelli che fanno
abuso della loro dottrina anatomica, e sicuramente con ci� ha in
mira il suo rivale Bonarroti, che di anatomia facea tanta pompa
."
Note, that Leonardo wrote this passage in Rome, probably under the
immediate impression of MICHAELANGELO'S paintings in the Sistine
Chapel and of RAPHAEL'S Isaiah in Sant' Agostino.]

364.

There is a great difference in the length between the joints in men
and boys for, in man, from the top of the shoulder [by the neck] to
the elbow, and from the elbow to the tip of the thumb and from one
shoulder to the other, is in each instance two heads, while in a boy
it is but one because Nature constructs in us the mass which is the
home of the intellect, before forming that which contains the vital
elements.

365.

Which are the muscles which subdivide in old age or in youth, when
becoming lean? Which are the parts of the limbs of the human frame
where no amount of fat makes the flesh thicker, nor any degree of
leanness ever diminishes it?

The thing sought for in this question will be found in all the
external joints of the bones, as the shoulder, elbow, wrists,
finger-joints, hips, knees, ankle-bone and toes and the like; all of
which shall be told in its place. The greatest thickness acquired by
any limb is at the part of the muscles which is farthest from its
attachments.

Flesh never increases on those portions of the limb where the bones
are near to the surface.

At
b r d a c e f
the increase or diminution of the flesh never
makes any considerable difference. Nature has placed in front of man
all those parts which feel most pain under a blow; and these are the
shin of the leg, the forehead, and the nose. And this was done for
the preservation of man, since, if such pain were not felt in these
parts, the number of blows to which they would be exposed must be
the cause of their destruction.

Describe why the bones of the arm and leg are double near the hand
and foot [respectively].

And where the flesh is thicker or thinner in the bending of the
limbs.

366.

Every part of the whole must be in proportion to the whole. Thus, if
a man is of a stout short figure he will be the same in all his
parts: that is with short and thick arms, wide thick hands, with
short fingers with their joints of the same character, and so on
with the rest. I would have the same thing understood as applying to
all animals and plants; in diminishing, [the various parts] do so in
due proportion to the size, as also in enlarging.

367.

And again, remember to be very careful in giving your figures limbs,
that they must appear to agree with the size of the body and
likewise to the age. Thus a youth has limbs that are not very
muscular not strongly veined, and the surface is delicate and round,
and tender in colour. In man the limbs are sinewy and muscular,
while in old men the surface is wrinkled, rugged and knotty, and the
sinews very prominent.

Little children have all the joints slender and the portions between
them are thick; and this happens because nothing but the skin covers
the joints without any other flesh and has the character of sinew,
connecting the bones like a ligature. And the fat fleshiness is laid
on between one joint and the next, and between the skin and the
bones. But, since the bones are thicker at the joints than between
them, as a mass grows up the flesh ceases to have that superfluity
which it had, between the skin and the bones; whence the skin clings
more closely to the bone and the limbs grow more slender. But since
there is nothing over the joints but the cartilaginous and sinewy
skin this cannot dry up, and, not drying up, cannot shrink. Thus,
and for this reason, children are slender at the joints and fat
between the joints; as may be seen in the joints of the fingers,
arms, and shoulders, which are slender and dimpled, while in man on
the contrary all the joints of the fingers, arms, and legs are
thick; and wherever children have hollows men have prominences.

The movement of the human figure (368-375).

368.

Of the manner of representing the 18 actions of man. Repose,
movement, running, standing, supported, sitting, leaning, kneeling,
lying down, suspended. Carrying or being carried, thrusting,
pulling, striking, being struck, pressing down and lifting up.

[As to how a figure should stand with a weight in its hand [Footnote
8: The original text ends here.] Remember].

369.

A sitting man cannot raise himself if that part of his body which is
front of his axis [centre of gravity] does not weigh more than that
which is behind that axis [or centre] without using his arms.

A man who is mounting any slope finds that he must involuntarily
throw the most weight forward, on the higher foot, rather than
behind—that is in front of the axis and not behind it. Hence a man
will always, involuntarily, throw the greater weight towards the
point whither he desires to move than in any other direction.

The faster a man runs, the more he leans forward towards the point
he runs to and throws more weight in front of his axis than behind.
A man who runs down hill throws the axis onto his heels, and one who
runs up hill throws it into the points of his feet; and a man
running on level ground throws it first on his heels and then on the
points of his feet.

This man cannot carry his own weight unless, by drawing his body
back he balances the weight in front, in such a way as that the foot
on which he stands is the centre of gravity.

[Footnote: See Pl. XXII, No. 4.]

370.

How a man proceeds to raise himself to his feet, when he is sitting
on level ground.

371.

A man when walking has his head in advance of his feet.

A man when walking across a long level plain first leans [rather]
backwards and then as much forwards.

[Footnote 3-6: He strides forward with the air of a man going down
hill; when weary, on the contrary he walks like a man going up
hill.]

372.

A man when running throws less weight on his legs than when standing
still. And in the same way a horse which is running feels less the
weight of the man he carries. Hence many persons think it wonderful
that, in running, the horse can rest on one single foot. From this
it may be stated that when a weight is in progressive motion the
more rapid it is the less is the perpendicular weight towards the
centre.

373.

If a man, in taking a jump from firm ground, can leap 3 braccia, and
when he was taking his leap it were to recede 1/3 of a braccio, that
would be taken off his former leap; and so if it were thrust forward
1/3 of a braccio, by how much would his leap be increased?

374.

When a man who is running wants to neutralise the impetus that
carries him on he prepares a contrary impetus which is generated by
his hanging backwards. This can be proved, since, if the impetus
carries a moving body with a momentum equal to 4 and the moving body
wants to turn and fall back with a momentum of 4, then one momentum
neutralises the other contrary one, and the impetus is neutralised.

Of walking up and down (375-379)

375.

When a man wants to stop running and check the impetus he is forced
to hang back and take short quick steps. [Footnote: Lines 5-31 refer
to the two upper figures, and the lower figure to the right is
explained by the last part of the chapter.] The centre of gravity of
a man who lifts one of his feet from the ground always rests on the
centre of the sole of the foot [he stands on].

A man, in going up stairs involuntarily throws so much weight
forward and on the side of the upper foot as to be a counterpoise to
the lower leg, so that the labour of this lower leg is limited to
moving itself.

The first thing a man does in mounting steps is to relieve the leg
he is about to lift of the weight of the body which was resting on
that leg; and besides this, he gives to the opposite leg all the
rest of the bulk of the whole man, including [the weight of] the
other leg; he then raises the other leg and sets the foot upon the
step to which he wishes to raise himself. Having done this he
restores to the upper foot all the weight of the body and of the leg
itself, and places his hand on his thigh and throws his head forward
and repeats the movement towards the point of the upper foot,
quickly lifting the heel of the lower one; and with this impetus he
lifts himself up and at the same time extends the arm which rested
on his knee; and this extension of the arm carries up the body and
the head, and so straightens the spine which was curved.