A Treatise on Painting Author:Leonardo Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: LIGHT AKD SHADOW. 175.—The Course of Study to be pursued. The student who is desirous of making great proficiency in the art of imitating the works of Natu... more »re, should not only learn the shape of figures or other objects, and be able to delineate them with truth and precision, but he must also accompany them with their proper lights and shadows, according to the situation in which those objects appear. 176.—Which of the two is the most useful Knmcledge, the Outlines of Figures, or that of Light and Shadow. The knowledge of the outline is of most consequence, and yet may be acquired to great certainty by dint of study; as the outlines of the human figure, particularly those which do not bend, are invariably the same. But the knowledge of the situation, quality, and quantity of shadows, being infinite, requires the most extensive study. 177.—Which is the most important, the Shadows er Outlines in Painting. It requires much more observation and study to arrive at perfection in the shadowing of a picture, than in merely drawing the lines of it. The proof of this is, that the lines may be traced upon a veil or a flat glass placedbetween the eye and the object to be imitated. But that cannot be of any use in shadowing, on account of the infinite gradation of shades, and the blending of them, which does not allow of any precise termination; and most frequently they are confused, as will be demonstrated in another place. 178.—What is a Painter's first Aim and Object. The first object of a painter is to make a simple-flat surface appear like a relievo, and some of its parts detached from the ground; he who excels all others in that part of the art, deserves the greatest praise. This perfection oi the art depends on the correct distribution of lights and shades, called...« less