The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci (21 page)

318.

a b
,
c d
,
e f
,
g h
,
i k
are equal to each other in size
excepting that
d f
is accidental.

[Footnote: See Pl. XI.]

Proportions of the head seen in front (319-321).

319.

a n o f
are equal to the mouth.

a c
and
a f
are equal to the space between one eye and the
other.

n m o f q r
are equal to half the width of the eye lids, that is
from the inner [lachrymatory] corner of the eye to its outer corner;
and in like manner the division between the chin and the mouth; and
in the same way the narrowest part of the nose between the eyes. And
these spaces, each in itself, is the 19th part of the head,
n o
is
equal to the length of the eye or of the space between the eyes.

m c
is 1/3 of
n m
measuring from the outer corner of the eyelids
to the letter
c
.
b s
will be equal to the width of the nostril.

[Footnote: See Pl. XII.]

320.

The distance between the centres of the pupils of the eyes is 1/3 of
the face. The space between the outer corners of the eyes, that is
where the eye ends in the eye socket which contains it, thus the
outer corners, is half the face.

The greatest width of the face at the line of the eyes is equal to
the distance from the roots of the hair in front to the parting of
the lips.

[Footnote: There are, with this section, two sketches of eyes, not
reproduced here.]

321.

The nose will make a double square; that is the width of the nose at
the nostrils goes twice into the length from the tip of the nose to
the eyebrows. And, in the same way, in profile the distance from the
extreme side of the nostril where it joins the cheek to the tip of
the nose is equal to the width of the nose in front from one nostril
to the other. If you divide the whole length of the nose—that is
from the tip to the insertion of the eyebrows, into 4 equal parts,
you will find that one of these parts extends from the tip of the
nostrils to the base of the nose, and the upper division lies
between the inner corner of the eye and the insertion of the
eyebrows; and the two middle parts [together] are equal to the
length of the eye from the inner to the outer corner.

[Footnote: The two bottom sketches on Pl. VII, No. 4 face the six
lines of this section,—With regard to the proportions of the head
in profile see No. 312.]

322.

The great toe is the sixth part of the foot, taking the measure in
profile, on the inside of the foot, from where this toe springs from
the ball of the sole of the foot to its tip
a b
; and it is equal
to the distance from the mouth to the bottom of the chin. If you
draw the foot in profile from the outside, make the little toe begin
at three quarters of the length of the foot, and you will find the
same distance from the insertion of this toe as to the farthest
prominence of the great toe.

323.

For each man respectively the distance between
a b
is equal to
c
d
.

324.

Relative proportion of the hand and foot.

The foot is as much longer than the hand as the thickness of the arm
at the wrist where it is thinnest seen facing.

Again, you will find that the foot is as much longer than the hand
as the space between the inner angle of the little toe to the last
projection of the big toe, if you measure along the length of the
foot.

The palm of the hand without the fingers goes twice into the length
of the foot without the toes.

If you hold your hand with the fingers straight out and close
together you will find it to be of the same width as the widest part
of the foot, that is where it is joined onto the toes.

And if you measure from the prominence of the inner ancle to the end
of the great toe you will find this measure to be as long as the
whole hand.

From the top angle of the foot to the insertion of the toes is equal
to the hand from wrist joint to the tip of the thumb.

The smallest width of the hand is equal to the smallest width of the
foot between its joint into the leg and the insertion of the toes.

The width of the heel at the lower part is equal to that of the arm
where it joins the hand; and also to the leg where it is thinnest
when viewed in front.

The length of the longest toe, from its first division from the
great toe to its tip is the fourth of the foot from the centre of
the ancle bone to the tip, and it is equal to the width of the
mouth. The distance between the mouth and the chin is equal to that
of the knuckles and of the three middle fingers and to the length of
their first joints if the hand is spread, and equal to the distance
from the joint of the thumb to the outset of the nails, that is the
fourth part of the hand and of the face.

The space between the extreme poles inside and outside the foot
called the ancle or ancle bone
a b
is equal to the space between
the mouth and the inner corner of the eye.

325.

The foot, from where it is attached to the leg, to the tip of the
great toe is as long as the space between the upper part of the chin
and the roots of the hair
a b
; and equal to five sixths of the
face.

326.

a d
is a head's length,
c b
is a head's length. The four smaller
toes are all equally thick from the nail at the top to the bottom,
and are 1/13 of the foot.

[Footnote: See Pl. XIV, No. 1, a drawing of a foot with the text in
three lines below it.]

327.

The whole length of the foot will lie between the elbow and the
wrist and between the elbow and the inner angle of the arm towards
the breast when the arm is folded. The foot is as long as the whole
head of a man, that is from under the chin to the topmost part of
the head[Footnote 2:
nel modo che qui i figurato
. See Pl. VII, No.
4, the upper figure. The text breaks off at the end of line 2 and
the text given under No. 321 follows below. It may be here remarked
that the second sketch on W. P. 311 has in the original no
explanatory text.] in the way here figured.

Proportions of the leg (328-331).

328.

The greatest thickness of the calf of the leg is at a third of its
height
a b
, and is a twentieth part thicker than the greatest
thickness of the foot.

a c
is half of the head, and equal to
d b
and to the insertion
of the five toes
e f
.
d k
diminishes one sixth in the leg
g h
.
g h
is 1/3 of the head;
m n
increases one sixth from
a e
and
is 7/12 of the head,
o p
is 1/10 less than
d k
and is 6/17 of
the head.
a
is at half the distance between
b q
, and is 1/4 of
the man.
r
is half way between
s
and
b
[Footnote 11:
b
is
here and later on measured on the right side of the foot as seen by
the spectator.]. The concavity of the knee outside
r
is higher
than that inside
a
. The half of the whole height of the leg from
the foot
r
, is half way between the prominence
s
and the ground
b
.
v
is half way between
t
and
b
. The thickness of the thigh
seen in front is equal to the greatest width of the face, that is
2/3 of the length from the chin to the top of the head;
z r
is 5/6
of 7 to
v
;
m n
is equal to 7
v
and is 1/4 of
r b
,
x y
goes
3 times into
r b
, and into
r s
.

[Footnote 22-35: The sketch illustrating these lines is on Pl. XIII,
No. 2.]

[Footnote 22: a b
entra in
c f 6
e
6
in
c n. Accurate
measurement however obliges us to read 7 for 6.]
a b
goes six
times into
c f
and six times into
c n
and is equal to
g h
;
i
k l m
goes 4 times into
d f
, and 4 times into
d n
and is 3/7 of
the foot;
p q r s
goes 3 times into _d f, and 3 times into
b n
;
[Footnote: 25.
y
is not to be found on the diagram and
x
occurs
twice; this makes the passage very obscure.]
x y
is 1/8 of
x f
and is equal to
n q
. 3 7 is 1/9 of
n f
; 4 5 is 1/10 of
n f
[Footnote: 22-27. Compare with this lines 18-24 of No. 331, and the
sketch of a leg in profile Pl. XV.].

I want to know how much a man increases in height by standing on
tip-toe and how much
p g
diminishes by stooping; and how much it
increases at
n q
likewise in bending the foot.

[Footnote 34:
e f
4
dal cazo
. By reading
i
for
e
the sense
of this passage is made clear.]
e f
is four times in the distance
between the genitals and the sole of the foot; [Footnote 35: 2 is
not to be found in the sketch which renders the passage obscure. The
two last lines are plainly legible in the facsimile.] 3 7 is six
times from 3 to 2 and is equal to
g h
and
i k
.

[Footnote: The drawing of a leg seen in front Pl. XIII, No. 1
belongs to the text from lines 3-21. The measurements in this
section should be compared with the text No. 331, lines 1-13, and
the sketch of a leg seen in front on Pl. XV.]

329.

The length of the foot from the end of the toes to the heel goes
twice into that from the heel to the knee, that is where the leg
bone [fibula] joins the thigh bone [femur].

330.

a n b
are equal;
c n d
are equal;
n c
makes two feet;
n d
makes 2 feet.

[Footnote: See the lower sketch, Pl. XIV, No. 1.]

331.

m n o
are equal. The narrowest width of the leg seen in front goes
8 times from the sole of the foot to the joint of the knee, and is
the same width as the arm, seen in front at the wrist, and as the
longest measure of the ear, and as the three chief divisions into
which we divide the face; and this measurement goes 4 times from the
wrist joint of the hand to the point of the elbow. [14] The foot is
as long as the space from the knee between
a
and
b
; and the
patella of the knee is as long as the leg between
r
and
s
.

[18] The least thickness of the leg in profile goes 6 times from the
sole of the foot to the knee joint and is the same width as the
space between the outer corner of the eye and the opening of the
ear, and as the thickest part of the arm seen in profile and between
the inner corner of the eye and the insertion of the hair.

a b c
[
d
] are all relatively of equal length,
c d
goes twice
from the sole of the foot to the centre of the knee and the same
from the knee to the hip.

[28]
a b c
are equal;
a
to
b
is 2 feet—that is to say
measuring from the heel to the tip of the great toe.

[Footnote: See Pl. XV. The text of lines 2-17 is to the left of the
front view of the leg, to which it refers. Lines 18-27 are in the
middle column and refer to the leg seen in profile and turned to the
left, on the right hand side of the writing. Lines 20-30 are above,
to the left and apply to the sketch below them.

Some farther remarks on the proportion of the leg will be found in
No. 336, lines 6, 7.]

On the central point of the whole body.

332.

In kneeling down a man will lose the fourth part of his height.

When a man kneels down with his hands folded on his breast the navel
will mark half his height and likewise the points of the elbows.

Half the height of a man who sits—that is from the seat to the top
of the head—will be where the arms fold below the breast, and
below the shoulders. The seated portion—that is from the seat to
the top of the head—will be more than half the man's [whole height]
by the length of the scrotum.

[Footnote: See Pl. VIII, No. 2.]

The relative proportions of the torso and of the whole figure.

333.

The cubit is one fourth of the height of a man and is equal to the
greatest width of the shoulders. From the joint of one shoulder to
the other is two faces and is equal to the distance from the top of
the breast to the navel. [Footnote 9:
dalla detta somita
. It would
seem more accurate to read here
dal detto ombilico
.] From this
point to the genitals is a face's length.

[Footnote: Compare with this the sketches on the other page of the
same leaf. Pl. VIII, No. 2.]

The relative proportions of the head and of the torso.

334.

From the roots of the hair to the top of the breast
a b
is the
sixth part of the height of a man and this measure is equal.

From the outside part of one shoulder to the other is the same
distance as from the top of the breast to the navel and this measure
goes four times from the sole of the foot to the lower end of the
nose.

The [thickness of] the arm where it springs from the shoulder in
front goes 6 times into the space between the two outside edges of
the shoulders and 3 times into the face, and four times into the
length of the foot and three into the hand, inside or outside.

[Footnote: The three sketches Pl. XIV, No. 2 belong to this text.]

The relative proportions of the torso and of the leg (335. 336).

335.

a b c
are equal to each other and to the space from the armpit of
the shoulder to the genitals and to the distance from the tip of the
fingers of the hand to the joint of the arm, and to the half of the
breast; and you must know that
c b
is the third part of the height
of a man from the shoulders to the ground;
d e f
are equal to each
other and equal to the greatest width of the shoulders.