Leonardo DaVinci Quotations

Between the expressions of laughter and weeping there is no difference in the motion of the features, either in the eyes, mouth or cheeks; only in the ruffling of the brows, which is added when weeping, but more elevated and extended when laughing.
...Those who weep, raise the brows, and bring them close together above the nose, forming many wrinkles on the forehead, and the corners of the mouth are turned down-wards. Those who laugh have them tu...
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How to make an imaginary animal appear natural.
It is evident that it will be impossible to invent any animal without giving it members, and these members must individually resemble those of some known animal.
If you wish, therefore, to make a chimera, or imaginary animal appear natural (let us suppose a serpent); take the head of a mastiff, the eyes of a cat, the ears of a porcupine, the mouth of a hare, the brows of a lion, the temples of an ol...
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How to make an imaginary animal appear natural.
It is evident that it will be impossible to invent any animal without giving it members, and these members must individually resemble those of some known animal.
If you wish, therefore, to make a chimera, or imaginary animal appear natural (let us suppose a serpent); take the head of a mastiff, the eyes of a cat, the ears of a porcupine, the mouth of a hare, the brows of a lion, the temples of an ol...
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I have offended God and mankind because my work didn't reach
the quality it should have.
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The method of awakening the Mind to a Variety of Inventions.
...a new kind of speculative invention, which though apparently trifling and almost laughable, is nevertheless of great utility in assisting the genius to find variety for composition.
By looking attentively at old and smeared walls, or stones and veined marble of various colors, you may fancy that you see in them several compositions, landscapes, battles, figures in quick motion, stran...
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The method of awakening the Mind to a Variety of Inventions.
...a new kind of speculative invention, which though apparently trifling and almost laughable, is nevertheless of great utility in assisting the genius to find variety for composition.
By looking attentively at old and smeared walls, or stones and veined marble of various colors, you may fancy that you see in them several compositions, landscapes, battles, figures in quick motion, stran...
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There is nothing more apt to deceive us than our own judgement, in deciding on our own works; and we should derive more advantage from having our faults pointed out by our enemies, than by hearing the opinions of our friends, because they are too much like ourselves, and may deceive us as much as our own judgement."

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Whoever flatters himself that he can retain in his memory all the effects of nature, is deceived, for our memory is not so capacious: therefore consult nature for everything."

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