PREFACE

...the depths of Leonardo remain unknown to us, enigmatic, like the gaze and the smile of the beings he painted.

The great Italian exercised a seduction over psychological historians and inspired them to write sublime pages. In the realm of criticism, the efforts made to explain him have produced ingenious essays and remarkable studies; but these writings have piqued curiosity more than they have satisfied it. Indeed, what can be stated with certainty when the vast majority of Leonardo's manuscripts—which are arduous to read Leonardo famously used "mirror writing," writing from right to left—lie unpublished, scattered across Europe in public libraries or in private collections that are not always easily accessible?

Select minds felt, and some expressed with insistence, the necessity of an integral and complete edition of the writings of Leonardo da Vinci. Charles Ravaisson-Mollien was the first to respond to these repeated wishes; his work, which has become a classic, made public all of Leonardo's autographs held by the national collections of France. For his part, the late Govi was preparing the entire publication of the Codex Atlanticus The largest collection of Leonardo's papers, covering subjects from weaponry to botany, that vast treasure of the Ambrosian Library in Milan. Finally, we owe to Luca Beltrami the edition of the manuscript found in the library of Prince Trivulzio.

However, the principle of an integral

...of Leonardo remain unknown to us, enigmatic, like the gaze and the smile of the beings he painted.

The great Italian exercised a seduction over psychological historians and inspired them to write sublime pages. In the realm of criticism, the efforts expended to explain him have produced essays full of talent and remarkable studies; but these writings have sharpened curiosity more than they have satisfied it. Indeed, what can one affirm decisively when most of Leonardo's Manuscripts, being of arduous reading, remain unpublished, scattered throughout Europe in public libraries or in private collections where access is always rare and difficult?

Distinguished minds felt, and some expressed with insistence, the necessity of an integral and complete edition of the writings of Leonardo da Vinci. Mr. Charles Ravaisson-Mollien was the first to respond to these repeated wishes; his work, having become a classic, disclosed all the autographs of Leonardo possessed by the national collections of France. On his side, Govi, so justly regretted, was preparing the total publication of the Codex Atlanticus, that vast treasure of the Ambrosian Library in Milan. We owe, lastly, to Mr. Lucas Beltrami the edition of the manuscript found in the library of Prince Trivulzio.

However, the principle of publi—