⚠The facsimile reproduction is slightly yellowed with some minor foxing, characteristic of aged manuscript paper.

— VERSO OF THE COVER —

This page contains a facsimile of Leonardo da Vinci's Manuscript C (Paris), verso of the cover. The text is written in Leonardo's characteristic mirror script (right-to-left). Leonardo often used these front pages to list the broad themes of his research.


(of circular motion)	(of circular motion)
(of rectilinear motion)	(of rectilinear motion)
(of mixed motion)	(of mixed motion)
of the fall of weights	of the fall of weights
and of the impetus impetus: a medieval and Renaissance precursor to the concept of momentum of darts	and of the impetus of darts
and of force and its cause	and of force and its cause
of the centers of gravity	of the centers of gravity
and of the equilibrium of balances	and of the equilibrium of balances
of the gait of cats and other animals	of the gait of cats and other animals
and of the strength of man	and of the strength of man

E [Monogram]

In this book, we will treat shadows original: "verna"; likely a transcription error for "ombra" (shadow), which is the central theme of Manuscript C. and the sphere of the sun, the air, and the water; and how light passes through these aforementioned media; and the causes of winds, rains, thunder, and lightning; and how vapors move through these media; and the colors that these media possess, and how the color of objects is varied by them. Leonardo is describing "atmospheric perspective"—how the air itself changes the appearance and color of distant objects, a technique he famously applied in the Mona Lisa.