A Treatise on Painting

in which many of Leonardo's works existed, there was also a Book of Shadow and Light, which I believe was a part of the one mentioned above, and of that which forms Book V of the present edition. The first part of it seems not to have been unknown to Lomazzo, who, in addition to the Book of the anatomy original: "notomìa," an archaic term for anatomy of the horse—which he said was lost during the entry of the French into Milan—also affirmed that Leonardo had composed a Book in which he examined whether painting or sculpture is preferable. Vasari also left written that, while passing through Florence, a Milanese painter had shown him a Book by this Leonardo, which he intended to have printed as soon as he arrived in Rome. These, then, were the vague reports that existed regarding Vinci’s writings on painting, and only the history of them was known—which, to the great detriment of the arts, were lost almost immediately after the author's death (1); when through

(1) Notable for the history of these writings is the memoir left since the beginning of the 17th Century by Gianambrogio Mazzenta, which I report in its original form, hoping to do something pleasing to the lovers of such news. “There came into my hands,” (he writes), “now 50 years ago, thirteen volumes by Leonardo da Vinci in folio and in quarto written in reverse Leonardo’s famous "mirror writing" and chance made them fall to me in the following manner. I was studying law at Pisa in the company of the young Aldo Manuzio, a great lover of books. A certain Lelio Gavardi of Asola, provost of San Zeno in Pavia and a close relative of Aldo, came to our house. He had been a master of polite letters in Milan in the house of the Melzi Lords, who are called 'of Vavero' (Vaprio) to distinguish this from other Melzi families of the same city. He had seen in their country house at Vaprio many drawings, instruments, and books by Leonardo. . . . . Francesco Melzi (his student and heir) had approached the manner of Vinci more than any other: he worked little because he was rich; but his paintings are well finished, and often confused with the works of the master. . . He, upon dying, left the works of Leonardo in his house at Vaprio to his sons, who, having different tastes and employments, neglected those treasures, and very soon dispersed them. Lelio Gavardi took from them what he pleased. He brought 13 volumes to Florence, hoping to obtain a good price for them from the Grand Duke Francesco, who was eager to acquire similar works; all the more so because Leonardo was highly esteemed in his homeland. But upon Gavardi's arrival in Florence, the prince died, wherefore he came to Pisa. I could not refrain from disapproving of his conduct: he blushed at it; and since I, having finished my studies there—”