“ The shadows of plants are never black, for where the atmosphere penetrates there can never be utter darkness. ”
Leonardo da Vinci, The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci (1478 – 1519). copy citation
| Author | Leonardo da Vinci |
|---|---|
| Source | The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci |
| Topic | darkness shadow |
| Date | 1478 – 1519 |
| Language | English |
| Reference | |
| Note | Translated by Jean Paul Richter in 1888 |
| Weblink | http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/5000/pg5000-images.html |
Context
“and consequently such an arrangement is very confused and the imitation of it should be avoided.
The light shines least through a leaf when it falls upon it at an acute angle.
The gradations of shade and colour in leaves (430-434) .
430.
The shadows of plants are never black, for where the atmosphere penetrates there can never be utter darkness.
431.
If the light comes from m and the eye is at n the eye will see the colour of the leaves a b all affected by the colour of m —that is of the atmosphere; and b c will be seen from the under side as transparent, with a beautiful green colour verging on yellow.”
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