Quotes from Leonardo da Vinci

No one should ever imitate the style of another because, with regard to art, he will be called a nephew and not a child of nature.

The eye transmits its own image through the air to all the objects which face it, and also receives them on its own surface, whence the "sensus communis" takes them and considers them.

The soul is content to stay imprisoned in the human body... for through the eyes all the various things of nature are represented to the soul.

Do not imitate one another's style. If you do, so far as your art is concerned you will be called a grandson, rather than the son of Nature.

A good memory, which nature has endowed us with, causes things long past to seem present.

Nature is constrained by the cause of her laws which dwell inborn in her. Variant: Nature is constrained by the order of her own law which lives and works within her.

Who would believe that so small a space could contain the images of all the universe?

Necessity is a guardian in Nature.

Painting embraces and contains within itself all the things which nature produces or which results from the fortuitous actions of men... he is but a poor master who makes only a single figure well.

Water is the driving force in nature.

You must grow in patience when you meet with great wrongs, and they will then be powerless to vex your mind.

Patience serves as a protection against wrongs as clothes do against cold.

If you put on more clothes as the cold increases, it will have no power to hurt you. Let us hope that.

Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen.

If you call painting dumb poetry, the painter may call poetry blind painting.

Being willing is not enough. We must do.

I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do.

I have been impressed with the urgency of doing.

We must doubt the certainty of everything which passes through the senses, but how much more ought we to doubt things contrary to the senses, such as the existence of God and the soul.

We, by our arts may be called the grandsons of God.

Fame alone raises herself to Heaven, because virtuous things are in favour with God.

Good writing comes from good talent.

The discovery of a good wine is increasingly better for mankind than the discovery of a new star.

To speak ill of a good person is not truly good, all in all.