Quotes from Leonardo da Vinci

He who is fixed to a star does not change his mind.

A beautiful body perishes, but a work of art dies not.

Thou, O God, dost sell us all good things at the price of labor.

The greatest geniuses sometimes accomplish more when they work less.

Make your work to be in keeping with your purpose

The worst evil which can befall the artist is that his work should appear good in his own eyes.

O Lord, thou givest us everything, at the price of an effort.

If on your own or by the criticism of others you discover error in your work, correct it then and there; otherwise in exposing your work to the public, you will expose your error also.

It is better to imitate ancient than modern work.

Men of lofty genius when they are doing the least work are most active.

Men of genius sometimes accomplish most when they work least, for they are thinking out inventions.

Nothing is more apt to deceive us than our own judgment of our work. We derive more benefit from having our faults pointed out by our enemies than from hearing the opinions of friends.

I love those who can smile in trouble, who can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink, but they whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves their conduct, will pursue their principles unto death.

"The smallest feline is a masterpiece."

Why does the eye see a thing more clearly in dreams than the imagination when awake?

The desire to know is natural to good men.

Water is the driver of Nature

Anyone who in discussion relies upon authority uses, not his understanding, but rather his memory.

He who wishes to be rich in a day will be hanged in a year.

The part always has a tendency to reunite with its whole in order to escape from its imperfection.

Patience serves as a protection against wrongs as clothes do against cold. For if you put on more clothes as the cold increases, it will have no power to hurt you. So in like manner you must grow in patience when you meet with great wrongs

Who sows virtue reaps honor.

You do ill to praise, but worse to censure, what you do not understand

Necessity is the mistress and guardian of Nature.