Page 286 - Art In The Age Of Exploration (Great Section on Chinese Art Ming Dynasty)

The almost ornamental grace of the arcs
described by the missiles reflects Leonardo's stud-
ies of ballistics during the late 14905 and, in more
general terms, his belief that every activity could
be reduced to the rule of mathematical law —even
the chaos of war. M.K.

188
Leonardo da Vinci
Florentine, 1452-1519
TOWN AT THE CENTER OF A DELUGE

c. 1515
pen and brown ink and wash over black chalk
on paper
3
16.2 x 20.3 (6 /s x 8)
inscribed with instructions on the depiction of rain
references: Clark and Pedretti 1968—1969, 12380;
Pedretti 1982, 597%- Kemp 1989, 583, 589; London
1989, 63
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth n, Royal Library,
Windsor Castle

brilliance than to serve as designs for constructing present drawing (Windsor 12275) * s distinguished This drawing (Windsor 12380) is one of ten stud-
actual machines. They would also have made suit- by a neatness and resolution that might have been ies of a "deluge" or "tempest" (Windsor 12377-
able illustrations for a lively treatise. There is no intended to impress such a patron, though the 12386) that are so close in style and size as to indi-
indication that such "patent" devices had any sig- applicability of the representation to actual war- cate that they were conceived as a set. The draw-
nificant effect upon warfare at this time. M.K. fare may be doubted. Like other military theorists ings are normally placed late in Leonardo's career
of the Renaissance, Leonardo responded to the (c. 1515), and the atmospheric use of black chalk
advent of guns by designing compound weapons in most of them supports such a dating. This par-
that were intended to provide decisive results, ticular image is exceptional in that the black chalk
^7 although they would have required a level of provides no more than an underdrawing for the

Leonardo da Vinci technological efficiency beyond what was then elaborate pen lines and shading in wash. The pen
work gives a more formalized definition to the
available.
Florentine, 1452-1519
FOUR MORTARS FIRING STONES
INTO THE COURTYARD OF A FORT

c. 1504
pen and brown ink and wash on paper
7
32.9x48 (13 xi8 /s)
inscribed: 157
references: Clark and Pedretti 1968-1969, 12275;
Marani 1984, 126; London 1989, 70
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth n, Royal Library,
Windsor Castle

Leonardo worked on military architecture and
weapons for several of his patrons during the
course of his career, and his finished, formal stud-
ies are difficult to date on stylistic grounds alone.
There are, however, related studies on a series of
sheets that can be associated with his mural, the
Battle of Anghiari (Windsor 12337V and Codex
Atlanticus 72r, ioo2v), and can therefore be dated
to 1503-1505. In autumn 1504, during his work
on the mural, Leonardo was sent by the Florentine
authorities to provide advice on fortifications
to the lord of Piombino, Jacopo iv Appiani. The

EUROPE AND THE MEDITERRANEAN WORLD 285