Notebooks (57 page)
Authors: Leonardo da Vinci,Irma Anne Richter,Thereza Wells
Tags: #History, #Fiction, #General, #European, #Art, #Renaissance, #Leonardo;, #Leonardo, #da Vinci;, #1452-1519, #Individual artists, #Art Monographs, #Drawing By Individual Artists, #Notebooks; sketchbooks; etc, #Individual Artist, #History - Renaissance, #Renaissance art, #Individual Painters - Renaissance, #Drawing & drawings, #Drawing, #Techniques - Drawing, #Individual Artists - General, #Individual artists; art monographs, #Art & Art Instruction, #Techniques
In the spring of 1506 Charles d’Amboise, the French governor of Milan, planning to maintain the patronage of the Sforzas, invited Leonardo to join him. Leonardo left Florence with the
Battle of Anghiari
still unfinished, having made an agreement with the Signoria on 30 May 1506, that he would return within three months to complete it, or face a stiff penalty.
Battle of Anghiari
still unfinished, having made an agreement with the Signoria on 30 May 1506, that he would return within three months to complete it, or face a stiff penalty.
On 18 and 19 August 1506 Charles d’Amboise and the French chancellor at Milan, Geffroy Carle, wrote to Florence asking for an extension of Leonardo’s stay ‘for at least the whole month of September’. On 28 August permission was granted. Pier Soderini, the
gonfalioniere
, wrote from Florence on 9 October 1506 that Leonardo had accepted a good sum of money, and had hardly more than begun the important work expected of him. Nevertheless he had to relinquish his claims, and Leonardo remained at Milan.
gonfalioniere
, wrote from Florence on 9 October 1506 that Leonardo had accepted a good sum of money, and had hardly more than begun the important work expected of him. Nevertheless he had to relinquish his claims, and Leonardo remained at Milan.
Whilst in Milan Charles d’Amboise commissions Leonardo to design a suburban villa and garden. He also undertakes studies of the Adda river and of the area around Charles’s villa near San Babila.
On 2 January 1507 Francesco Pandolfini, Florentine ambassador to Louis XII, wrote from Blois to the Signoria: ‘Being this morning in the presence of the most Christian King, his Majesty called for me and said: “Your Government must do something for me. Write to them that I wish Master Leonardo, their painter, to work for me. And see that your Government command him to serve me at once, and not to leave Milan until I go there. He is a good master and I wish to have several things from his hand.” I then asked his Majesty what works he desired and he answered: “Certain small panels of Our Lady and other things as the fancy shall take me; and perhaps I shall also cause him to make my own portrait.” ’
‘His Majesty asked
[
says Pandolfini
]
if I knew him. I replied that he was a close friend of mine. “Then write him some verses”, said the King, “telling him not to leave Milan, at the same time as your Governors are writing to him from Florence”; and for this reason I wrote a verse to Leonardo, letting him know the good will of his Majesty and congratulating him on the news.’
[
says Pandolfini
]
if I knew him. I replied that he was a close friend of mine. “Then write him some verses”, said the King, “telling him not to leave Milan, at the same time as your Governors are writing to him from Florence”; and for this reason I wrote a verse to Leonardo, letting him know the good will of his Majesty and congratulating him on the news.’
On 20 April 1507 the vineyard which Ludovico Sforza had presented to Leonardo was returned to him by an order of Charles d’Amboise. On 24 May 1507 the French king re-entered Milan in triumph. At the festivities Leonardo resumed his function as organizer of brilliant entertainments. Amongst the guests were Isabella d’Este and her brother Cardinal Ippolito d’Este.
One of the supporters of the French cause against the Sforzas who was now in power was the Milanese nobleman Gian Giacomo Trivulzi. In a will, dated August 1504, he had made provision for a monumental tomb to be erected in the church of San Nazaro at the cost of 4,000 ducats. Leonardo made an estimate for this monument which included a bronze life-size equestrian statue, an elaborate eight-columned base with the figure of the deceased carved in stone resting on the sarcophagus. This commission seemed to offer an opportunity of creating something that would compensate for the destruction of his masterpiece, the colossal horse for the monument of Francesco Sforza. But this work too, carefully planned and calculated, was not brought to completion owing to the unsettled times. Below is a selection of items included in the estimate amounting to a total of 3,046 ducats. His sketches for the memorial are at Windsor.
The monument of Messer Giovanni Jacomo Trevulzo.
Cost of making and materials for the horse. A courser as large as life with the rider.
For cost of material duc. 500
Cost of pit and furnace for casting of framework duc. 200
To make model in clay and in wax duc. 432
To the workmen for polishing after it’s cast duc. 450
Cost of the marble for the monument duc. 389
Cost of the work on the marble duc. 1075.
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126
The size and function of each block is described, and the cost of the work on each is quoted separately.
In the following letter, addressed to his stepmother, Leonardo announces his intention of returning to Florence for a brief stay in order to settle a litigation with his brother over the estates of his father and uncle.
In the name of God on the 5th of July 1507.
My dearly beloved mother, sisters and brother-in-law, I herewith inform you that I am well, thank God, and I hope the same of you. To remind you what to do with the sword that I left with you—take it to Piazza Strozzi to Maso delle Viole for him to be sure to keep it as I set great store by it; and I recommend to you those clothes. And remember me graciously to Dianira so that she should not say that I have forgotten her, and remember me also to my brother-in-law, and tell him that I shall soon be there for the whole month of September . . . and I shall settle the business with Piero so that he will be satisfied.
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127
On 15 August 1507 he returned to Florence with letters of recommendation from Charles d’Amboise and the French king to the Signoria pressing for a speedy settlement of the lawsuit with his brothers so that he may return to his work in Milan ‘because he is obliged to make a [painted] panel’ for Louis XII. In the following letter now in the library of Modena, he asks the support of the Cardinal Ippolito d’Este in the same personal matter.
Most Illustrious, most Reverend, and my Unique Lord, the Lord Ippolito, Cardinal of Este. My Supreme Lord, at Ferrara. Most Illustrious and Most Reverend Lord.
A few days ago I arrived from Milan, and finding that one of my elder brothers refuses to carry out the provisions of a will made three years ago when our father died and because I would not fail in a matter that I esteem most important, I cannot forbear to request of your most Reverend Highness a letter of recommendation and favour to Ser Raphaello Hieronymo, who is now one of the members of the illustrious Signoria, before whom my cause is being argued; and more particularly it has been referred by his Excellency the Gonfaloniere to the said Ser Raphaello so that his lordship may have to decide and bring it to completion before the coming of the festivals of All Saints.
And therefore, My Lord, I entreat you as urgently as I know how and am able, that Your Highness will write a letter to the said Ser Raphaello in that happy and engaging manner that you can use, commending to him Leonardo da Vinci, your most humble servant as I call myself and always wish to be; requesting him and pressing him that he may not only do me justice but do so with kindly urgency: and I have no doubt at all from many reports that have reached me that as Ser Raphaello is most affectionately devoted to Your Highness, the matter will proceed ad votum. And this I shall attribute to the letter of your most Reverend Highness, to whom once more I commend myself. Et bene valeat.
Florence, 18 September 1507
E.V.R.D.your humble servant,
Leonardus Vincius, pic tor.
128
During his visit to Florence Leonardo stayed in the house of Piero di Braccio Martelli, a scholar and patron of artists. At that time the sculptor Gian Francesco Rustici was working in the same house on the bronze group of the Baptist standing between a Pharisee and a Levite, now placed over the north door of the Baptistery. Vasari reports: ‘While Gian Francesco was at work on the clay model for this group he wished no one to come near him except Leonardo da Vinci who in making the moulds, preparing the armature and at every point up to the casting of the statues never left him; hence some believe that Leonardo worked at them with his own hand or at least helped Gian Francesco with advice and good judgement.’
Begun in Florence, in the house of Piero di Braccio Martelli, on the 22nd day of March, 1508. And this is to be a collection without order, taken from many papers, which I have copied here.
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129
The above explanation served as prologue to a series of notes on physics.
If you keep the details of the spots of the moon under observation you will often find great variation in them, and this I myself have proved by drawing them. . . .
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130
The following drafts of letters addressed to patrons and friends at Milan were written by Leonardo from Florence, where he stayed in the winter of 1507-8. They reflect a desire on his part to make sure of their support and of the privileges that had been promised.
Now that he was no longer young he was anxious to concentrate on his studies and to make arrangements accordingly.
I am afraid lest the small return I have made for the great benefits I have received from your Excellency* has made you somewhat angry with me, and that is why I have never had an answer to so many letters which I have written to your Lordship. I now send Salaì to explain to your Lordship that I am almost at an end of the litigation I had with my brothers; and I hope to find myself with you this Easter, and to carry with me two pictures of two Madonnas of different sizes. These were done for our most Christian King, or for whomsoever your Lordship may please. I shall be very glad to know on my return thence where I may have to reside, for I would not give any more trouble to your Lordship. Also as I have worked for the most Christian King whether my salary is to continue or not. I wrote to the president* as to that water which the king granted me, and which I was not put in possession of because at the time there was a dearth in the canal by reason of the great droughts and because its outlets were not regulated; but he certainly promised me that when this was done I should be put in possession. Thus I pray your Lordship that you will take so much trouble now that these outlets are regulated as to remind the President of my matter; that is to give me possession of this water, because on my return I hope to make instruments there and other things which will greatly please our most Christian King. Nothing else occurs to me. I am always yours to command.
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131
Magnificent President: Having oft-times remembered the proposals made many times to me by your Excellency, I take the liberty of writing to remind your Lordship of the promise made to me at my last departure, that is, the possession of the twelve inches of water granted to me by the most Christian King. Your Lordship knows that I did not enter into possession, because at that time when it was given to me there was a dearth of water in the canal, as well by reason of the great drought as also because the outlets were not regulated; but your Excellency promised me that as soon as this was done, I should have my rights. Afterwards hearing that the canal was completed, I wrote several times to your Lordship and to Messer Girolamo da Cusano,* who has in his keeping the deed of this gift; and so also I wrote to Corigero and never had a reply. I now send Salaì, my pupil, the bearer of this, to whom your Lordship may tell by word of mouth all that happened in the matter about which I petition your Excellency. I expect to go thither this Easter since I am nearly at the end of my lawsuit, and I will take with me two pictures of our Lady which I had begun, and have brought on to a very good end; nothing else occurs to me.
During 1507-8 Leonardo meets Francesco Melzi, the nobleman from Vaprio d’Adda who was to be his pupil, companion, and main heir to his artistic work.
Good day to you, Messer Francesco. Why, in God’s name, of all the letters I have written to you, have you never answered one. Now wait till I come, by God, and I shall make you write so much that you will perhaps be sorry for it.
Dear Messer Francesco, I am sending thither Salaì to learn from his Excellency the President what conclusion has been reached in the matter of the regulation of the water. . . .
Will you therefore have the kindness to answer me as to what has taken place and unless it is being settled will you for my sake be so kind as to urge the President a little and also Messer Girolamo Cusano to whom please commend me and offer my respects to his Excellency.
132
132
Leonardo gave vent to his feelings in the following note:
First the benefices, then the works, then ingratitude, indignity and lamentations and then——
133
133
By the end of April 1508 Leonardo may have returned to Milan, and in the following years worked in the service of Louis XII. He was not only court painter but also architect and engineer.
Memorandum of the money I have had from the King as my salary from July 1508 to April next 1509. First 100 scudi, then 100, then 70, then 50, then 20 and then 200 francs at 48 soldi the franc.
134
134
The notebook known as MS F which was begun soon after his arrival at Milan is entitled
Di Mondo ed acque
and contains a plan for a treatise on water based on his own experience and observation. The notebook was used until 1513.
Di Mondo ed acque
and contains a plan for a treatise on water based on his own experience and observation. The notebook was used until 1513.
Begun at Milan the 12th of September 1508.
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Write first of all water, in each of its motions; then describe all of its beds and the substances therein, adducing always the propositions concerning the aforesaid waters; and let the order be good, for otherwise the work will be confused. Describe all the forms that water assumes from its largest to its smallest wave, and their causes.
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