Leonardo da Vinci's "Paragone": A Critical Interpretation with a New Edition of the Text in the "Codex Urbinas"

494 Pages·1992·27.422 MB·English, Italian

by  Claire J. Farago

LEONARDO DA VINCI'S PARACONE
BRILL'S STUDIES
IN
INTELLECTUAL HISTORY
General Editor
A.]. VANDERJAGT, University of Groningen
Editorial Board
M. COLISH, Oberlin College
J.I. ISRAEL, University College, London
J.D. NORTH, University of Groningen
H.A. OBERMAN, University of Arizona, Tucson
R.H. POPKIN, Washington University, St. Louis-UCLA
VOLUME 25
LEONARDO DA VINCI'S
PARA GONE
A Critical Interpretation with a New Edition
of the Text in the Codex U rbinas
BY
CLAIRE J. FARAGO
E.J. BRILL
LEIDEN • NEW YORK • K0BENHAV N • KOLN
1992
The paper in this book meets the guidelines for permanence and durability of
the Committee on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity of the Council on
Library Resources.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Farago, Claire J.
Leonardo da Vinci's Paragone: a critical interpretation with a
new edition of the text in the Codex Urbinas I by Claire J. Farago.
p. cm.-(Brill's studies in intellectual history, ISSN
0920-8607; v. 25)
Revision of author's thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index.
ISBN 90-04-09415-6 (cloth)
1. Painting-Philosophy. 2. Codex Vaticanus Urbinas 1270.
3. Leonardo, da Vinci, 1452-1519-Aesthetics. 4. Ut pictura poesis
(Aesthetics) I. Leonardo, da Vinci, 1452-1519. Trattato della
pittura. 1991. II. Title. III. Series.
ND1140.F35 1991
75 0-dc20 91-1 7966
CIP
ISSN 0920-8607
ISBN 90 04 09415 6
© Copyright 1992 by EJ. Brill, Leiden, The Netherlands
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PRINTED IN THE NETHERLANDS
Dedicated to the memory of
PINKNEY L. NEAR
1927-1990
mentor and friend

Ifl did not entirely satisfy [the readers'] expectations, they should
not blame [me] for daring to tackle such an important subject. If
my natural ability (ingenium) could not complete what it was
praiseworthy to undertake, they should remember that, in the case
of the greatest subjects, it is customary to be praised for trying the
most difficult things with good will. Perhaps there will be those who
will amend my errors and who, in this preeminent and most worthy
subject, will be of far greater assistance to painters than I. If such
[successors] arise, I would entreat them over and over to undertake
this task with a ready mind in which they exert their ingenium, and
to write on this most noble art as elegantly as possible. I consider it
a great pleasure to have taken the palm in being the first to put this
most subtle art into writing. If I was not able to meet the expecta
tions of the readers in completing this very difficult undertaking,
then the nature (natura) of the undertaking, rather than I, must be
blamed-for [nature] imposes the law that erroneous beginnings
are unavoidable. They say that nothing is born perfect instanta
neously. Yet, if those who follow me are superior in studiousness
and ingenium, they perhaps will render this art of painting perfect
and complete.
Leon Battista Alberti
On Painting, 1435