Leonardo da Vinci Artist Quotations

As every divided kingdom falls, so every mind divided between many studies confounds and saps itself.

The poet ranks far below the painter in the representation of visible things, and far below the musician in that of invisible things.

Although nature commences with reason and ends in experience it is necessary for us to do the opposite, that is to commence with experience and from this to proceed to investigate the reason.

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

Common Sense is that which judges the things given to it by other senses.

Why seek to embarrass [the artist] with vanities foreign to his quietness? Know you not that certain sciences require the whole man, leaving no part of him at leisure for your trifles?

The artist sees what others only catch a glimpse of.

An artist who lacks the power of self-criticism accomplishes but little. It is good if your work stands higher than your own opinion of it; bad if it is on the same level. But it is a great disaster if your work stands lower than your judgment of it.

Who sows virtue reaps honor.

An artist's studio should be a small space because small rooms discipline the mind and large ones distract it.

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