Notebook of Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), vol. III; known as Codex Forster III thumbnail 1
Notebook of Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), vol. III; known as Codex Forster III thumbnail 2
+2
images
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
Not currently on display at the V&A
On short term loan out for exhibition

Notebook of Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), vol. III; known as Codex Forster III

Manuscript
c.1490-1493 (written)
Artist/Maker

This volume is part of a set of five notebooks bound in three volumes (no. I and no. II are in two parts). In them, Leonardo da Vinci wrote his notes on a wide variety of subjects: perspective, light and shade, the human figure, the practice of painting, the artist's materials, the history of the art of painting, studies and sketches for pictures and decorations, sculpture, architecture, anatomy, physiology, maxims, morals, fables, jests and tales, prophecies, draughts and schemes for his humorous writings, etc.

Delve deeper

Discover more about this object
read Leonardo da Vinci's notebooks Leonardo da Vinci (1452 – 1519) was an Italian Renaissance architect, musician, inventor, engineer, sculptor, and painter. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest painters of all time and perhaps the most diversely talented person ever to have lived. His notebooks contain diagram...
interact Explore Leonardo da Vinci's notebooks: Codex Forster III Famous worldwide as the painter of such masterpieces as the Mona Lisa, Leonardo da Vinci (1452 – 1519) is also renowned for his notebooks in which he recorded his thoughts and inventions. Five of these fascinating notebooks, bound into three small volumes, have been in our collection since...

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleNotebook of Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), vol. III; known as Codex Forster III (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Paper, bound in parchment
Brief description
Manuscript, Codex Forster III, notebook by Leonardo da Vinci, Milan, c. 1490-1493.
Physical description
This notebook is volume III in a set of three written by Leonardo da Vinci between 1487 and 1505. This ensemble comprises in fact five of his notebooks bound into three volumes. They contain texts, diagrams and drawings and are written in Italian, in mirror script.
Volume III contains one of these notebooks and is made up of 89 folios. It was compiled c. 1490-1493 and is primarily concerned with geometry, weights and hydraulics. It also contains however notes and sketches on a variety of subjects such as, for instance, acoustics (f. 5r), notes on anatomy including hair and layers of skin on the human head (ff. 27v-28r), the sketch of a crane (f. 56v), etc.

The two other volumes are MSL/1876/Forster/141/I and MSL/1876/Forster/141/II.

The bindings on all three volumes (Codex Forster I-III) are, according to Nicholas Pickwoad, the result of two campaigns: the notebooks were probably sewn in their current structures with full cartonnage covers in Italy in the late 16th century, while their parchment bindings are considered to have been made in Spain in the early 17th century (see Watson 2011, p. 633).
Dimensions
  • Height: 95mm (binding)
  • Width: 70mm (binding)
Production typeUnique
Gallery label
  • NOTEBOOK (CODEX FORSTER III) About 1490-1493 Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) The V&A has five of Leonardo's notebooks, bound together in three volumes probably in the 17th century. This one was compiled over a number of years while Leonardo worked for Duke Ludovico Sforza in Milan. It contains notes and diagrams mainly concerning geometry, weights and hydraulics. Here Leonardo turned his notebook upside down and sketched out his thoughts on pulley systems. Italy, Milan Pen and ink on paper Bequeathed by John Forster Museum no. MSL/1876/Forster/141/III, ff. 84 and 83v(2018)
Credit line
Bequeathed by John Forster.
Object history
Among the manuscripts inherited from Leonardo by Francesco Melzi (1491/3-c.1570) and bequeathed to his son Orazio Melzi. Acquired by Pompeo Leoni (1533-1608), sculptor at the court of King Philip II of Spain. In a German-speaking country in the 19th century (inscription on f. 1r of Codex I1). Acquired by Edward Robert Bulwer- Lytton (1831-1891), first earl of Lytton, probably in Vienna (see Richter 1883, p. 490), and given to John Forster (1812-1876) before August 1865 (see letter dated 11 August 1865 of Edward Bulwer-Lytton to his wife Edith published in E. Lutyens, The Birth of Rowland: an exchange of letters in 1865 between Robert Lytton and his wife, London: Hart-Davis, 1956, p. 115); part of the Forster bequest to the Museum in 1876.
Summary
This volume is part of a set of five notebooks bound in three volumes (no. I and no. II are in two parts). In them, Leonardo da Vinci wrote his notes on a wide variety of subjects: perspective, light and shade, the human figure, the practice of painting, the artist's materials, the history of the art of painting, studies and sketches for pictures and decorations, sculpture, architecture, anatomy, physiology, maxims, morals, fables, jests and tales, prophecies, draughts and schemes for his humorous writings, etc.
Associated objects
Bibliographic references
  • J. P. Richter, The Literary Works of Leonardo, 2 vols, London: S. Low, Marston, Searle & Rivington, 1883. Vol. II, esp. pp. 486-488 and 490.
  • Watson, R. Western Illuminated Manuscripts.Victoria and Albert Museum. A catalogue of works in the National Art Library from the eleventh to the early twentieth century, with a complete account of the George Reid Collection. London, 2011. Vol. II, no. 119 (with full bibliography).
  • C. Bambach, Leonardo da Vinci Rediscovered, 4 vols, New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2019. Esp. Vol. II, pp. 67-71.
  • C. Bambach, Leonardo da Vinci Rediscovered, 4 vols, New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2019. Esp. vol. II, pp. 71-74.
  • Pickwoad, N.,'Deconstructing the Forster Codices : an artefactual history', in Decoding Leonardo's Codices. Compilation, Dispersal, and Reproduction Technologies, ed. by P. Galluzzi and A. Nova, Florence: Marsilio, 2022, pp. 131-148 and 346-350 (ills).
Other numbers
  • Safe - NAL Pressmark
  • 38041800149478 - NAL barcode
Collection
Library number
MSL/1876/Forster/141/III

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdFebruary 10, 2017
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest