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Interior view of manuscript with black & white illustration of the Mona Lisa

Books of Influence

Traitté de la Peinture

Leonardo Da Vinci

1651


Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519) had planned to write three major books - on painting, anatomy and architecture - but none were completed by the time of his death.

His pupil Francesco Melzi (1491-1570), who inherited his manuscripts and drawings, later compiled Leonardo’s thoughts and ideas into publishable form.

This edition of Leonardo’s Treatise on Painting was published in Paris by Jacques Langlois. It contains entries from Leonardo’s manuscripts which no longer exist. The illustrations for the work were executed by the French artist Nicolas Poussin. Jacques Langlois also published an Italian edition of the same work.

Melzi’s handwritten manuscript has survived and is held in the Vatican Library.