A Treatise on Painting
by Leonardo da Vinci, translated by John Francis Rigaud
The Method of retaining in the Memory the Likeness of a Man, so as to draw his Profile, after having seen him only once
3995920A Treatise on Painting — The Method of retaining in the Memory the Likeness of a Man, so as to draw his Profile, after having seen him only onceJohn Francis RigaudLeonardo da Vinci

Chap. XXIII.The Method of retaining in the Memory the Likeness of a Man, so as to draw his Profile, after having seen him only once.

Youmust observe and remember well the variations of the four principal features in the profile; the nose, mouth, chin, and forehead. And first of the nose, of which there are three different sorts[1], straight, concave, and convex. Of the straight there are but four variations, short or long, high at the end, or low. Of the concave there are three sorts; some have the concavity above, some in the middle, and some at the end. The convex noses also vary three ways; some project in the upper part, some in the middle, and others at the bottom. Nature, which seems to delight in infinite variety, gives again three changes to those noses which have a projection in the middle; for some have it straight, some concave, and some convex.

  1. See the preceding chapter.