Leonardo da Vinci by Freud Sigmund

Author:Freud, Sigmund
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Crimson velvet for trimming

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Another very detailed note brings together all the expenses he incurred through the bad character and thievish habits of another pupil:2 ‘On the twenty-first day of April, 1490, I began this book and made a new start on the horse.3 Jacomo came to me on St. Mary Magdalen's day, 1490: he is ten years old.’ (Marginal note: ‘thievish, untruthful, selfish, greedy.’) ‘On the second day I had two shirts cut out for him, a pair of trousers and a jacket, and when I put the money aside to pay for these things, he stole the money from my purse, and it was never possible to make him own up, although I was absolutely sure of it.’ (Marginal note: ‘4 lire …’) The report of the child's misdeeds runs on in this way and ends with the reckoning of expenses: ‘In the first year, a cloak, 2 lire; 6 shirts, 4 lire; 3 jackets, 6 lire; 4 pairs of stockings, 7 lire; etc.’1

Nothing is further from the wishes of Leonardo's biographers than to try to solve the problems in their hero's mental life by starting from his small weaknesses and peculiarities; and the usual comment that they make on these singular accounts is one which lays stress on the artist's kindness and consideration for his pupils. They forget that what calls for explanation is not Leonardo's behaviour, but the fact that he left these pieces of evidence of it behind him. As it is impossible to believe that his motive was that of letting proofs of his good nature fall into our hands, we must assume that it was another motive, an affective one, which led him to write these notes down. What motive it was is not easy to guess, and we should be unable to suggest one if there were not another account found among Leonardo's papers which throws a vivid light on these strangely trifling notes about his pupils’ clothing, etc.:

Expenses after Caterina's death for her funeral

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