The Book of the science of Mechanics must precede the Book of useful inventions.

One painter ought never to imitate the manner of any other; because in that case he cannot be called the child of nature, but the grandchild. It is always best to have recourse to nature, which is replete with such abundance of objects, than to the productions of other masters, who learnt everything from her.

You will never have a greater or lesser dominion than that over yourself.

The Medici created and destroyed me.

If you are representing a white body let it be surrounded by ample space, because as white has no colour of its own, it is tinged and altered in some degree by the colour of the objects surrounding it

The most beautiful words of love are told in silence for a look.

I abhor the supreme folly of those who blame the disciples of nature in defiance of those masters who were themselves her pupils