Study without desire spoils the memory, and it retains nothing that it takes in.

Nothing will be left, Nothing in the air, nothing under the earth, nothing in the waters. All will be exterminated.

I say that in narrative paintings one should mingle direct contraries close by, because they produce strong contrasts with one another, and all the more so when they are very close together; that is, the ugly next to the beautiful, the big to the small, the old to the young, the strong to the weak; in this way you will vary as much as possible and close by.

Obstacles cannot crush me. Every obstacle yields to stern resolve. He who is fixed to a star does not change his mind.

Drawing is based upon perspective, which is nothing else than a thorough knowledge of the function of the eye.

How painting surpasses all human works by reason of the subtle possibilities which it contains.

My body is not a tomb for animals.