LEONARDO da Vinci
(b. 1452, Vinci, d. 1519, Cloux, near Amboise)

Studies of central plan buildings

c. 1498
Pen and ink on paper, 23 x 16 cm
Bibliothèque de l'Institut de France, Paris

The picture shows fol. 17v of Manuscript B.

It has been proposed that the central plan designs in Manuscript B were originally to be used in a collection of architectural plans. In addition to ground plans and elevations common until then, there are mainly aerial perspectival views, which were a novelty in the field of architectural drawing. However, Vitruvius had already introduced them as a third form of architectural depiction in "De Architectura", his ten books on architecture.