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

Study for the Burlington House Cartoon

1503-10
Charcoal, pen and watercolour on paper, 260 x 197 mm
The British Museum, London

The main sketch reproduces the compositional layout of the Burlington House Cartoon with a precision not found on any other design sketch by Leonardo. The smaller secondary sketches show how Leonardo developed his composition. Leonardo traced over the unclear main sketch in its final form with a slate pencil, so that he obtained an easily readable drawing of the composition on the reverse side, though the wrong way round.