Axioms relating to art: form, balance and motion: 832/5.f.35

Materials used in production

Brown ink

Components of the work

Support composed of laid paper
Leaf Size Height 213 mm Width 150 mm

Techniques used in production

Handwriting : Pen and brown ink on laid paper

Inscription or legends present

Inscription present: [i] preceding three words crossed through in brown ink, following two words above the line; [ii] preceding seven words crossed through in brown ink; [iii] preceding word crossed through in brown ink; [iv] preceding two words crossed through in brown ink; [v] preceding four words above the line

• Text: Axioms / 1 / In any figure supported on 1 point the super- / -incumbent weight shall be equally disposed about / that point / 2 / In any figure supported equally on 2 or more / points, the center of gravity shall fall in a / point equally distant from & in the[i] & between each of / the other points on which the weight is / supported & consequently in the midst of / them[ii] the weight being equally disposed / about the center of gravity / 3 In any figure supported unequally, / be[iii] on 2 or more points, the center of / gravity shall be found nearest to that / point on which it is most supported / 4 In bodies[iv] the cause of motion in bodies / is the unequal disposition of the superincumbent weight[v] about the fulcrum / or support
• Location: Recto
• Method of creation: Brown ink

Inscription present: [i] preceding word crossed through in brown ink; [ii] preceding two words crossed through in brown ink; [iii] preceding word crossed through in brown ink; [iv] preceding two words crossed through in brown ink; [v] preceding word crossed through in brown ink

• Text: in the side veiw[sic] the center of gravity falls / from the gullet intersects the interior of upper vertebrae of / the loins, the middle of the upper & lower ends / of the tibia of the standing leg / 3 walking, center of gravity in the front / the same as in the last case / In the side veiw[sic] the center of gravity / falls beyond the toes of the standing leg / in running figures it falls still farther[sic] / beyond the standing leg & so on in / proportion as the velocity of motion increases / Axiom 4th fig 3 & 4 A / 4 leaping, in the preparation for a leap / the body is bent towards the knees & the knees / towards the feet whilst the arms are thrown / back as nearly parallel as possible to the / horizon, the gullet remains the length of the / foot before the feet, so that when by[i] the action of[ii] sudden / extension of the muscles in the front of the body, thighs, legs & feet, the[iii] by the resistance they find in the / ground, throws the figure upwards & forwards / in a[iv] diagonally line[v] to the bases, whils the / arms being thrown forward in the action, gives / additional force in throwing the head & shoulders / forward fig 5 A
• Location: Verso
• Method of creation: Brown ink

Identification numbers

Accession number: 832/5.f.35
Primary reference Number: 38329
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Thursday 20 May 2021 Last processed: Tuesday 13 June 2023

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Paintings, Drawings and Prints