Leonardo's Notebooks
Manuscripts, codices, and organization pathways
This will be a collection without order, made up of many sheets which I have copied here, hoping afterwards to arrange them in order in their proper places according to the subjects of which they treat.
- Leonardo da Vinci, Codex Arundel
The Major Codices
Primary collection hubs for manuscript exploration
Codex Arundel
Mathematics, mechanics, and design studies from different phases of Leonardo's career.
Content AvailableCodex Atlanticus
Large compilation with engineering, geometry, military studies, and visual investigations.
Content AvailableCodex Leicester
Water, geology, astronomy, and natural philosophy in one of Leonardo's most focused notebooks.
Content AvailableMadrid Codices
Mechanics, machine design, and architectural studies rediscovered in the 20th century.
Content AvailableRoyal Collection (Windsor)
Anatomy, figure studies, horses, and major drawing sequences.
Content AvailableParis Manuscripts
Optics, hydraulics, military architecture, and painting theory across multiple notebooks.
Content AvailableCodex Trivulzianus
Early vocabulary and self-education materials, with language and architecture notes.
Content AvailableForster Codices
Compact notebooks with practical mechanics, geometry, and workshop-style observations.
Content AvailableAnatomy Manuscripts
Anatomical investigations and connected medical/scientific studies.
Content AvailableCodex Ashburnham
Recovered manuscript fragments tied to broader Paris manuscript history.
Content AvailableTreatise on Painting
Posthumous compilation history and the transmission of Leonardo's painting theory.
Content AvailableHow to Navigate the Notebook Universe
Choose the route that matches your research goal
By Subject
Browse theme-based pages such as anatomy, optics, flight, water, and perspective.
By Organization Model
Use process frameworks (science, craft, content) to connect pages across collections.
By Scholar
Compare how major researchers arranged and interpreted Leonardo's dispersed manuscripts.
By Biography and Time
Follow life-period clusters and timeline eras tied to projects, patrons, and locations.
By Source-Library Workflow
Track source pages, extraction units, and analysis notes in the notebook library scaffold.