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LEONARDO DA VINCI - Studies of the foot and shoulder


Royal Collection (RLW), 19000r; K/P 135r

Leonardo's interest in the mechanics of joints is reflected in the drawings on the lower half of the sheet. The upside-down foot in the lower center is intended to show the friction-reducing function of the sesamoid bone at the base of the big toe.

The small sketches above and to the left of the overturned foot, together with the annotations along the bottom of the page, show how the sesamoid bones ensure the stability and flexibility of the phalanxes of the toes.

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