Ginevra addresses Leonardo

The darker the shadow, the brighter the light…

‘I’m painting with colours not with black and white. I have to use colours to make you shine, Ginevra.’

 

I never said the shadow’s black and the light white, dear.

‘You didn’t…’

You need your shadow to be dark, but warm. A warm shadow is not a stake of colour, it is a bundle of many shadows in different shapes and different colours…this is what will give it life and power of expression.

‘I’ll put it right behind you, urging to defeat you, to cover you up, to embrace you, but…’

The proportion. Must keep in mind the proportion.

‘Equal?’

It cannot be.

‘Equal between you and the shadow, not equal between the light and the shadow.’

You will add…

‘Fragments of light that will break the dark behind you.’

Perfect.

‘What is there? Is there a smile on your face? It isn’t. Your lips are so straight, inexpressive…and yet, it is…where is it?’

Look better, Leonardo, you’ll find it.

‘It’s in your eyes, Ginevra. They’re smiling when your mouth is serious. Why?’

A very good question indeed, my dear, why?

‘To show your character, to show your wit.’

My wit?

‘A wise person who understands more than the others would often smile to herself, but to not offend or simply to hide her superiority she conceals her smile and one can only track it in her eyes. People will look at you, they will not understand. You alone will and though your face will hide it all, your eyes will not.’

My character?

‘You’re hiding beneath a mask that you show to the world, you’re strong but don’t wish them to enter your soul, don’t need anyone in your soul because yours is a soul already accomplished.’

If that is so, why don’t I fully smile, why do I have to hide and keep the understanding to myself?

‘Because of the sadness, I’m afraid. They don’t understand and they persecute. You cannot risk it; it suffices you to know for yourself. You’re sad you can’t share, but you’re tired to try, you’re tired to fight with your hands, you fight now with your dreams, Ginevra.’

A lot of sadness is in our hearts, Leonardo, for they don’t see, but remember the darker the shadow, the brighter the light.