Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 20.djvu/188

* VINCI. 146 VINEGAR. In the art of painting he wielded the greatest influence. He wa.s the pioneer of the High Renaissance, the first to achieve that complete mastery of form and teclinique which admitted of a new freedom of handling, a new trutli to nature and life. He was the first to attain a sound and complete mastery of anatomy and to introduce color, in the higher sense, into Florentine painting. By the use of 'sfumato' — a smoky, hazy quality — he achieved a remark- able melting tone and blending of color; he was the first great master of light and shade, which he made witching and lovely. His drawings re- veal the consummate draughtsman seeking rather after finesse than general effect; they may be found in the i)rincipal European collections, especially at Windsor. Among the principal are the beautiful head of Christ in the Ambrosiana (this attribution is disputed), the magnificent head of Leonardo in old age (Royal Library, Turin), and the large series of caricatures in which he displays a remarkable sense of humor. Especially characteristic of Leonardo's art are his landscape backgrounds, into which he was among the first to introduce atmospheric perspec- tive, that mysterious quality which heightens most admirably the ctt'ect of the picture, and the subtle mysterious smile, which Vasari has characterized as more than human. The influence which he wielded over Italian art was profound and wholesome. The chief masters of the High Renaissance in Florence — like Raphael, Andrea del Sarto,and Fra Bartolommeo — all learned from him; he completely transformed the school of Milan ( see Painting, paragraph High Renais- sance. Italy), and at Parma Correggio carried ills art to its logical development. BiBLiOGRAPHT. Leonardo's copious manu- scripts, ricli in drawings by his own hand, have been published, for the most part, in facsimile; those in the Paris libraries under the editorship of Ravaisson-Mollien (6 vols.. Paris, 1881-91); the Codex Atlanticus in the Ambrosiana (Milan, 1895) ; and those in the Trivulzio Collection (ib., 1891). His celebrated Trattato della pittura, compiled from the manuscripts by some pupils, has been publi.shed many times (London, 1802; Rome, 1890; Vienna, 1882). The best edition of his literary works is by J. P. Richter (Lon- don, 188.3), with English translation. The first critical biography was by Amoretti (Milan, 1803). Uzzielli, Rioerche inlorno a Leonardo da Vinci (2d ed., Turin, 1896 et scq.), has best used the documentary evidence. The most extensively planned biography, that of Miiller-Walde (Mu- nich, 1889-90), has remained unfinished. Others are bv Houssaye (Paris, 1876), Rosenberg (Bielefeld, 1898), Muntz (Paris, 1899; Eng, trans.. London, 1898), Volynsky (Saint Peters- burg. 1!)0; trans, bv Heaton and Black, London. 1874). and Ricliter" ( ib., IS.SO). Of special im- portance for the criticism of his works are the researches of Morelli (q.v.). VINCK-BOONS, vlnk-Oirms, David (1578- 1629). A Flemish painter, born at Meclilin. He studied tinder his father, Philipp Vinek-Boons, and at Antwerp. He was one of the last of the older Dutch school and was famous for genre paintings as well as landscapes. Among his paintings are "Soldiers Routed by Peasants," "Feeding the Poor," "The Lottery," and "The Village Feast." VINDHYA (vind'ya) MOUNTAINS. A range of mountains in British India. In its widest sense the name is applied to the whole northern escarpment of the great triangilar plateau forming the southern half of the Indian peninsula, and stretching in an east and west di- rection from the mouth of the Ganges to the head of the Gulf of Cambay (Map: India, C 4). It is, however, chiefly along the mid- dle course of the Nerbudda River that there is a well-defined ridge. This river has a deeply cut valley, which separates the ridge from the main plateau and gives it a steep southern slope. On the north there is a lower plateau, which falls toward the great Ganges- Indus lowland. The range consists chiefly of Mesozoic sandstone, and has an average altitude of 2000 feet, with a maximum of 5500 feet. VINE. See Geape. VINE FAMILY. See Vitace^. VINEGAR (OF., Fr. vitiaiffre, from rin, from Lat. vinum, wine -|- aigre, sour, sharp, keen, from Lat. acer, sharp, keen). A sour liquid ob- tained by acetic fermentation of alcoholic prod- ucts, usually wine, cider, or malt, used chiefly for culinary purposes and for preserving. The active principle of vinegar is acetic acid, which varies in amount from 2 per cent, to 10 per cent, and even more; the distinctive flavor and aroma are derived from the materials from which it is made or, in artificial products, from added sub- stances. Small amounts of alcohol, and inciden- tal products of fermentation, are usually present, together with extractive matters depending upon the nature of the materials from which it is made. Cider vinegar contains traces of malic acid, the acid of the apple. Formerly some min- eral acid, usually sulphuric, was added to vin- egar as a preservative and to reinforce it, but this practice is now regarded as an adulteration. In Europe wine and spirit vinegars are most commonly used, that from white wine being most highly esteemed ; in Great Britain malt vinegar is extensively used ; in the L'nited States cider vinegar is preferred. There are two methods of making vinegar — the slow or natural fermentation and the "quick process." In both of the.se the production of acetic acid from the alcohol is cfTected through oxidation by the agency of micro-organisms, which are supplied in the lees or the 'mother of vinegar.' The latter is a soft, felted mas';, commonly forming a scum on the surface of the fermenting liquid. It contains an aggregation of micro-organisms, the essential ones being formerly supposed to belong to one species, known as Mycoderma aceti. They are now known to belong to the general group Bacteria and to include some half dozen or more species. These vary in their growth, some producing their max- imum efTcct more quickly than others. The ])rocess as ordinarily carrii'd on in casks or bar- rels is quite slow, rccpiiriiig several weeks at a favorable temperature; but in the quick vin- egar process the change is accomplished in a few hours. The quick process consists in bringing the al- coholic liquid into intimate contact with the air by means of beechwood shavings, which are placed in a tall vessel called a generator, and inoculated with warm vinegar to furnish the