Failure of Art Historians

Study reveals Leonardo da Vinci's 'irrelevant' scribbles mark the spot where he first recorded the laws of friction

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2016-07-reveals-leonardo-da-vinci-irrelevant.html#jCp

A new detailed study of notes and sketches by Leonardo da Vinci has identified a page of scribbles in a tiny notebook as the place where Leonardo first recorded the laws of friction. The research also shows that he went on to apply this knowledge repeatedly to mechanical problems for more than 20 years.
Scribbled notes and sketches on a page in a notebook by Leonardo da Vinci, previously dismissed as irrelevant by an art historian, have been identified as the place where he first recorded his understanding of the laws of friction.
It is widely known that Leonardo conducted the first systematic study of friction, which underpins the modern science of "tribology", but exactly when and how he developed these ideas has been uncertain until now.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2016-07-reveals-leonardo-da-vinci-irrelevant.html#jCp

 More evidence of the tendency of art historians to misunderstand  the important issues. LdV did important work on textile machinery. Anybody that knows textiles, knows that friction is critical in textile manufacture, and the Medicis made their money in textiles.

Thus, this page is important to the history of science, the history of engineering, the history of textile art in all of its glory and commercial importance, and the history of how one of the greatest families of art patrons made their money.

For an art historian to dismiss this as "irrelevant", is to display the failures of art historians write large.

Over the last few months, I have seen how small changes in friction can dramatically change the performance of a flyer - bobbin assembly.  One needs practical spinning experience on a variety of spinning devices to understand the textiles depicted in art.  

"Irrelevant" demonstrates a deep, broad, and profound ignorance of textile production.