Vitruvian Man is the name of an iconic drawing made by Leonardo da Vinci (1452 – 1519) , and represents the classic ideal of balance, beauty, harmony and perfection of the proportions of the human body. Vitruvian Man definition
Also known as “The Man of Vitruvius”, this illustration was created inspired by the concept developed by the Roman architect Marcos Vitruvius Polião, author of the Ten Books on Architecture ( De Architectura Libri Decem , in Latin).
The drawing shows the figure of a naked man, with arms and legs spread and in different positions, symmetrically. The Man of Vitruvius also shows the concept of the so-called “divine proportion”, which was based on perfect geometric figures and mathematical equations. Accompanied by Da Vinci’s illustration, there follows a text that, together with the drawing, is considered the Canon of Proportions .
In addition to Leonardo da Vinci, other artists also made versions of the concept of Man described by the architect, such as Francesco di Giorgio (1439 – 1501), Cesare Cesariano (1475 – 1543), Robert Fludd (1574 – 1637), among others. Vitruvian Man definition
The illustration of the Vitruvian Man by Leonardo da Vinci was done in 1490, during the Renaissance period, when the classic texts of Vitruvius with the graphic description of the correct measurements were rediscovered.
As it is related to the Renaissance, Da Vinci’s drawing is also philosophically linked to Anthropocentrism , becoming a symbol of this humanist concept.
Currently, Da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man is part of the art collection of the Galleria dell’Accademia (Gallery of the Academy) in Venice, Italy. Vitruvian Man definition
