Leonardo da Vinci
Vitruvian Man, Study of proportions, from Vitruvius's De Architectura
approximately 1490-1492
Brown ink, metallic pencil, pen
34.3 x 24.5 cm (13.50 x 9.65)
Academic Gallery, Venice, Italy
Venice Gallerie dell'Accademie
Vitruvian Man- drawing made Leonardo Da Vinci around 1490-92, as an illustration for a book dedicated to the works Mark of Vitruvius. The drawing is accompanied by explanatory inscriptions, in one of his journals.. It depicts the figure of a naked man in two superimposed positions: with his arms spread to the sides, describing a circle and a square.
Drawing and text are sometimes called canonical proportions.
When examining the drawing, you will notice that the combination of arms and legs actually makes up four different poses. A pose with arms spread to the sides and legs not spread fits into a square (“Square of the Ancients”).
On the other hand, a pose with arms and legs spread out to the sides fits into a circle. And, although, when changing poses, it seems that the center of the figure is moving, in fact, the navel of the figure, which is its real center, remains motionless.
Subsequently, using the same method, Corbusier compiled his proportionation scale, which influenced the aesthetics of 20th-century architecture.
Text in the picture:
“Vetruvio architetto mette nelle sue opera d’architettura che le misure dell’omo...” “The architect Vitruvius laid down the dimensions of man in his architecture...”
In his accompanying notes, Leonardo da Vinci indicated that the drawing was created to study the proportions of the (male) human body, as described in the treatises of the ancient Roman architect Vitruvius, who wrote the following about the human body:
Nature has ordained the following proportions in the structure of the human body:
Four finger length equal to the length of the palm,
Four palms equal to the foot,
Six palms make up one cubit,
Four cubits- man's height.
Four cubits equal to the step, and twenty four palms equal to human height.
If you spread your legs so that the distance between them is 1/14 of a person's height, and raise your arms so that your middle fingers are level with the top of your head, then the center point of your body, equidistant from all limbs, will be your navel.
The space between your spread legs and the floor forms an equilateral triangle.
Arm length will be equal to growth.
Distance from hair roots to tip of chin equal to one tenth of human height.
Distance from upper chest to crown is 1/6 of growth.
The distance from the top of the chest to the roots of the hair - 1/7.
Distance from nipples to crown is exactly a quarter of the growth.
Largest shoulder width- an eighth of growth.
Distance from elbow to fingertips- 1/5 of height, from elbow to armpit - 1/8.
Whole arm length- this is 1/10 of growth.
The beginning of the genitals located right in the middle of the body.
Foot- 1/7th of the growth.
Distance from toe to kneecap equal to a quarter of height, and distance from the kneecap to the beginning of the genitals also equal to a quarter of the height.
Distance from tip of chin to nose And from hair roots to eyebrows will be the same and, like the length of the ear, equal to 1/3 of the face.
The rediscovery of the mathematical proportions of the human body in the 15th century by Leonardo Da Vinci and others was one of the great advances that preceded the Italian Renaissance. The drawing itself is often used as an implicit symbol of the internal symmetry of the human body, and further, the Universe as a whole.
"Vitruvian Man" is a drawing made by Leonardo da Vinci around 1490-1492 as an illustration for a book dedicated to the works of Vitruvius. The drawing is accompanied by explanatory notes. It depicts the figure of a naked man in two superimposed positions: with his arms spread to the sides, describing a circle and a square.
Drawing and text are sometimes called canonical proportions. When examining the drawing, you will notice that the combination of arms and legs actually makes up four different poses. A pose with arms spread to the sides and legs not spread fits into a square (“square of the ancients”). On the other hand, a pose with arms and legs spread out to the sides fits into a circle. And although when changing poses it seems that the center of the figure is moving, in fact the navel of the figure, which is its real center, remains motionless.(The architect Vetruvius laid down human dimensions in his architecture...) The following is a description of the relationships between various parts human body.
In his accompanying notes, Leonardo da Vinci indicated that the drawing was created to study the proportions of the (male) human body, as described in the treatises of the ancient Roman architect Vitruvius, who wrote the following about the human body:
“Nature has ordained the following proportions in the structure of the human body: the length of four fingers is equal to the length of the palm, four palms are equal to the foot, six palms are one cubit, four cubits is the height of a person. Four cubits are equal to a step, and twenty-four palms are equal to the height of a person. If you spread your legs so that the distance between them is 1/14 of a person's height, and raise your arms so that your middle fingers are level with the top of your head, then the center point of your body, equidistant from all limbs, will be your navel. The space between your spread legs and the floor forms an equilateral triangle. The length of your outstretched arms will be equal to your height. The distance from the roots of the hair to the tip of the chin is equal to one tenth of human height. The distance from the top of the chest to the top of the head is 1/6 of the height. The distance from the upper part of the chest to the roots of the hair is 1/7. The distance from the nipples to the top of the head is exactly a quarter of the height. The greatest width of the shoulders is an eighth of height. The distance from the elbow to the fingertips is 1/5 of the height, from the elbow to the armpit is 1/8. The length of the entire arm is 1/10 of the height. The beginning of the genitals is located right in the middle of the body. Foot - 1/7 of the height. The distance from the toe of the foot to the kneecap is equal to a quarter of the height, and the distance from the kneecap to the beginning of the genitals is also equal to a quarter of the height. The distance from the tip of the chin to the nose and from the roots of the hair to the eyebrows will be the same and, like the length of the ear, equal to 1/3 of the face.”
The rediscovery of the mathematical proportions of the human body in the 15th century by Leonardo da Vinci and others was one of the great advances that preceded Italian Renaissance. The drawing itself is often used as an implicit symbol of the internal symmetry of the human body.
Art is characterized by a desire for harmony, proportionality, and harmony. We find them in the proportions of architecture and sculpture, in the arrangement of objects and figures, the combination of colors in painting, in the alternation of rhymes and rhythm in poetry, in the sequence musical sounds. These properties are not invented by people. They reflect the properties of nature itself. One of the proportions is most often found in art. She received the name " golden ratio" The golden ratio has been known since ancient times. So in book II of Euclid’s Elements it is used in the construction of pentagons and decagons.
The term “golden ratio” was introduced by Leonardo da Vinci: “If we tie a human figure - the most perfect creation of the universe - with a belt and then measure the distance from the belt to the feet, then this value will relate to the distance from the same belt to the top of the head, as the entire height of a person relates to the length from the waist to the feet..."
Indeed, in nature and the human body there are many proportional relationships close to what Leonardo da Vinci called the golden ratio. Although not exactly embodying it. By the way, the golden ratio, preferred in many cases, is not the only ratio that is visually perceived as beautiful. These include ratios such as 1:2, 1:3. They are close to the golden ratio. In any work of art, several unequal parts, but close to the golden ratio, give the impression of the development of forms, their dynamics, proportional complement to each other. In particular, the most common relationship is based on the golden ratio when constructing monuments.
Is it possible to talk about the golden ratio in music? It is possible if you measure it musical composition according to the time of its execution. In music, the golden ratio reflects the features human perception time proportions. The golden section point serves as a guideline for formation (especially in short works); it often marks the climax. This may also be the most shining moment or the quietest place, the densest place in texture, or the highest pitch. But it also happens that at the point of the golden ratio a new musical theme appears.
Vitruvian Man is still the subject of careful study. The image created by the genius Leonardo da Vinci contains many mysteries and raises many questions.
One of the factors influencing a person’s visual perception is certain relationships between the components of the whole. But the Vitruvian Man is not only an image perfect proportions human body. The work of the legendary Leonardo da Vinci is filled with deep philosophical, symbolic, spiritual meaning.
History of appearance
Pencil drawing was made by an Italian master while studying the works of a citizen of Rome, the architect Marcus Vitruvius. Exact date The writings of these works are unknown, but they usually date back to the first century BC. One of Vitruvius’ books describes in great detail the ideal proportions of the human body. However, the work does not contain any illustrations.
Before Leonardo da Vinci, many illustrators tried to translate the content of notes into images, including the great master’s friend Giacomo Andrea da Ferrara. Known documentary evidence that the friends were discussing among themselves the works of the Roman architect.
The Vitruvian Man, known to everyone in modern times, is very similar to Giacomo’s drawing. However, the essence of Leonardo da Vinci's work is completely different. This is not just an illustration of the text. It is both a scientific work and a work of art.
Connection of spiritual and material
One of the obvious differences between Leonardo da Vinci’s drawing and others is the position of the person, his place in the circle and square. The image contains not one, but several figures at once. Moreover, when the pose changes, the center of the drawing also shifts: it is either the center of the square (for a figure with legs together) or the center of a circle (for a person with outstretched legs and arms).
The closed legs of the figure are on the side of the square that is tangent to the circle. Researchers see in this the duality of Vitruvian man as a divine, but still earthly being, close to material reality.
Another detail of the drawing shows how the artist distinguishes between the spiritual and material principles in a person: the measuring lines refer only to the figure inscribed in the square. A person inscribed in a circle, as a divine and spiritual being, has no relation to various measures of measurement, and perhaps, according to Leonardo’s plan, cannot have.
Mysteries of the Vitruvian Man
There is a version that creating a drawing has something to do with work Italian artist over the Shroud of Jesus Christ. It was at this time that she was at genius master. He was engaged in the study and restoration of historical relics.
Researchers believe that the perfect proportions of Christ’s body inspired the master to embody them in the drawing. The Vitruvian Man is a depiction of the divine proportions of the human body.
The position of the male figure, its location simultaneously in the middle of the circle and in the middle of the square, suggests that for the great Leonardo, man is the center of the Universe, the image of God embodied in reality.
The Vitruvian man in modern times is perceived as a symbol of the natural symmetry of the human body and the entire Universe, material and spiritual, ideal and rational. The location of a human being simultaneously inside a circle and a square leads the viewer to an understanding of the inextricable connection between man and the Universe, between his inner (spiritual) and surrounding (material) world.
Creating works of art is impossible without observing strict ratios and proportions. They don't appear out of nowhere; nature itself creates them. Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian Man is one of the most striking illustrations of the laws of harmony to which the entire Universe obeys.
Sketch Vitruvian Man was discovered by chance in Leonardo's manuscripts. It was created approximately in 1490-1492
When a sketch was discovered, next to it were the artist’s notes regarding the proportions of a person:
"The architect Vitruvius states in his work on architecture that the dimensions of the human body are distributed according to the following principle: the width of 4 fingers is equal to 1 palm, the foot is 4 palms, the elbow is 6 palms, full height a person - 4 cubits or 24 palms... Vitruvius used the same measurements in the construction of his buildings."
The basis for Da Vinci's drawing "The Vitruvian Man" was treatise “Man of Equilibrium” by the architect Ancient Rome Vitruvius, after which the image of the figure is named. This ancient roman used the proportions of the human body for his research in architecture.
In their mathematical studies, Vitruvius and Leonardo described not only the proportions of a person, but also proportions of all creation. IN notebook 1492 Leonardo's entry was found: "Ancient Human was a world in miniature. Since man is composed of earth, water, air and fire, his body resembles microcosm of the universe".
In our modern world Da Vinci's drawing is no longer perceived by humanity as a symbol of the ideal proportions of the human, in particular male body. This image rather symbolizes the location of man in the Universe.
Vitruvian Man by Leonardo Da Vinci it is an image of a consistent state of life, in the center of which is a person. The figure shows an ideal male figure in terms of proportions.
In the image of the “Vitruvian Man” it is customary to see two bodies - two figures, one of which fits into a circle, and the other into a square.
The interpretation of such a composition has the following meaning:
Square - a symbol of the earthly, material. The center of the square is in the groin area.
Circle - symbol of the divine, including the divine origin of man. A figure located in a circle does not contain lines, that is, it is not measured. Because as a divine phenomenon, this figure cannot be measured. The center of the circle is the human navel.
Two positions - in a circle and a square in the figure - reflect dynamics and peace. Thus, great artist conveys the inconsistency of spirit - the circle, and matter - the square. If you add sides to the drawing Heidegger's Quadruples, then it will work out symbolic image true state person, Half Divine, Half Mortal, who rests his feet on the Earth and his head is in Heaven.
This is seen as a symbol of the fact that man gravitates towards the earthly, despite his divine component.
The Vitruvian Man is not only a hidden symbol of the internal symmetry of the human body, but also symbol of the symmetry of the Universe as a whole.
In proportions, the volume of a circle and the volume of a square are absolutely equal. This shows that the manifested (material) and unmanifested (spiritual) are interchangeable states. The only difference is the frequency.
Why the spiritual materializes is another no less interesting question.
By modern ideas, seeing only two figures in “Vitruvian Man” is too simple and flat.
The great genius saw and tried to pass it on to other generations deep meaning, seen by him in our nature. Thus, he wanted to show us the meaning of the “golden ratio”. The image of the Vitruvian man is the encrypted “golden ratio”.
This is how ancient scientists try to convey to us the meaning of Higher Harmony.
Another famous creation in which Leonardo da Vinci displayed the golden ratio is the Mona Lisa. Her mysterious smile incredibly captivates millions of spectators.
There's another one interesting theory , according to which Da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man is an image of Christ. The artist was engaged in the restoration of the Shroud at the request of its guardians. Ostensibly inspired by the image of Christ on the shrine, he transfers the impeccable proportions of his body into his drawing. This means that it depicts the divine proportions of the human body. Da Vinci, placing a male figure in the center of the universe, depicted man in the image of God.
Leonardo da Vinci and his Vitruavian Man
Vitruvian Man is a drawing made by Leonardo Da Vinci around 1490-1492, as an illustration for a book dedicated to the works of Vitruvius. The drawing is accompanied by explanatory notes in one of his journals. It depicts the figure of a naked man in two superimposed positions: with his arms spread to the sides, describing a circle and a square. Drawing and text are sometimes called canonical proportions.
1. Leonardo never intended to show off his Vitruvian Man.
Self-portrait. After 1512
Paper, sanguine. 33.3 × 21.6 cm
Royal Library, Turin. Wikimedia Commons
The sketch was discovered in one of the personal notebooks of the Renaissance master. In fact, Leonardo drew the sketch for his own research and did not even suspect that he would one day be admired. However, today "The Vitruvian Man" is one of the most famous works artist, along with The Last Supper and the Mona Lisa.
The drawing and its explanations are sometimes called “canonical proportions.” Drawing done in pen, ink and watercolor using metal pencil, the dimensions of the picture are 24.5 × 34.3 centimeters. Currently in the collection of the Accademia Gallery in Venice. The drawing is at the same time scientific work and a work of art, it also exemplifies Leonardo's interest in proportion.
According to Leonardo's accompanying notes, it was created to determine the proportions of the (male) human body, as described in the treatise of the ancient architect Vitruvius On Architecture (Book III, Chapter I):
* the length from the tip of the longest to the lowest base of the four fingers is equal to the length of the palm;
* the foot is four palms;
* a cubit is six palms;
* the height of a person is four cubits from the tips of the fingers (and accordingly 24 palms);
* a step is equal to four palms;
* span human hands equal to his height;
* the distance from the hairline to the chin is 1/10 of its height;
* the distance from the top of the head to the chin is 1/8 of its height;
* the distance from the top of the head to the nipples is 1/4 of its height;
* maximum shoulder width is 1/4 of its height;
* the distance from the elbow to the tip of the hand is 1/4 of its height;
* the distance from the elbow to the armpit is 1/8 of its height;
* arm length is 2/5 of its height;
* the distance from the chin to the nose is 1/3 of the length of his face;
* the distance from the hairline to the eyebrows is 1/3 of the length of his face;
* ear length 1/3 of face length;
* The navel is the center of the circle.
2. Combining art and science
Leonardo da Vinci. Vitruvian Man. 1490
Homo vitruviano
34.3 × 24.5 cm
Accademia Gallery, Venice. Wikimedia Commons
A true representative of the Renaissance, Leonardo was not only a painter, sculptor and writer, but also an inventor, architect, engineer, mathematician and anatomy expert. This ink drawing was the result of Leonardo's study of theories about human proportions described by the ancient Roman architect Vitruvius.
3. Leonardo wasn’t the first to try to illustrate Vitruvius’ theories.
Modern scholars believe that in the 15th century and subsequent decades there were many people who tried to express this idea in visual form.
4. Perhaps the drawing was not only made by Leonardo himself
In 2012, Italian architectural historian Claudio Sgarbi published findings that Leonardo's research into the proportions of the human body was prompted by similar research done by his friend and fellow architect Giacomo Andrea de Ferrara. It is still unclear whether they worked together. Even if this theory is incorrect, historians agree that Leonardo improved on the shortcomings of Giacomo's work.
5. Circle and square have their own hidden meaning
In their mathematical studies, Vitruvius and Leonardo described not only the proportions of man, but also the proportions of all creation. Leonardo's note was found in a notebook from 1492: " Ancient man was a world in miniature. Since man is composed of earth, water, air and fire, his body resembles a microcosm of the Universe."
6. "The Vitruvian Man" is just one of many sketches
In order to improve his art and better understand how the world around him worked, Leonardo painted many people to form an idea of ideal proportions.
7. The Vitruvian Man is the ideal man
Who served as the model will remain a mystery, but art historians believe that Leonardo took some liberties in his drawing. This work was not so much a portrait as a conscientious depiction of ideal male forms from a mathematical point of view.
8. It could be a self-portrait
Since there are no descriptions of the model from which this sketch was drawn, some art historians believe that Leonardo drew the “Vitruvian Man” from himself.
9. The Vitruvian Man Had a Hernia
Imperial College London surgeon Hutan Ashrafyan, 521 years after the creation of the famous drawing, established that the man depicted in the sketch had an inguinal hernia, which could lead to his death.
10. To understand the full meaning of the drawing, you need to read the notes to it
When the sketch was originally discovered in Lernardo's notebook, next to it were the artist's notes on human proportions, which read: "The architect Vitruvius states in his work on architecture that the dimensions of the human body are distributed according to the following principle: the width of 4 fingers is equal to 1 palm, foot is 4 palms, a cubit is 6 palms, the full height of a person is 4 cubits or 24 palms... Vitruvius used the same measurements in the construction of his buildings."
11. The body is drawn with measuring lines 
If you look closely at the chest, arms and face of the person in the drawing, you will notice straight lines marking the proportions that Leonardo wrote about in his notes. For example, the part of the face from the bottom of the nose to the eyebrows makes up a third of the face, as does the part of the face from the bottom of the nose to the chin and from the eyebrows to the line where the hair begins to grow.
12. The sketch has other, less esoteric names 
The sketch is also called the "Canon of Proportions" or "Proportions of a Man".
13. Vitruvian Man poses 16 poses at once
At first glance, you can see only two poses: standing man, who has his legs together and his arms outstretched, and a standing man with his legs spread and his arms raised. But part of the genius of Leonardo's depiction is that there are 16 poses depicted simultaneously in one drawing.
14. Leonardo da Vinci's creation was used to depict modern problems
Irish artist John Quigley used the iconic image to illustrate the issue of global warming. To do this, he depicted a many times enlarged copy of the Vitruvian Man on the ice in the Arctic Ocean.
15. The original sketch rarely appears in public
Copies can be found literally everywhere, but the original is too fragile to be displayed in public. The Vitruvian Man is usually kept under lock and key in the Galleria dell'Accademia in Venice.
