The Art of Symbolism
Vitruvian Man
A man drawn twice over, arms and legs spread, fitting both a circle and a square. Leonardo da Vinci made it around 1490.
Measured by the ancients
The drawing tests an idea from Vitruvius, a Roman architect of the first century BC, who wrote in his De architectura that a well-made human body fits within both a circle and a square. Leonardo's notes above and below the figure work through Vitruvius's proportions.
Where it is
It belongs to the Gallerie dell'Accademia in Venice. Ink on paper fades in light, so it is shown only rarely.
