Vitruvian Man
Vitruvian Man (Italian: L’uomo vitruviano) is a drawing by the Renaissance artist and scientist Leonardo da Vinci, dated to c. 1490. Inspired by the Roman architect Vitruvius, it depicts a nude man in two overlapping standing positions, inscribed within a circle and a square. Art historian Carmen C. Bambach described it as “justly ranked among the all-time iconic images of Western civilization”. While not the only drawing inspired by Vitruvius, Leonardo’s work uniquely combines artistic vision with scientific inquiry and is often considered an archetypal representation of the High Renaissance.
The drawing illustrates Leonardo’s study of ideal human proportions, derived from Vitruvius but refined through his own observations, contemporary works, and the treatise De pictura by Leon Battista Alberti. Created in Milan, the Vitruvian Man likely passed to his student Francesco Melzi, and later to Venanzio de Pagave, who encouraged engraver Carlo Giuseppe Gerli to publish an engraving of it, spreading the image widely. It was then owned by Giuseppe Bossi, before being acquired in 1822 by the Gallerie dell’Accademia in Venice, where it remains. Because of its fragility, the drawing is rarely displayed. It was also loaned to the Louvre in 2019 for the 500th anniversary of Leonardo’s death.
The “Vitruvian Man” is a drawing by Leonardo da Vinci from around 1490, illustrating the proportions of the human body as described by the ancient Roman architect Vitruvius. The figure is shown with its hands and feet touching the boundaries of both a circle and a square, symbolizing the connection between the human form and the geometric perfection of the universe, reflecting the Renaissance ideal of humanism. The drawing is housed in the Gallerie dell’Accademia in Venice.
Artist and Date: Leonardo da Vinci, c. 1490.
Inspiration: The drawing is based on the writings of Vitruvius, an ancient Roman architect who described ideal human proportions in his treatise De architectura.
Composition: The image features a male figure standing in two superimposed positions, with the navel as the center of the circle and the genitals as the center of the square.
Symbolism: It represents a fundamental Renaissance concept that humans are the center of the universe and that the human body’s proportions can be expressed through perfect geometric shapes.
Significance: It is considered a significant work of art, a symbol of culture and genius, and a bridge between art, science, and philosophy.
Current Location: The drawing is held in the Gallerie dell’Accademia in Venice, Italy.
Status: Due to its fragility, the drawing is rarely displayed.