Vitruvian Man is the name of an iconic design made by Leonardo da Vinci (1452 - 1519), and represents the classic ideal of balance, beauty, harmony and the perfection of the proportions of the human body.
Also known as "The Man of Vitruvius", this illustration was created inspired by the concept developed by the Roman architect Marcos Vitrúvio 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, 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 as Francesco di Giorgio (1439 - 1501), Cesare Cesariano (1475 - 1543), Robert Fludd (1574 - 1637), among others.
The illustration of the Vitruvian Man by Leonardo da Vinci was made in 1490, during the period of the Renaissance, when the classic texts of Vitruvius were rediscovered with the graphic description of the correct measurements.
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Because it is related to the Renaissance, Da Vinci's drawing is also philosophically linked to the Anthropocentrism, becoming a symbol of this humanistic concept.
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Currently, Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man is part of the art collection of the Galleria dell'Accademia (Gallery of the Academy) in Venice, Italy.