The Vitruvian Man - Da Vinci's love with Proportions and Analogies

This image exemplifies the blend of art and science during the Renaissance and provides the perfect example of Leonardo's keen interest in proportion. In addition, this picture represents a cornerstone of Leonardo's attempts to relate man to nature. Leonardo envisaged the great picture chart of the human body he had produced through his anatomical drawings and Vitruvian Man as a "cosmografia del minor mondo (cosmography of the microcosm)". He believed the workings of the human body to be an analogy for the workings of the universe." It is also believed by some that Leonardo symbolised the material existence by the square and spiritual existence by the circle. Thus he attempted to depict the correlation between these two aspects of human existence. According to Leonardo's notes in the accompanying text, it was made as a study of the proportions of the (male) human body as described in a treatise by the ancient Roman architect Vitruvius.

According to Vitruvius' De Architectura 3.1.3, which reads, The navel is naturally placed in the centre of the human body, and, if in a man lying with his face upward, and his hands and feet extended, from his navel as the centre, a circle be described, it will touch his fingers and toes. It is not alone by a circle, that the human body is thus circumscribed, as may be seen by placing it within a square. For measuring from the feet to the crown of the head, and then across the arms fully extended, we find the latter measure equal to the former; so that lines at right angles to each other, enclosing the figure, will form a square.

Leonardo's drawing combines a careful reading of the ancient text, combined with his own observation of actual human bodies. In drawing the circle and square he correctly observes that the square cannot have the same center as the circle, the navel, but is somewhat lower in the anatomy. This adjustment is the innovative part of Leonardo's drawing and what distinguishes it from earlier illustrations. He also departs from Vitruvius by drawing the arms raised to a position in which the fingertips are level with the top of the head, rather than Vitruvius' much higher angle, in which the arms form lines passing through the navel. The drawing itself is often used as an implied symbol of the essential symmetry of the human body, and by extension, to the universe as a whole.

This extension is what we come to appreciate through Leonardo's works. If studied, almost all of them point towards the same theory, that everything in this universe is linked to one another. The characteristic features that we may observe in one creature definitely appear in everything else around us. It my not be apparent to the eyes, but if we delve deeper the string that binds us all will make itself seem so obvious.

Let us have a look at Leonardo's point of view of Cosmography of Microcosm -

The word 'Cosmography' according to the dictionary means a science that describes and maps the main features of the heavens and the earth, including astronomy, geography, and geology.

And 'Microcosm' means a small, representative system having analogies to a larger system in constitution, configuration or development.

Such an analogy between human life and the universe is obvious. Just like humans, celestial bodies have a well defined life cycle in which they are born, they mature and eventually they die. Hence, a direct similarity is present which can be considered as a scientific and rational support for Leonardo's theory. Similarly, a philosophical support can also be drawn. If the whole universe is considered to be the earth then Milky Way, our galaxy, can be likened to the continent in which the solar system (our country) resides. Different planets are states of the country and the organisms their citizens. And on the basis of such an analogy we can very well conclude that everything in this universe has life. Everything goes through the phases of Nativity to Demise. From celestial bodies to human beings, individual organisms to whole species. Even this web page was created on a particular day and time (birth) and will be removed from the server (death) someday. From the toothbrush we use everyday in the morning to the car we drive, everything was born and will, surely, become useless for us and die. Even our daily routine works on a similar theory. Getting up in the morning = Birth. Going to bed in the night (to sleep, ;-) ) = Death.

This school of thought (and other related ones) has bred many branches of science and mathematics. Observation and studies of effects of a new drug is tested on guinea pigs or rats or monkeys... why? Because every organism is similar. The effects, hence, will be similar as well. Many theories of ratio and proportions are direct results of studies in this field. Even "Set Theory", which is considered to be the basis of arithmetic, is the mathematical expression of Leonardo's theory.

So, everything is similar. Everybody is equal. This unity is what will protect us and provide a deeper understanding of the universe around us. And to guide us on this endeavour is THE VITRUVIAN MAN.....