Leonardo da Vinci’s (1452-1519) Vitruvian Man (c. 1490), also known as “The proportions of the human body according to Vitruvius,” explores artistic proportions through mathematical diagram. Inspired by the famed architect Vitruvius Pollio, da Vinci considers how to determine the ideal proportions of the human body. The drawing depicts an idealized male nude standing in the middle of a circle and square, his four arms and legs allowing him to span both spaces simultaneously, representing his belief that the human form embodied universal rules. It is one of the most important works of the Italian Renaissance, representing the increasing blend of mathematics and art that shaped the trajectory of Western art.

Learn more about the work that inspired this pin HERE.