Leonardo da Vinci's "Vitruvian Man" ... but what is it?

[BootinUp]

The Cultural Tutor
@culturaltutor

Leonardo da Vinci's "Vitruvian Man" is one of the world's most famous images.

But what is it? Who the hell is he? Why does he have four arms and four legs?

The answer probably has something to do with the room you're sitting in right now...

Link to tweet

Fascinating thread.

[cayugafalls]

1. Architecture is fascinating in that it literally designs the world we "live" in. Our space.

We don't really think about the impact as we simply accept it, we feel comfort or unease based on the space we inhabit. Some spaces are foreboding and intimidating, they are designed that way.

Spend some time in a tent then go back to a "home", the feeling is unmistakable.

Thank you for posting!

[NJCher]

2. I had a dream image

Of this about a month ago. I meant to do research on it, but I didn’t finish my research.

I was facing vetruvian man in the circle, but the circle was inside an octagon. The two of us were tumbling around the universe in this circle/octagon.

My vetruvian man was a mathematical wizard, so I think there is symbolism in the circle-octagon image.

From reading the thread I picked up this: It combined ancient history, classical architecture, mathematics, anatomy, drawing, art... a powerful, lasting symbol.

Thanks to your posting this, I now have a new direction in my dream analysis.

[walkingman]

3. It represents the perfect proportions of a human being.

What was the original concept of Vitruvian man, according to Roman engineer and architect Vitruvius? For a man to be perfect, his hands and feet would touch the circumference of a circle when extended.

[Lithos]

4. Except the proportions are not realistic

I would guess it is more an attempt to bring the human body into some sort of alignment with architectural perfection...