Praising The Vitruvian Man

            Dan Brown sparked my interest in Leonardo Da Vinci’s work while reading The Da Vinci Code.  I have never been so intrigued about an artist and his masterpieces.  My interest was especially perked as I read about The Vitruvian Man and The Divine Proportion.  Although Brown did an incredible job of explaining the intricate proportions of the Vitruvian Man, it was not until I began to explore the data on my own that I saw the matchless beauty of the work.  Vitruvius was an accomplished architect and military engineer (partner).   He formulated a theory that the proportions of a man should be the guide for the proportions of temples and other buildings (thealchemicalegg).  As Vitruvius developed this theory he discovered that a man could fit his body into two different geometric shapes perfectly (thealchemicalegg).  When a man spreads his arms and legs out he fits perfectly into a circle with his fingertips and the bottoms of his feet touching the inner rim.  If the man spreads his arms out but keeps his legs straight and together he will fit perfectly into a square with his head touching the top, feet touching the bottom and his fingertips touching either side.  The circle that is created with the spread out man is tangent to the created square only on the bottom edge (partner).  The specifications that make up theVitruvian Man are endless. It is an ingenious masterpiece that could only be created by one man, Leonardo Da Vinci.   

            Vitruvius wrote ten books about architecture. In the third book he begins his tale of human proportion and its relationship to architecture.  Many men attempted to illustrate the Vitruvian Man for Vitruvius’ third book and many failed.  Leonardo Da Vinci was the only man to succeed and therefore the drawing is his masterpiece.  As I studied these facts I began to realize that there are two heroes behind the creation of the Vitruvian Man: Da Vinci and Vitruvius.  Vitruvius created the mathematical sequence that states, “4 fingers make 1 palm, and 4 palms make 1 foot, 6 palms make 1 cubit, 4 cubits make a man’s height, and 4 cubits make 1 pace and 24 palms makes a man” (geoman).  Da Vinci was successful in making that sequence into a reality.  This revolutionized the art of the Renaissance and created a visual understanding of perfect Roman architecture.

            Although I have touched on multiple facts in regards to the Vitruvian Man, I have only scratched the surface of is masterpiece.  Roman architecture was like no other innovations of its time.  The development of the arch and dome structures such as the Pantheon and the irreplaceable genius of the Coliseum and the Circus Maximus are all a result of Roman intellect.  Vitruvius began his studies and works during the Second Triumvirate.  This time succeeded the first Triumvirate and the rule of Julius Caesar.  Seeing that the above listed architectural masterpieces were built between 40 A.D. and 200 A.D., means that Vitruvius’ theories and mathematical ideas influenced the creation of the greatest structures to grace this planet.  That is an accomplishment that is often overlooked but is certainly laudable.  The drawing itself is credited to Da Vinci and rightfully so because he was smart enough to make sense of the theory on a human level.  But Vitruvius began a sequence of architectural masterwork.  This is such an incredible accomplishment for both of the artist’s.  With their ability to create and passion for innovation they essentially initiated the path for the architecture and artwork that we are graced with today. 

            I am thoroughly blown away by the influence of one man on another and then his influence on everything.  More importantly, these discoveries make me aware and fascinated with someone else.  In order for Vitruvius to discover the Devine Proportion the proportion had to first be created.  The way that the human body is perfectly arranged and balanced is a direct testament to the unfathomable greatness of God.  In appreciating this work I could not help but think about a divine creator that pieced the human body together into a masterpiece.  With out the initial creation of man there would be no Divine Proportion and therefore no Vitruvian Man.  This artwork conveys a very clear message to me: there is a perfect God that made me in His image to the exact specifications of divinity.  The artwork expresses the truth of Creationism to me.  I think that this work might convey a different message to society.  Other people see the Vitruvian Man, as I once saw it, to be an incredible mathematical and anatomical accomplishment.  This is so true. There has never been anything like this drawing and there can never be anything like it again.  Regardless of the viewpoint, the work is pure genius. 

            The unbelievable chain of events that lead us to the architectural and artistic works that surround us today have truly inspired and enlightened me. From God to Vitruvius, from Vitruvius to Da Vinci, and from Da Vinci to today so many wonderful discoveries have been made. The Vitruvian man has inspired me, and I’m sure it has others, to read, study and learn all I can about these wonderful achievements.  In praising the Vitruvian Man I therefore praise God for the Divine Proportions that He created all of us with.  Without a discovery of this magnitude there is no way the world would be where it is today.        

Works Cited

Text Accompanying Leonardo Da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man.  Oct. 16, 2004

            http://www.geoman.com/Vitruvius.html

Leonardo’s Vitruvian Man.  Oct. 16 2004

            http://thealchemicalegg.com/VirtuviusN.html

Exploring Da Vinci: The Virtuvian Man.  Oct. 16 2004

            http://Partner.galileo.org/tips/davinci/vitruviantask.html