Vitruvian Man

Vitruvian Man is a drawing by the Italian Renaissance artist and scientist Leonardo da Vinci, dated to c. 1490. Inspired by the Roman architect Vitruvius, it depicts a nude man in two overlapping standing positions, inscribed within a circle and a square.

Art historian Carmen C.
Bambach described it as "justly ranked among the all-time iconic images of Western civilization".
While not the only drawing inspired by Vitruvius, Leonardo's work uniquely combines artistic vision with scientific inquiry and is often considered an archetypal representation of the High Renaissance.

Back to Pioneers of Mechanics →

Source: Wikipedia · Image: Wikimedia Commons · Public domain

LEVERLAB

How things move — simple machines, mechanics, and hands-on STEM.

Get new guides by emailOccasional emails. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

InformationAbout Contact Privacy Policy Terms of Service Disclaimer Affiliate Disclosure Cookie Policy

Museum entries, images, and facts are drawn from Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons, used under public-domain and Creative Commons licenses.