The Vitruvian Man: Proportions of the Human Body
Nude man inscribed in a circle and a square, arms and legs shown in two positions
A nude man is shown frontally with his arms and legs drawn in two superimposed positions, so that his outstretched limbs touch both an enclosing circle and a square. This is the celebrated demonstration of human proportion known as the Vitruvian Man, the sheet named in the collection's own account of its holdings. The base of the square rests on the ground line while the circle is centred on the navel, and a graduated scale is drawn beneath the figure. Lines of Italian text in mirror script fill the space above and below the figure; this text is not transcribed in the present edition and its presence is noted rather than read from the image.
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Nude figure in two superimposed poses
The nude man stands frontally, his arms and legs each drawn in two positions so that a single body shows both a spread and a lowered stance. The proportions of the torso, limbs and head are carefully worked, the face framed by curling hair. The doubled pose lets the one figure demonstrate two proportional relationships at once.
Man inscribed in a circle and a square
The figure is enclosed by both a circle and a square whose sides frame the outstretched limbs. With arms and legs spread the hands and feet reach the circle centred on the navel; with arms level and legs together they touch the square. The two figures fit the human body to the two fundamental geometric forms.
Graduated scale of proportional units
A ruled and ticked scale runs horizontally just below the figure's feet. It marks off equal measured units against which the proportions of the body can be read. The scale underlines that the sheet is concerned with the numerical ratios of the human frame.