Vitruvian Man

Vitruvian Man
Italian: L'uomo vitruviano
Artist	Leonardo da Vinci
Year	c. 1490
Type	Pen and ink with wash over metalpoint on paper
Dimensions	34.6 cm × 25.5 cm (13.6 in × 10.0 in)
Location	Gallerie dell'Accademia, Venice, Italy

The Vitruvian Man, known in Italian as L'uomo vitruviano, is a drawing made by Leonardo da Vinci in about 1490. Around the drawing are notes based on the work of the architect Vitruvius. Its original name was Le proporzioni del corpo umano secondo Vitruvio - this means "The proportions of the human body according to Vitruvius".

The drawing is done in pen and ink on paper. It is of a male figure standing in two positions, that are superimposed (drawn over the top of each other). The figure's arms and legs are drawn in two different positions, while the rest of the body stays in one position. The figure is drawn standing inside both a circle and a square.

The drawing and text are sometimes called the Canon of Proportions or, less often, Proportions of Man. It is stored in the Gallerie dell'Accademia in Venice, Italy. It is displayed only occasionally.

The drawing is based on the ideal proportions of a man's body, and how this relates to geometry. This relationship was described by the ancient Roman architect Vitruvius in Book III of his treatise De architectura. Vitruvius wrote the human figure was the main source of proportion among the Classical orders of architecture. He wrote that the ideal body should be eight heads tall. Da Vinci's drawing is traditionally named in honour of the architect.

Other websites

• Willamette University site on Vitruvian Man
• Stanford University site on Vitruvian Man
• Leonardo's Vitruvian Man