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BootinUp

(49,169 posts)
Fri Oct 21, 2022, 10:48 PM Oct 2022

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

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...




Fascinating thread.

4 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Leonardo da Vinci's "Vitruvian Man" ... but what is it? (Original Post) BootinUp Oct 2022 OP
Architecture is fascinating in that it literally designs the world we "live" in. Our space. cayugafalls Oct 2022 #1
I had a dream image NJCher Oct 2022 #2
It represents the perfect proportions of a human being. walkingman Oct 2022 #3
Except the proportions are not realistic Lithos Oct 2022 #4

cayugafalls

(5,755 posts)
1. Architecture is fascinating in that it literally designs the world we "live" in. Our space.
Fri Oct 21, 2022, 11:16 PM
Oct 2022

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

(38,218 posts)
2. I had a dream image
Fri Oct 21, 2022, 11:34 PM
Oct 2022

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

(8,545 posts)
3. It represents the perfect proportions of a human being.
Fri Oct 21, 2022, 11:34 PM
Oct 2022

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

(26,466 posts)
4. Except the proportions are not realistic
Sat Oct 22, 2022, 01:44 AM
Oct 2022

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

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