Vitruvian Man Essay

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Recommended: The human body art

This essay will investigate how the aesthetic of the human body is depicted throughout art, in the classical Greece and Hellenistic period.
The core foundation of depicting the human physique is the anatomy of the body itself. The anatomy of the human physique is an ‘indispensable foundation for any artistic portrayal of human beings’ (Barcsay, J 1973, p.9). The skeleton is the ‘firm framework’ (Barcsay, J 1973, p.14) of the human physique, it serves as ‘a protective cover for the inner organs’(Barcsay, J 1973, p.14).
Figure 1 represents the Vitruvian Man by Leonardo da Vinci in 1487. The drawing itself consists of pen and ink on paper which depicts a male figure that is situated is two superimposed positions with his appendages situated parallel to the floor and one set slightly elevated. Unlike his fellow peers Giacomo Andrea and Francesco di Giorgio, the work of Leonardo was very precise and meticulous.
Rather than creating a simple drawing of the human figure to be used in science, he had ‘used delicate lines and careful shading to create a body of remarkable and unnecessary beauty’ (The inspiration behind Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man, online). Figure two embodies a time where science and art intersect to let the viewer ask, ‘how we fit in the grand order of the universe’ (The inspiration behind Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man, online). …show more content…

His left armpit rests on his club which is adjacent to himself. Here Herakles is depicted ‘naked and bearded with short curly hair’ (Farnese Hercules, Online). His left arm is left hanging as if it is motionless. The intricacy and detail of the statue highlights the mental and physical strain he is under as he completes the labours at hand. The statue was originally created by the sculpture Lysippos of the 4th century BC. The level of detail portrayed in his work has led to him being considered as one of the greatest sculptors of the pre-Hellenistic period, the classical Greek

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