what has the vitruvian man become?

In modern times, the Vitruvian man has been appropriated as the symbol for numerous organizations and concepts, many of which have little to do with either Vitruvius' concept of man-reflected-in-architecure or Leonardo's desire to understand man's proportions.


ABC Fitness	Inside Europe	Animation Art Gallery

The Vitruvian man representing female bodybuilders? Standing for all Italians? Beating up Homer Simpson? Representing the creation of man? Being compared to a model in an underwear advertisement? Cited as "the embodiment of health for man and woman"?

Our understanding of the Vitruvian man today is colored by images and associations such as these. The following pages seek to categorize and explicate these various appropriations that we have found.

Click on the links under "today" in the menu bar on the right to find out more.