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Vitruvian

Vitruvian

1 9.9
A drawing that shows ideal human body proportions, like da Vinci's famous image
  • noun
  • /vɪˈtruːviən/
  • Formal
: hombre vitruviano
  • Art historians often reference the Vitruvian Man as a symbol of harmony and balance in human anatomy.
  • Vitruvian Man

Examples

  • Paradoxically, in some affected individuals, Vitruvian equality of height and span may occur.

    Academic text (1992)
  • The Vitruvian principles of firmitas, utilitas, venustas will be imposed on the project.

    Academic text (2008)
  • And the Vitruvian Man's a piece of work.

    Blog text (16)
  • Forrester's elaboration of the Vitruvian analogy was a new theorization indebted to eighteenth-century transformations in aesthetics.

    Academic text (2013)
  • Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian Man illustrates the ideal human proportions based on ancient Roman texts.

  • The Vitruvian Man has become an iconic representation of the intersection between art and science.

Surface Forms

Vitruvian singular
Vitruvians plural

Morphology

Vitruvian = Vitruvian (semi-transparent) = Vitruvius + ian

This noun is a lexicalized nominal use of the adjective Vitruvian, so the link is clear but the specific reference to ideal proportions is specialized.

Etymology

Vitruvian as a noun refers to an image or example that follows the rules of the Roman architect Vitruvius, like Leonardo da Vinci's famous 'Vitruvian Man' that shows ideal human 'proportion'. Calling a picture a 'Vitruvian' means it aims to show balanced, perfect body sizes as a model for art and design.