Leonardo da Vinci's drawing of a male figure perfectly inscribed in a circle and square, known as the "Vitruvian Man," illustrates what he believed to be a divine connection between the human form and the universe. Beloved for its beauty and symbolic power, it is one of the most famous images in the world
Vitruvius believed that an artist should focus on three central themes when preparing a design: utilitas (functionality), and venustas (beauty), firmitas (strength).
"Vitruvian woman" by Brandy Mars is an evolution of the original drawing to modern functional day. The circle represents the spiritual world. The square represents the physical world. The body and wings touching the circle and square represents the human link between the two. The blue eyes are symbolic of this being more than just a beautiful nude woman, but an actual living human being- a woman with equal rights and not reduced to physical form. The lines in the drawing are not all solid and connecting, they represent the evolution of gender binary, a very relevant topic in current day. The breakdown of the lines represents strength and personal growth. For a muscle to grow, it must first be torn. The tree represents family and art nouveau, a nod to my father. The butterfly represents my Mom, childhood, and freedom. The wings extend beyond the square and circle to represent autonomy.