Everyone is familiar with the illustration of Vitruvian Man, Leonardo's drawing of a man in a circle and a square. Few know the story behind it. In fact, Leonardo did not conceive of the idea on his own. The 1st century Roman architect and engineer, Vitruvius first wrote of it in the Ten Books on Architecture which Leonardo studied. But the work of the genius is tied to that of Augustus Caesar, various Roman and Muslim thinkers, Hildegard of Bingen, dome building architect Filippo Brunelleschi, and many other scientists, doctors, mathematicians, and great thinkers whose knowledge was consumed by Leonardo in his insatiable quest to know more. This is an interesting, if a little confusing, look at a fascinating man and his work.
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