Human Body Proportions in Classical Sculpture

Just as many plants and animals share golden section
Some of the earliest surviving written investigations
proportions, humans do as well. Perhaps another
reason for the cognitive preference for golden section
proportions is that the human face and body share
the similar mathematical proportional relationships
found in all living things.
into human proportion and architecture are in the
writings of the ancient Roman scholar and architect
Marcus Vitruvius Pollio, who is widely referred to as
Vitruvius. Vitruvius advised that the architecture of
temples should be based on the likeness of the per-
fectly proportioned human body where a harmony

12
Copyright © 2011. Princeton Architectural Press. All rights reserved.

Poseidon Analyzed According to Vitruvius’s Canon

A square encloses the body while the hands and feet
touch a circle with the navel as center. The figure is
divided in half at the groin, and (right) by the golden
section at the navel.

Elam, Kimberly. Geometry of Design : Studies in Proporation and Composition, Princeton Architectural Press, 2011. ProQuest Ebook Central,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/upc-ebooks/detail.action?docID=4737063.
Created from upc-ebooks on 2022-09-18 01:51:59.
 exists among all parts. Vitruvius described this pro-
portion and explained that the height of a well propor-
tioned man is equal to the length of his outstretched
arms. The body height and length of the outstretched
arms create a square that enclose the human body,
while the hands and feet touch a circle with the navel
as the center. Within this system the human form is
divided in half at the groin, and by the golden section
at the navel. The statues of the Spear Bearer and
Poseidon are both from the fifth century B.C.E.
Although created by different sculptors, the propor-
tions of the Spear Bearer and Poseidon are both
clearly based on the canon of Vitruvius and the analy-
sis of the proportions used is almost identical.

13
Copyright © 2011. Princeton Architectural Press. All rights reserved.

Doryphoros, the Spear Bearer Poseidon of Artemision

Golden Section Proportions of Greek Sculpture

Each golden section rectangle is represented by a
rectangle with a dashed diagonal line. Multiple golden
section rectangles share the dashed diagonal. The
proportions of the two figures are almost identical.

Elam, Kimberly. Geometry of Design : Studies in Proporation and Composition, Princeton Architectural Press, 2011. ProQuest Ebook Central,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/upc-ebooks/detail.action?docID=4737063.
Created from upc-ebooks on 2022-09-18 01:51:59.
 exists among all parts. Vitruvius described this pro-
portion and explained that the height of a well propor-
tioned man is equal to the length of his outstretched
arms. The body height and length of the outstretched
arms create a square that enclose the human body,
while the hands and feet touch a circle with the navel
as the center. Within this system the human form is
divided in half at the groin, and by the golden section
at the navel. The statues of the Spear Bearer and
Poseidon are both from the fifth century B.C.E.
Although created by different sculptors, the propor-
tions of the Spear Bearer and Poseidon are both
clearly based on the canon of Vitruvius and the analy-
sis of the proportions used is almost identical.

13
Copyright © 2011. Princeton Architectural Press. All rights reserved.

Doryphoros, the Spear Bearer Poseidon of Artemision

Golden Section Proportions of Greek Sculpture

Each golden section rectangle is represented by a
rectangle with a dashed diagonal line. Multiple golden
section rectangles share the dashed diagonal. The
proportions of the two figures are almost identical.

Elam, Kimberly. Geometry of Design : Studies in Proporation and Composition, Princeton Architectural Press, 2011. ProQuest Ebook Central,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/upc-ebooks/detail.action?docID=4737063.
Created from upc-ebooks on 2022-09-18 01:51:59.