A recent study has revealed a hidden detail in Leonardo da Vinci’s iconic drawing, the Vitruvian Man, that may finally explain the intricate proportions of the artwork created in 1490. London dentist Rory Mac Sweeney has identified an equilateral triangle concealed in the drawing, suggesting that it could solve one of art history’s most perplexing mysteries.
The Vitruvian Man is largely influenced by the writings of Roman architect Vitruvius, who posited that the ideal human body should fit within both a circle and a square. Da Vinci’s drawing illustrates this concept through a ‘cruciform pose’, featuring arms stretched outward and legs positioned inward. While many art historians have long attributed the proportions of the figure to the Golden Ratio, Mac Sweeney’s findings indicate that the measurements do not align with this theory.
Mac Sweeney’s research, published in the Journal of Mathematics and the Arts, highlights a critical observation from da Vinci’s own notes. The artist wrote, “If you open your legs… and raise your hands enough that your extended fingers touch the line of the top of your head… the space between the legs will be an equilateral triangle.” By analyzing this triangle, Mac Sweeney discovered that the ratio between the spread of the figure’s feet and the height of his navel approximates 1.64 to 1.65, closely aligning with the tetrahedral ratio of 1.633. This ratio, established in 1917, is essential for determining the optimal arrangement of spheres in a pyramid structure.
The implications of Mac Sweeney’s findings extend beyond art. He draws parallels between the tetrahedral ratio and the Bonwill triangle, a concept used in dentistry since 1864 to define the optimal jaw position. This ratio suggests that human anatomical features may be naturally organized according to geometric principles prevalent in nature, similar to the structures of minerals and biological systems.
In his analysis, Mac Sweeney posits that if the tetrahedral ratio is observable within human anatomy, it implies that “human anatomy has evolved according to geometric principles that govern optimal spatial organization throughout the universe.” This perspective suggests that da Vinci, through his artistic exploration, may have intuitively grasped fundamental truths about the mathematical nature of reality.
While the scientific community will need to evaluate Mac Sweeney’s claims, the mere mention of the equilateral triangle in da Vinci’s notes underscores its potential significance. As the discourse surrounding the Vitruvian Man continues, this new interpretation opens avenues for further exploration into both art and science.
The study encourages a reconsideration of how we view historical works and the mathematical concepts embedded within them. If Mac Sweeney’s theory is validated, it may not only change our understanding of a renowned masterpiece but also how we perceive the relationship between art, science, and the natural world.
