Bust of a man in profile with measurements and notes 1490

Here we see a sketch by Leonardo da Vinci, “Bust of a man in profile with measurements and notes.” Da Vinci, working in a time that was moving away from religious dogma and towards reason and scientific understanding, sought to discover objective truth in the human form. Through precise measurements and careful observation, Da Vinci attempted to capture the essence of his subject. Yet, his notes and annotations also reveal an interest in something less tangible. Perhaps he was also trying to understand the man’s character, his place in the world. This pursuit of knowledge, characteristic of the Renaissance, was not without its own biases. The male gaze was, after all, the dominant perspective. The artwork invites us to consider how our own identities and experiences shape the way we see the world. Da Vinci provides a window into a moment in history when art and science converged in the pursuit of human understanding. What does this image tell us about how we define and measure ourselves today?