[ 09.2014 | Hamburg ]

on one of my business trips in 2014, I was once again waiting for some train to arrive. I’ve always enjoyed visiting the free and hanseatic city of Hamburg and, as chance would have it, its main station provided me with another beautiful moment. more often than not, train stations are crowded, stressful, loud, and stinky. but this waiting soon-to-be traveler was standing in absolute serenity, unimpressed by his surroundings. he did also stand on the other platform and thus even more in complete conformity with the sign which read ‘get off on the opposite side’. in addition, even his relaxed posture and appearance were worlds apart from the stickman figure shown on the prohibition sign (its bald head centrally aligned, arms outstretched horizontally to both sides, his legs in a ca. 30° angle with feet standing parallel, shoulder-width apart).

the way this official sign was designed reminded me of Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘Vitruvian Man’, drawn in 1487. the illustration was created for the book of ‘De Divinia Proportione’ by Luca Pacioli, published in 1509. the ‘Vitruvian Man’ shows how dimensions of things are related mathematically: two basic postures being captured within two geometrical forms. it is believed that one of the reasons why da Vinci’s art is so remarkable is the fact he took the study of anatomy to a new level. Vinci vincit.

sources:
math.afterschooltreats.com