The laic version of the Second Coming chrsitian iconography: the Man-microcosm as the center of the Universe-macrocosm
Among the other representations of "Man in a Circle and/or a Square", Leonardo's Vitruvian Man drawing is the most perfectly realised (if we are not considering the spread leg position, as above). All these Men are said "Cosmic", since they describe an individual micro-cosmus in relation to the universal macro-cosmus, and they resulted to be a laic version of an iconic way of representing the embodyment of Christ's spirit irradiating towards Universe, since the early stage of Christian religion (see also: link). In Leonardo's one, this perfect spirit is drew in a perfect body, a model to follow for the human being development. Look, for example at this image which compares, in chronological order, all the "Man in a Circle and/or in a Square" I could find:
 |
Zodiac Man, mosaic pavement of a synagogue in Beit Alpha, Israel |
 |
Christ's body as a Microcosm under planets influence, Glossarium Salomonis, Prufenig monastery |
 |
 |
 |
| Hildegard von Bingen 1098-1179 |
Fra Giovanni Giocondo 1435-1515 |
Bartolommeo Caporali 1442-1509 |
 |
Leonardo Da Vinci about 1492 |
 |
 |
 |
| Cesare Cesariano 1483-1543 |
Cesariano's Edition by Vitruvius | Francesco di Giorgio |
 |
 |
 |
| Agrippa von Nettesheim 1486 - 1535 |
Robert Fludd 1617 |
Eliphas Levi 1810-1875 |
 |
Maria Martelli 2006 |