The Vitruvian Alien
Leonardo Da Vinci was a man out of his time in the way he thought and looked at the possibilities of the world he lived in. His paintings and drawings that could have got him into trouble during his lifetime, his delving into the forbidden areas of medical science and the human body, the futuristic machines he could have made, although his weapons of war he did make were terrible at the time. If he had lived in our modern age would he be held up as an even greater genius he was? what machines and advances would he have come up with, if he’d had our technology at his fingertips today. The mind boggles!
Ever since I first saw the picture of the Vitruvian man in my teens, I would admit I didn’t understand it but it intrigued me. I looked out other drawings and art of Leonardo and I could say that this was the start of my artistic journey. I saw this fantastic interpretation on Pinterest from Deviant art artist Mauthbaux at www.deviantart.com/mauthbaux and I have turned this representation into a notebook envisaging all the other drawings he might have done inside.
It was carved in Limewood and stained to get the dark leather look of the book and a lighter stain to create contrast between the background and the alien form. Where Mauthbaux has placed a sun-like image between the figure’s arms I have a box of trinkets I have kept over the years and the brass ring is from a curtain rail and the centrepiece is from bits of costume jewellery I have found interesting and kept for just such occasions.
I wanted to keep a clean finish so it has been sprayed with an acrylic lacquer.
