Chapter 22, Polyclitus’s Canon of Proportions

From my upcoming new edition (May 2024) of The Art Studio Companion

176 Polyclitus, Doryphoros or The Canon, Roman copy, original dated c. 450-440 B.C. W.C.

In this study, we look at Polyclitus’s theory human proportion using the little finger as the main unit of measurement.

The 5th century B.C. sculptor, Polyclitus, wrote a famous treatise on the methods that make art beautiful (to kallos) and good (to eu), which unfortunately is now lost.[1] We know about it through historians such as Pliny and Plutarch. Polyclitus believed in measuring the distance of one finger joint to the next, then from the fingers to the metacarpus (the base of the hand), and then to the wrist, and so on. Polyclitus dealt with issues other than proportions in his treatise, such as the organic balance of tension and relaxation of body parts. He called his sculpture, The Canon, and it is wonderful that he wrote a treatise on art and demonstrated what he meant through his sculpture.

Notice that in the sculpture, he emphasized the man’s little finger, a little like an exclamation mark.

177 Maya Ellirand posing for a reference. My markups showing using the little finger as a unit of measurement.

To illustrate Polyclitus’s theory in practice in demo 177 we use Maya’s little finger as a standard unit of measurement (the turquoise lines), we can then determine sizes her other proportions. For example, her forearm from wrist to elbow measures approximately four units. Comparatively, her thumb is slightly smaller than the little finger unit, while her forefinger is slightly larger. Her wrist is approximately the same width. The distance from her eye to eye are nearly the same width as the little finger unit as is the length of her ear. Moving to her upper arm, it measures just under one and a half units.

As you take on more detail and realism in figure drawing the proportions must be more refined and as consistent as possible, this is perhaps the greatest gateway to creating beauty in art.

178 Charles Laughton in the 1939 film, Hunchback of Notre Dame. WC.

As we noted beauty relates to pleasing proportions, but its antithesis is ugliness, unbalanced proportions. Think of a hunchback with a hump on one side of his back and topped off by a malformed and unsymmetrical head.

As an artist, you may or may not aim to create beauty, but it is important to recognize that ugliness can result from either intentional design or incompetence. By mastering the principles of proportion, you can expand your creative horizons and bring beauty to life. Be sure to add the principles of proportion to your arsenal of tools for achieving artistic expression and freedom.

179 Selfie. Happy measuring!

Practice

As always, it is crucial to reinforce your understanding through practice. With paper, pencil, and eraser, draw a portrait from a photo or, better yet, a self-portrait using a mirror. Instead of a little finger, use the length of your nose as a reference unit for measuring proportions in your portrait. Compare the sizes of your eyes, mouth, and ears to the length of your nose, ensuring accuracy in their sizes. Pay close attention to the spacing and relationships between features. Also, be sure to measure your hair and forehead as well. The drawing will most likely take a beating from all the erasing and redrawing of the features, but that is a plus! If you keep the focus on measuring, you will be pleasantly surprised when the portrait begins to look beautiful.

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[1] Knowing that Polyclitus (circa 480 - 415 BC) also wrote treatises about his sculpture techniques inspired me to write about art in its many facets, such as art history, aesthetics, art criticism, and this book.