Beginning of the First Book.

Firstly, when I undertake to make a human figure, I employ this method: I take a straight-edge original: "richtscheÿent"; a wooden ruler or measuring stick used for drawing straight lines. longer than the figure is; upon it I draw a straight line as long as the figure is meant to be, so that one end touches the highest point of the crown and the other the soles. And whether a figure be tall or short, I draw a separate line for each individual figure. Therefore, whenever I subsequently name a part by its number, I always take it from the total length of the figure between the crown and the soles. Thus, I diligently divide this length—which in its number is now "one" unit—into anywhere from two to fifty or a hundred parts, as many as I require. I mark these with points on the straight-edge next to the long line, and I align them all at the top with the height of the crown, and mark them all with their numbers, such as 2, 3, 4, etc. By this method, the smallest numbers produce the longer parts, and the largest numbers produce the shorter parts. Dürer is using a fractional system: the number "2" represents 1/2 of the body's total height, while "10" represents 1/10. Thus, a higher number indicates a smaller fraction of the body. For example, of the whole length, the half-part is 2, the third-part is 3, the fourth-part is 4, and so on, as mentioned above. And if I need to, I also divide each pre-determined part—whether it be long or short—into as many parts as I wish, even or odd; for whoever wishes to measure very precisely must make small parts if he cannot reach everything with a specific [larger] part. Therefore, I later combine two or three kinds of numbers, large or small, even or odd, however I can best achieve the result. These numbers may also be reversed, as I will show hereafter, and may be guided and used according to each person’s pleasure. But for better understanding, I will draw the divider original: "teÿler"; here referring to a proportional scale or a set of lines used to divide the total height into fractions. I have just described; for this divider must first be made correctly and with certainty. Otherwise, much time and effort would be wasted if I always had to search for the length of every named part within the full length between the crown and the soles.

A vertical diagram on the right side of the page representing a proportional scale (Teiler). It consists of a primary long vertical line spanning the height of the text block, labeled "Scheitel" (crown of the head) at the top and "Soln" (sole of the foot) at the bottom. To the right of this main line are ten shorter vertical lines of diminishing lengths, all starting at the top baseline. They are labeled with Arabic numerals 1 through 10 at their respective lower endpoints, demonstrating proportional divisions of the total height.

A decorative calligraphic mark or emblem positioned below the text, featuring two interlaced circles with a complex, swirling line or flourish woven through them.

Soles