Four Books on Human Proportion (1528) - Page 21

Next, I will describe a proportionate woman to follow the previously described man; she shall also be eight head-lengths tall, and for this, I utilize the frontal arrangement original: "vorder ordnung." This refers to Dürer's standardized system of measurement for the human figure seen from the front..

I first measure the length of the limbs

From the top of the crown to the hollow of the throat is a 6th part Dürer's "parts" are fractions of the total body height.
Again, from the top of the crown to the end of the chin is an 8th part
From the end of the chin upward to the top of the forehead is a 10th part
I also divide this tenth part into three equal parts, as mentioned before, for the forehead, nose, and chin, to divide them equally
From the hollow of the throat to the flanks original: "weychen." The soft part of the torso between the ribs and the hips. I set a 5th part
To under the armpits a 16th part
To the breasts original: "tutlein," a 16th-century diminutive for breasts. an 11th part
To under the chest a 9th part
From the flanks to the end of the buttocks an 11th part and a 12th part
To the end of the pubic area original: "scham." a 13th part and a 14th part
To the end of the hip a 10th part
To the navel a 40th part
From the sole upward to the bottom of the ankle bone original: "knorren des schinbeins." Literally the "knob" of the shinbone. a 30th part
To the height of the crotch original: "ritz." This term refers to the anatomical cleft or fold. a 21st part
To the middle of the knee an 8th part and a 9th part
Or I set the knee in its place using the leveler original: "bergleicher." A specialized proportional tool or standard used by Dürer..
From the middle of the knee upward a 26th part, where I end the knee
From the middle of the knee downward to the end of the calf I set an 8th part

Next, I determine the length of the arm;

From the shoulder joint to the elbow is a 5th part
From the elbow to the tips of the fingers is a 4th part
From the tips of the fingers backward to the wrist joint is a 10th part

Next, I determine the thickness of the woman in profile;

In the head, across the forehead, a 9th part.
Across the eyebrows a 16th part and a 17th part
Across the nose two 19th parts
Across the neck and chin an 11th part
And I make the neck under the chin a 17th part thick
At the hollow of the throat a 14th part
Across the chest a 9th part
Across the breasts an 8th part
Under the breasts a 9th part
At the flanks a 9th part
Across the navel an 8th part

At the end of the hip a 6th part
And the leg under the buttocks two 17th parts
Above the knee a 14th part
In the middle of the knee a 16th part
In the middle of the calf a 14th part
At the end of the calf an 18th part
And the leg above the instep original: "rist." a 26th part
Through the ankle bones a 17th part
And I make this foot a 7th part long

Next, I determine the thickness of the arm;

In the shoulder a 14th part
Under the armpit an 18th part
Behind the elbow a 26th part
Before the elbow a 24th part
At the wrist joint a 40th part
And the hollow hand a 36th part

Next, I determine the widths of the front-facing woman thus;

The front-facing woman is two 19th parts wide at the point of the forehead
Across the eyebrows a 10th part
Across the nose a 12th part
And the neck under the chin a 17th part
Across the shoulder-flesh by the hollow of the throat a 7th part
Below that, the shoulder joints stand a 7th part wide from each other
But the width across the chest and shoulders is a 9th part and a 10th part
Between the armpits a 7th part
Between the breasts a 10th part
At the flanks a 7th part
Across the navel two 11th parts
At the end of the hip a 9th part and a 10th part
And on this line I place the legs in the hips a 7th part wide from each other, and I make the leg from the pubic area downward a 10th part wide
Above the knee a 15th part
In the middle of the knee an 18th part
In the middle of the calf a 16th part
At the end of the calf a 19th part
And the leg at the instep a 34th part
Through the ankle bones a 29th part
Under the ankle bone a 31st part
And I make the foot a 20th part wide at the front

Next, I determine the front-facing arm

In the muscle original: "meus." Referring to the bicep/upper arm muscle, often called the "mouse" in early anatomical German. a 24th part wide
Behind the elbow a 28th part
Before the elbow a 22nd part