Three Basic Human Body Types--Profile

Designer: Henry Dreyfuss

1966

Black marker over graphite on gray linen

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Anthropometry: in Greek, the word means the measure of man, but not only—it is the foundation of an entire philosophy that connects the human body, its proportions and movements, with the social and natural environment, and ultimately with the Universe. Henry Dreyfuss, the prominent American industrial designer, used the proportions of the body as a point of departure for his creations—for instance, he created the Princess telephone to fit the hands of teenage girls. His principles are deeply rooted in the core of 15th-century Renaissance though—man is the measure of all things. Gallery Not on View Anonymous gift