Anthropomorphism. Towards a social history of proportion in architecture

The article attempts a brief history of anthropomorphism in architectural theory in order to then ask about the actual significance of this idea, which has been widespread since antiquity. It can be stated for the Renaissance that anthropomorphism is a low level of conceptualisation. In contrast, the ideas of an architectural theory based on musical harmonies can be described as a higher level of theorisation. One protagonist of this stage was Daniele Barbaro, a representative of the upper social class. Cesare Cesariano, on the other hand, with his naïve insistence on a simple anthropomorphism, belonged both to a lower level of theorising and to a lower social class.