Final answer:
Albrecht Dürer believed that the perfect human form corresponded to a system of proportion and measurements, this belief evident in his works including 'Adam and Eve' and his detailed self-portraits.
Step-by-step explanation:
Albrecht Dürer, a prominent figure in the Renaissance period, believed that the perfect human form corresponded to a system of proportion and measurements. Dürer, a German woodcarver, painter, and printmaker, applied this belief to his art, especially evident in his works such as the engraving 'Adam and Eve' and his self-portraits. His quest for perfection through proportion is rooted in the same pursuit of ideal beauty that was sought by ancient civilizations like the Greeks and Egyptians and continued during the Renaissance by artists such as Leonardo da Vinci with his Vitruvian Man.
The mathematical approach to depicting the human form was a combination of artistic skill and scientific inquiry. By studying the body's underlying, hidden structure, Renaissance artists like Dürer were capable of creating lifelike and three-dimensional representations on two-dimensional surfaces, a technique further imbued with the era's affection for geometry and the use of linear perspective.
Dürer's works, laden with classical motifs and religious symbolism, showcase the harmony between man, nature, and geometry. They reflect his deep engagement with ideals of proportion, balance, and mathematical precision, all of which are critical elements to understanding his approach to the human form and art.