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he circle around the human form represents the universe, cosmos, or infinity. Not only Da Vinci but artists, thinkers and mystics for thousands of years before contemplated the relationship of the human body to the universe. The ancients of East and West believed Man to be comprised of four elements or humours (fire, water, air, earth), and can be divided mathematically into two, four or five parts depending on which pose and which geometry is used.

The human form divine can also be used to show the influence of the zodiac.

According to the rebel alchemist and mystic Giordano Bruno (burned by the church in 1600), "five is the number of the soul, because it is composed of even and odd". He observed "Because the figure of Man is encompassed by five outer points, the nefarious species of black magicians casts efficacious spells through misuse of the pentagram".

The mystery of Man and creation, the key to life, is the fifth or invisible essence. Alchemists strove to identify and liberate the fifth essence with their experiments.