Week 2: Math + Art
Abi Altick
April 14, 2019
Growing up in today’s society, it is engrained in our minds from a young age that we are either an analytical person or a creative person (never both). Unfortunately, as Professor Vesna points out, our art and math teachers in school heavily influence which path we will follow for the rest of our lives. I did not realize until this week’s lecture that math plays a major role in the creation of art.
Math and art come together to create masterpieces
For many years, art was solely based on three dimensions. However, as Linda Henderson states, the implementation of a fourth dimension “encouraged artist to depart form visual reality and to reject completely the one-point perspective system that for centuries had portrayed the world as three-dimensional" (205). This fourth dimension began allowing artists to control the spacing in their work, and as a result the artists were now able to precisely control the perspective of the spectator (Vesna). The fourth dimension allowed artists to begin to expand art toward other subjects; for example, Professor Vesna mentioned Brunelleschi was pivotal in advancing the influence of math in art.
Aside from Brunelleschi, one perfect example
of the combination of art and math is the sculptor Polykleitos, who created the method Kanon. The Kanon showcased a new way to approach sculpting by creating
the ideal ratio for the perfect male nude sculpting. This formula by
Polykleitos, later adopted by all major sculptors, was created based on the
following ratios for a musical scale: 1:2 (octave), 2:3 (harmonic fifth), and
3:4 (harmonic fourth). Polykleitos believed that the sculpture should have
clearly defined parts, and this should be displayed through proper mathematical
proportions and balance (Visual Arts Cork). Additionally, this particular ratio
relates to the article from the FlatLand that describes professional men to be
equal to squares, five-sides figures, or pentagons (Abbott, 5).
Polykleitos 400 B.C.
All in all, through this week’s readings and lectures, we are
able to see the many ways that art and math go hand in hand. Although these two
subjects are regularly thought to be complete opposites, when we combine the
two, the potential is endless. Learning about the implementation of the fourth
dimension, in addition to revolutions from artists such as Brunelleschi and
Polykleitos, was eye-opening for me. I am positive that the next time I admire
a piece of artwork, I will know that the masterpiece was only possible by the
alliance of math and art.
Works
Cited
Vesna,
Victoria. “Mathematics-pt1-ZeroPerspectiveGoldenMean.mov” YouTube. 9 April 2012. Web. 14 April 2019.
Henderson,
Linda. “The Fourth Dimension and Non-Euclidean Geometry in Modern Art:
Conclusion” Leonardo, by Michele
Emmer, 3rd ed., vol. 17, MIT Press, 1993, pp. 205-210.
Abbott,
A., Edwin. “Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions” N.p.: n.p.,1884. Print.
Visual
Arts Cork. “Polykleitos (Polyclitus) (5th Century BCE)” Visual Arts Cork. 8 August 2010. Web. 14
April 2019. http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/sculpture/polykleitos.htm
This post takes an interesting perspective, and I agree with its points. While alone math and art seem different and even conflicting, when paired together they produce phenomena that cannot be achieved with just one or the other. As each field grows, they become more intertwined and related than before.
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ReplyDeleteHello Helena,
ReplyDeleteI really liked your introductory paragraph because I feel that it was a perfect segue into the rest of your blog. It is clear that you did much outside research, especially in regards to the the sculptor Polykleitos. You implemented his ideas perectly into this week's discussion, relating him to Brunelleschi. All in all, you further broadened my perspective of how art and math are connected.
Best,
Sebastian
I was very intrigued by your introduction as you dicussed that schools either tell us that we are a creative individual or a science individual. Never have I heard of them both correlating until this class. I wonder if schools still teach this as they did us when we were younger.
ReplyDeleteThe comment and remarks made in your introduction really correlated with me. Growing up, I was always a number guy and it is starting to play a large role in my life. I never thought too deeply about the correlation from past to present involving those topics discussed, but have come to agreement with its' impact. The art pieces were also eye opening for me, looking at the correlation of math and arts that I never knew existed.
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