Week 2: Math + Art

Week 2: Math and Art


Math and science are one and the same. Although some artists believe they have been removed from math since they graduated high school this is not completely accurate. Artists employ math at all points, Vesna points this out in shapes and figures, and even numbers. The quote at the beginning of the lesson by Einstein helped me grasp this concept because at the highest level artists and scientists are both just creatives being curious. The best example of this is in the Renaissance with the likes of Davinci and his constant studies and how beautiful they were despite being largely scientific. 

One of the best examples of math within art is in the most famous painting of all time, The Mona Lisa. The golden ratio is apparent with the spiral fitting perfectly with the natural focus of the human eye. These proportions are very common in photography and composition in general, showing that this link is no rarity and is regularly used by masters.

 


Perspective, Patterns and Proportions are necessary for the best of artworks and these all incorporate math in some way. Patterns in particular are extremely heavy on math and artists like Klimt have mastered this artistic math. One particular image from the lecture that I kept seeing was the red square that was so often at the center of the golden ratio and Fibonacci sequence. This is also seen in Klimt's work with a red flower or box itself pulling the viewer's eyes inward.

This juxtaposition between arts and sciences reminds me of ‘art imitating life and life imitating art’ and both being one and the same. This is the same linkage between science and math and that of art, each imitating the other because they are no different when boiled down to their simplest forms. 

“The Back Page.” American Physical Society, www.aps.org/publications/apsnews/202012/backpage.cfm. Accessed 12 Apr. 2024. 

Crochet Coral Reef, crochetcoralreef.org/about/theproject/. Accessed 12 Apr. 2024. 

Foundation, Mona Lisa. “Leonardo and Mathematics.” The Mona Lisa Foundation, 9 Aug. 2018, monalisa.org/2012/09/12/leonardo-and-mathematics-in-his-paintings/. 

“Gustav Klimt.” High Quality Reproductions Of Gustav Klimt Paintings, www.klimtgallery.org/. Accessed 12 Apr. 2024. 

“Most Memorable Golden Ratio Examples in Modern Art.” Widewalls, www.widewalls.ch/magazine/golden-ratio-examples-art-architecture-music. Accessed 12 Apr. 2024. 



Comments

  1. Alex TrinhApril 14, 2024 at 8:43 PM

    Hi!
    I agree that art cannot be made distinct from math. Leonardo da Vinci is the epitome of an influential figure who existed at the intersection of math, science, and art. As you mentioned, the Mona Lisa, arguably his most famous work, features the golden ratio, a mathematical reference. However, the man was just as influential an engineer and mathematician as he was an artist, as the blueprints he drew were well ahead of his time. I think encouraging young scholars today to pursue similarly interdisciplinary paths should be emphasized.

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  2. hfDESMA9April 14, 2024 at 11:07 PM

    Hi Wyatt! Great blog post for this weeks topic on mathematics + arts. I would agree with how to mentioned math and science are one and the same. After studying this week's topic various artists seem to think that they are one sided rather than seeing both fields collaboratively. The work of Leonardo de Vinci specifically in The Mona Lisa, exemplifies proportion which requires both the use of mathematics and arts. This renowned piece of art until this day remains significant in history and understanding how critical both the felids of mathematics and arts complement each other. Just as you mentioned, in the painting the golden ratio is used to focus on the fitting of the human eye as well as making it proportional. We see this type of settings use in various arts including paintings and photography. This allows for the principles of both mathematics and the arts to be advanced and appreciated through multiple outlets of works. The interconnection of mathematics and arts is an essential component towards enabling creativity and innovation within society. I liked the example you shared when describing the juxtaposition between the two topics and how both mathematics and art ultimately link down to the same result.

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