Math in Art
... This relationship is captured in many ancient works of art such as the Parthenon of Greece, the Pyramids, and also in more recent works like Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. Mathematical proportions have been conveyed in many forms of art, architecture, music, and nature that bring beauty, order and mystery to people and cultures everywhere. ... The use of mathematical tools from the straightedge, to the more sophisticated computer technology, has given us the beautiful perspective, symmetry, and patterns seen in art. ... The many interconnections between mathematics, music, art, and architecture are such that it would take years of research and study to fully understand all of the relationships between them. The book Exploring the Invisible, by Lynn Gamwell, explores how Pythagoras discovered a mathematical basis to music, and how mathematics is used in the creation of abstract art. ... At the most basic level, mathematical tools have always been a key element in the creation of art and architecture (Harris). This most practical element brings to us the wonderfully pleasing sensations we get when looking at many of these art forms. ... Many of these art works were created very precisely, yet the architects used the most basic mathematical tools. ... During the Renaissance, the Golden mean was also used extensively in art and architecture. The Renaissance epoch is marked by a close scientific and mathematical connection to art, and this relation was expressed in the creativity of many artists and architects of the time. ... Many different ratios were used, and they asked several hundred art students to comment on which seemed the most pleasing. ... This study shows us scientifically how naturally pleasing this mathematical ratio can be, and how it brings harmony and beauty to art and architecture. ... The same idea of universal harmony, the expression of its beauty and perfection is transformed into the main idea of Renaissance art. ... This wide usage of the Golden Mean also shows up in the use of the “golden” spiral in the art works of Rafael, Michelangelo and other Italian artists. The composition of “Beating of infants” pictured by Rafael in 1509 is one example of mathematics in the form of spirals used in the art of the Renaissance (Stakhov). ... Gamwell’s world of mathematics, art, and music, we can begin to understand how the three interrelate. We can see that from the time of ancient Egypt, through the eras of Greece and the Renaissance, to modern times, that mathematics has been an essential element in the creation of many forms of art and music. ... It makes us wonder if there is a deeper understanding in this mathematical relationship, which goes far beyond its use in art. ... ” -Pythagoras of Samos The creation of art, architecture, and music through the use of mathematics has brought forth the wonderful, and mysterious relationship between each of them. ... People have often questioned: Does art imitate life, or does life imitate art? ... Today, we continue to travel forth, delving deeper and deeper into the realm of mathematics in art.