Math and Art

Mathematics has been very influential in the progression of both art and science throughout history. The concept of using mathematics in art is nothing new. Math has always seemed to play a role in art, either consciously or subconsciously. It has given artists inspiration to create new art using a different perspective. 

For example, Linda Henderson explains that non-Euclidean geometry in modern art was very different from the Euclidean geometry that was dominant in mathematics for centuries. Non-Euclidean geometry suggested that space could be distorted in ways that were previously unimaginable. This expands on the idea of the fourth dimension. The fourth dimension suggests a new experience that is more advanced than the three-dimensional space. While a three dimensional space encompasses length, area, and volume, the fourth dimension also includes time. Umberto Boccioni created a sculpture called Unique Forms of Continuity in Space, which portrays a human figure with elongated limbs and aerodynamic form in motion. The sculpture suggests a sense of movement through time and space that is not possible in traditional sculpture (Henderson). 

Unique Forms of Continuity in Space created by Umberto Buccioni

Leonard da Vinci created the Vitruvian Man in 1487. It is based on the ideal of human proportions. The figure inscribed in a circle and a square is divided into different sections, creating a "golden ratio". It demonstrates how proper proportion in art is dependent on mathematics. The golden ratio of the Vitruvian Man and thinking of the human proportion in relation to architecture has influenced artists and architects in the twentieth century (Vesna). 

Vitruvian Man created by Leonardo da Vinci

Another example of how math and art is interconnected is in fractals. Fractals are geometric patterns that repeat themselves at different scales. They have been used to create art both abstract and representational because of its mesmerizing and intricate patterns. One of the most famous fractals, the Mandelbrot Set, is generated by a simple mathematical formula, z-=z^2+c. It exhibits an infinitely complicated boundary as it magnifies. It is popular outside of mathematics because of its aesthetic and complex nature derived by a simple mathematical function.   

The Mandelbrot Set

The way I see it, mathematics, art, and science are related can be shown in a Venn diagram. They are all independent subjects. But often times, as is shown, two of them can be utilized together, and even all three of them. There are in infinite number of possibilities that they can be intertwined with just a little but of ingenuity. 

Venn Diagram of Math, Science, and Art

Works Cited

“Fractals - Mandelbrot.” YouTube, YouTube, 17 June 2006, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivRQDbAduoM. Accessed 11 Apr. 2023.

“Golden Ratio.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 31 Mar. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/science/golden-ratio.

Henderson, Linda Dalrymple. “The Fourth Dimension and Non-Euclidean Geometry in Modern Art: Conclusion.” Leonardo, vol. 17, no. 3, 1984, p. 205., https://doi.org/10.2307/1575193.

“Mandelbrot Set.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 5 Apr. 2023, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandelbrot_set.

Vesna, Victoria. Mathematics-pt1-ZeroPerspectiveGoldenMean.mov. YouTube, YouTube, 9 Apr. 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMmq5B1LKDg&t=1s. Accessed 11 Apr. 2023.