The Golden Section In Art

A ratio observed especially in the fine arts between the two dimensions of a plane figure or the two divisions of a line such that the smaller is to the larger as the larger is to the sum of the two a ratio of roughly three to five.

The golden section in art. Here is a rough timeline of the golden ratio s history according to author priya hemenway. Famous artists and artwork featuring the golden ratio leonardo da vinci. Phidias 490 430 bc made the parthenon statues that seem to embody the golden ratio.

May 4 2014 by gary meisner 41 comments. The art world has felt the influence of the golden ratio for centuries. History of the golden ratio the golden ratio has been around for some time and has influenced many areas of life including architecture maths design and of course art.

Also known as the golden section or the divine proportion this mathematical principle is an expression of the ratio of two sums whereby their ratio is equal to the larger of the two quantities. Also called golden ratio. However it is not merely a term it is an actual ratio and it can be found in many pieces of art.

Just as the golden section is found in the design and beauty of nature it can also be used to achieve beauty balance and harmony in art and design. The golden ratio is a term used to describe how elements within a piece of art can be placed in the most aesthetically pleasing way. You may be familiar with michelangelo s creation of adam painting on the sistine chapel s ceiling.

Without mathematics there is no art said luca pacioli a contemporary of da vinci. Used in art the golden ratio is the most mysterious of all compositional strategies. The golden section brings together principles of aesthetics and mathematics to explain why symmetrical compositions are pleasing to the eye.

The golden ratio in art and architecture the appearance of this ratio in music in patterns of human behavior even in the proportion of the human body all point to its universality as a principle of good structure and design.