Week 2: Math + Art

This week’s lecture talked about the relationship between math and art and their influences on each other. Math has always been thought of as logical and emotionless, being the opposite of art (Xu). However, they have lots of connections and the application of the combination is very common.


The historical content of math and art connections can be traced back to ancient Greece where the golden ratio was brought up. The golden ratio (or portion) is now used as a modern aesthetic metric, and we can see people’s affection for it from various real-life applications since a very long time ago. The Parthenon is an example of the ideals of it applied to architecture (Jarvis, Adams 468). 


The Parthenon (Graves)


On the other hand, the Mona Lisa is the most famous art piece that draws connection between mathematics golden ratio concept and art. Artist is not the only occupation Leonardo Da Vinci has. He is also a scientist and an inventor. Therefore, knowing that he consciously applied golden proportion to his drawing would not be surprising (Shapiro). 


Mona Lisa (Leonardo)


Apart from the golden ratio, mathematics concepts also have influence over modern art. In Henserson’s article, artists got inspiration from the forth dimension and the non-eculidean geometry and that supported the birth of abstract art (Henderson 205).


Picture of Non-euclidean geometry (I2ebis)


Computer is a modern example in our everyday lives that sheds light on the combination of the two. Computers were developed based on math principles and engineering and nowadays they are used in artworks by many artists. Mathematicians and scientists can use computers to make visualized models for complicated math concepts. At the same time, computer applications on artwork somehow affected people’s aesthetic opinions, for example, symmetry is viewed as more aesthetically pleasing (Séquin 128). 



Works Cited


Graves, C. H. , -1943, photographer. The Parthenon, Athens, Greece . [Philadelphia: Graves' Stereal-Graphs] Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2018650415/>.


Henderson, Linda Dalrymple. “The Fourth Dimension and Non-Euclidean Geometry in Modern Art: Conclusion.” Leonardo (Oxford), vol. 17, no. 3, 1984, pp. 205–10, https://doi.org/10.2307/1575193.


I2ebis. “Non-euclidean geometry.” April 11, 2024, deviantart.com, https://www.deviantart.com/i2ebis/art/Non-euclidean-geometry-170697104


JARVIS, DANIEL, and THOMASENIA LOTT ADAMS. “MATH ROOTS: Mathematics and Visual Arts: Exploring the Golden Ratio.” Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, vol. 12, no. 8, 2007, pp. 467–73, https://doi.org/10.5951/MTMS.12.8.0467.


Leonardo, Da Vinci, Artist, Copyright Claimant Detroit Publishing Co, and Publisher Detroit Publishing Co. Mona Lisa . [Cbetween 1900 and 1912] Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2016817361/>.


Séquin, Carlo H. “Two Complementary Ways of Linking Math and Art.” Journal of Mathematics and the Arts, vol. 14, no. 1–2, 2020, pp. 128–31, https://doi.org/10.1080/17513472.2020.1737899.


Shapiro, Alan E. “Math and the Mona Lisa: The Art and Science of Leonardo Da Vinci.” Physics Today, vol. 58, no. 7, 2005, pp. 63–63, https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2012465.


Xu, Wei. “INTEGRATING MATH AND ART - A NEW WAY OF DRAWING.” International Journal of Arts & Sciences, vol. 4, no. 20, 2011, pp. 73-.

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