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Product Description
This classic study probes the geometric interrelationships between art and life in discussions that range from Plato, Pythagoras and Archimedes to modern architecture and art, flowers, shells and marine life, the human face and much, much more. Also explored: the Golden Section, geometrical shapes on the plane, geometrical shapes in space, crystal lattices and many other fascinating topics.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book is quite heavy in mathematical content but that side of it is only to support the written information. You do not, for instance, have to understand how algebra works to understand what is going on in the geometric examples in the book. Those who wish to develop a deeper understanding of the geometry, then, will have access to various mathematical formulas by buying this book.
I wanted to learn more about the golden section and this book is strongly based on it. It goes beyond the golden ratio, looking at what else works with the golden section and how it can be applied to 2D and 3D objects. A very interesting history of the pentagram and its significance for artists/designers is included and it even features examples of `secret' motifs drawn by the masons. A good overview of the art world since Gothic architecture ensues, which gives a number of good analyses of artworks (b&w images included).
I definitely learned more than just the basics on the golden section and would advise readers not to worry about the heavy mathematical content, where it appears, as it's not actually as tricky as it looks. After all, if you understand the shapes illustrated in the book on a visual level, the equations (etc) are simply the same things but in mathematical terms.
I wanted to learn more about the golden section and this book is strongly based on it. It goes beyond the golden ratio, looking at what else works with the golden section and how it can be applied to 2D and 3D objects. A very interesting history of the pentagram and its significance for artists/designers is included and it even features examples of `secret' motifs drawn by the masons. A good overview of the art world since Gothic architecture ensues, which gives a number of good analyses of artworks (b&w images included).
I definitely learned more than just the basics on the golden section and would advise readers not to worry about the heavy mathematical content, where it appears, as it's not actually as tricky as it looks. After all, if you understand the shapes illustrated in the book on a visual level, the equations (etc) are simply the same things but in mathematical terms.
26 of 30 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I bought this book with a recommendation from someon.
Although on the back of the book it says "requiring only a very limited knowledge of mathematics" I think that you need at least a little more than limited knowledge to get into the depths of this book.
I started reading this title and from the outset it was clear that the author is pretty clever. What also became clear was that the writing style of the author tended to confuse me, rather than aid me in understanding the content.
The algabraic and mathmatical content soon rose above my GCSE Maths level and the equasions seemed to be listed without any real explination.
However, if you know your maths and you like delving deeper into the geometry of art and life then this book seems to have heaps of useful content as well as a deeper understanding of geometry.
My advice to anyone looking to purchase would be to have a browse through the title before comitting to read the entire book.
I will attempt to read it again in the future!!!
Although on the back of the book it says "requiring only a very limited knowledge of mathematics" I think that you need at least a little more than limited knowledge to get into the depths of this book.
I started reading this title and from the outset it was clear that the author is pretty clever. What also became clear was that the writing style of the author tended to confuse me, rather than aid me in understanding the content.
The algabraic and mathmatical content soon rose above my GCSE Maths level and the equasions seemed to be listed without any real explination.
However, if you know your maths and you like delving deeper into the geometry of art and life then this book seems to have heaps of useful content as well as a deeper understanding of geometry.
My advice to anyone looking to purchase would be to have a browse through the title before comitting to read the entire book.
I will attempt to read it again in the future!!!
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
8 reviews
96 of 97 people found the following review helpful
Accessible and Fascinating
28 Dec 2001
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This excellent book, written in 1946, still remains in print, and for good reason. Ghyka shows mathematically that objects in nature are not randomly formed, but all have regularity and harmony.
Beginning with the concepts of ratio and proportion in the plane, the Golden Section, and then to regular polygons and geometric shapes in 3 dimensions, Ghyka demonstrates these patterns with simple algebra and geometry, and plenty of diagrams.
He explains the logarithmic spiral and its role in harmonious growth in nature, with photographs and diagrams. He shows how ancient builders used the Golden Section in their architecture and in their art. This book is a wonderful weaving of philosophy, mathematics and science, covering a lot of ground, and is very well-written. It is nothing like trying to wade through H.M.S. Coxeter! This book would be a fine companion to Cook's "The Curves of Life," fleshing out the concepts presented there.
This little book is a gem -- there is a tremendous amount of information packed into its 174 pages, yet it is understandable to the layperson. And it is aptly titled. It truly is about "The Geometry of Art and Life."
If you are one of those observant persons who is looking for a more detailed understanding of the underlying patterns in nature, art and architecture, and you don't mind spending a little time going through some simple algebra and geometry, this is the book for you.
Beginning with the concepts of ratio and proportion in the plane, the Golden Section, and then to regular polygons and geometric shapes in 3 dimensions, Ghyka demonstrates these patterns with simple algebra and geometry, and plenty of diagrams.
He explains the logarithmic spiral and its role in harmonious growth in nature, with photographs and diagrams. He shows how ancient builders used the Golden Section in their architecture and in their art. This book is a wonderful weaving of philosophy, mathematics and science, covering a lot of ground, and is very well-written. It is nothing like trying to wade through H.M.S. Coxeter! This book would be a fine companion to Cook's "The Curves of Life," fleshing out the concepts presented there.
This little book is a gem -- there is a tremendous amount of information packed into its 174 pages, yet it is understandable to the layperson. And it is aptly titled. It truly is about "The Geometry of Art and Life."
If you are one of those observant persons who is looking for a more detailed understanding of the underlying patterns in nature, art and architecture, and you don't mind spending a little time going through some simple algebra and geometry, this is the book for you.
49 of 50 people found the following review helpful
Aesthetics you can sink your mind into
12 July 2001
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Why are beautiful works of art beautiful? What makes a striking piece of architecture striking? Why is it we find such pleasure in admiring a flower, or a tree? Rather than addressing these questions from a subjective standpoint, Ghyka analyzes the mathematical geometry of classical art, architecture, and biology and attempts to find a common thread to bind them all together. It's a wonderful mix of mathematics and history with a touch of philosophy to season it well. The math is simple, the sort of high-school geometry we've all had and forgotten, but it's critical for the understanding of his argument. If you hate math, you're probably not going to enjoy this book, but if you love art, and are willing to entertain an opinion as to _why_ you love it, I'd recommend suffering through it anyway - I've certainly developed a deeper appreciation of art and aesthetics in reading this book, and think it could be very valuable to serious (or not so serious) art lovers and artists.
28 of 28 people found the following review helpful
A good book focused on Phi
22 April 2003
Format:Paperback
I'm not a mathematician, but I still found this book to be readable. It is largely focused on the Golden Section (Phi) and related proportions, including Fibonacci numbers, sqrt(Phi), etc. The explanation of how to derive this number is clearly explained in the first few chapters. The following chapters show how Phi is related to most things we see everyday, including architecture, 5-point animals, crystal latticies, art, and music. This book is quite old, so the illustrations seem rather antiquated. Nonetheless, the quantity and clarity of these illustrations are impressive.
The writing was clear, but the concepts were occasionally difficult to understand. The author made mention of "gnomic" growth a number of times without really giving a single clear definition. Also, I felt that a number of the tie-ins between Phi and architecture were a bit of a stretch. Most likely you could overlay any graph over a blueprint and see any proportion you'd want to see. At any rate, this book has gotten me interested in this subject, and I will be looking for more books on Phi.
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