Blog Post Week 2

 A relationship exists between the seemingly unrelated fields of mathematics and art, which has led to unexpected crossovers in their respective influences. Often seen as being on opposite extremes of the spectrum, science and art. Although not always the case. As I learned more about the relationship between art and science, I also learned how important a role mathematics has played in influencing both of these professions. 

"Flatland" by Edwin Abbott is one of the works that gave me insight into how mathematics and art are related. This reading, a work of mathematical fiction, examines the idea of dimensions and how it relates to our perception of reality. Art and science have greatly benefited from Abbott's work, which use mathematics to clarify abstract ideas, especially geometry.

Italian poet and artist Leon Batista Alberti wrote the opening lines of "Della Pittura." We discussed in lecture how he stressed the value of mathematics in art. To grasp perspective, proportion, and symmetry in art, according to Alberti, mathematics is essential. The evolution of perspective in art and architecture has been influenced by his work. 

I learned through my research that arithmetic has impacted many other artists, like Piet Mondrian and Salvador Dali. Dutch painter Piet Mondrian is well known for his abstract works that draw inspiration from mathematical concepts. His work is a great illustration of how mathematics has inspired art as well as how art can be utilized to study mathematical ideas. On the other hand, Spanish painter Salvador Dali made use of the idea of the fourth dimension in his works. The boundaries of our perception of reality and their manipulation by art were explored in Dali's work. His artwork serves as a living example of how abstract ideas can be explored through both art and mathematics.

I discovered this week that arithmetic is a tool used by both scientists and artists to help them comprehend difficult ideas. Scientists, for instance, utilize mathematics to investigate natural laws and create new hypotheses. In a similar way, arithmetic is used by painters to produce aesthetically pleasing pieces that explore abstract ideas like perspective and symmetry.

Sources: 

A SQUARE. (1884). Flatland . Flatland, by E. A. Abbott, 1884. Retrieved April 14, 2023, from http://www.ibiblio.org/eldritch/eaa/FL.HTM 

  

"Leon Battista Alberti"- John R spencer (Lecture)

reed, betsy. (2015, December 2). Why the history of Maths is also the history of artbetsy. The Guardian. Retrieved April 14, 2023, from https://www.theguardian.com/science/alexs-adventures-in-numberland/2015/dec/02/why-the-history-of-maths-is-also-the-history-of-art