Math and the Mona Lisa: The Art and Science of Leonardo da Vinci

Bulent Atalay, “Math and the Mona Lisa: The Art and Science of Leonardo da Vinci”
Collins | 2006 | ISBN: 0060851198, 1588341712 | 336 pages | PDF | 4,4 MB

In this readable, if less than compelling, disquisition on the close relationship of art and science, physics professor Atalay uses as his touchstone Leonardo da Vinci, of whom he says in his prologue: “Had [da Vinci] been able to publish the scientific ruminations found in his manuscripts in his own time, our present level of sophistication in science and technology might have been reached one or two centuries earlier.” This assertion sets the buoyant tone for the rest of the book. The author marvels at the symmetries to be found in art and the natural world, discussing the Fibonacci series (0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8…) and the golden ratio related to it designated by the Greek letter phi (1.618…) with illustrated examples ranging from da Vinci’s three portraits of women to the Great Pyramid and the Parthenon. He concedes the existence of asymmetry and dissonance, but chooses not to get into such subjects as chaos theory and fractals that don’t fit his harmonious view of the universe. While Atalay makes an agreeable guide, he covers too much ground that will already be familiar to his likely audience.
Review
“…a delightful romp through millennia…bringing together art, architecture, science, and mathematics under the umbrella of Leonardo’s genius.” — William D. Phillips, winner of the 1997 Nobel Prize in Physics
A masterful examination of the differences and similarities in the sciences and the arts. — Jamie Wyeth
So insightful, so original, and so well-reasoned that it immediately becomes an essential volume in the canon of Leonardiana. — Sherwin Nuland, author of Leonardo da Vinci and winner of the 1994 National Book Award
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