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

by Atalay B (Author) "Late medieval and early Renaissance Italy witnessed many changes, including a revival of the mercantile economy, the emergence of a vernacular literature, and the first..." (more)
Key Phrases: mathematical mosaics, fundamental indefinables, golden rectangle, Mona Lisa, Leonardo da Vinci, Last Supper (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
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.
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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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Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Smithsonian; illustrated edition edition (April 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1588341712
• ISBN-13: 978-1588341716
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #664,860 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Art and Science Synthesized in Leonardo's Mind and Method, April 23, 2004

By	Nicholas Murray (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This is a genuinely astonishing book. Its essential idea is that the dichotomy between art and science is a relatively modern idea, that the distinction is not present in Leonardo's method of looking at the world. I've read a lot of good histories of art, and even a good history of science or two, but I've never seen an organic history of both, and that's Atalay's achievement. The illustrations alone -- showing the art in science and the science in art -- are a wonder, and well worth the price of the book. A very elegant entertainment.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Gem for Leo, May 17, 2004

By	E. Brown (Fredericksburg, VA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Although "Math and the Mona Lisa" addresses art and science in general, at its heart the book is a paean to Leonardo, and a celebration of his works from a unique perspective. The author, Bulent Atalay, a remarkable scientist and artist who has been called a modern Renaissance man, clearly identifies with Leonardo, another scientist, artist, and engineer who was the definitive Renaissance man. This special affinity makes the book more than an ordinary biography, and gives exceptional credibility to the author's views on the ways in which the concatenation and synthesis of art and science informed Leonardo's productions. It is not coincidental that both Atalay and his hero, Leonardo, have produced art that is representationalist, because such work, like science, requires creativity constrained by reality. "Math and the Mona Lisa" is not a lavish coffee-table tome. Instead, it is a compact gem that covers its main theme clearly, concisely, and comprehensively. It is small enough to fit into purse or coat pocket, and light enough to be easily portable. Rather than killing time in queues, waiting rooms, and aircraft, a reader can find, throughout the book, a wide range of thought-provoking statements and allusions, some central and many peripheral to the principal topic of the book. Even readers who are familiar with much of the content of the book may be pleased to see so many disparate ideas brought into meaningful association. Yet the best things, such as this book, do not contain and provide all that we need, but inspire us to think and seek on our own. Good things sometimes do come in small packages.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Leonardo da Vinci Scientist and Artist, April 17, 2004

By	B. W. Jones (Arlington, VA) - See all my reviews

Bulent Atalay, the author of this remarkable book, makes a compelling case for Leonardo being just as skilled as a scientist and engineer as he is known to have been as an artist. He writes that Leonardo was "a scientist doing art" seen in such geometric devices as the polyhedral shapes, the impeccable perspective, and in the geological formations found in his paintings. Atalay also writes that Leonardo was "an artist doing science," the evidence on display especially in the breath taking anatomical drawings. The author, himself an accomplished scientist and artist, may just be the perfect scholar to probe Leonardo's methodology. By revealing the results of his analysis in such convincing and readable form, Atalay has created an exceptionally powerful book that cannot fail to inspire, that cannot fail to become a classic. As a professional educator, I would recommend this book to anyone who values a good education.