Symmetry

A large range of symmetries in art is presented through clear and aesthetically outstanding examples of historical ornaments. Compendious comments illustrate the selected photographic material by addressing the interested and specialist reader alike.

Contents:
Introduction
Fundamental categories
The convenient start: Plane groups of symmetry
Intertwined patterns: Layer groups of symmetry
Two-colored periodic ornamentation
Polychromatic patterns
Beyond 2D groups: Hypersymmetry, superstructures, two symmetries in one pattern, the "order-disorder" patterns, homothety and similarity, inversion and nonlinear patterns
Quasiperiodic patterns
Fractals and fractal character
Style and symmetry symmetry and style
References
Index

Auteur

Emil Makovicky, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

Résumé

"What this book does do is illustrate, with dozens and dozens of beautiful photographs (all of them taken by the author), how symmetry is found in all sorts of examples of classical art from around the world: mosaics, marble floors, windows, vases, etc. [...] I can't imagine it being used as a text in a mathematics course, but I can certainly see a professor showing slides from it to illustrate the mathematics that is learned from another source. And I can also see a professor just flipping through the pages of this book for fun, enjoying one beautiful photograph after another." MAA Reviews