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The Seduction of Curves: The Lines of Beauty That Connect Mathematics, Art, and the Nude
A lavishly illustrated book that explores the language of curves that spans the human body, science, engineering, and art
Curves are seductive. These smooth, organic lines and surfaces--like those of the human body--appeal to us in an instinctive, visceral way that straight lines or the perfect shapes of classical geometry never could. In this large-format book, lavishly illustrated in color throughout, Allan McRobie takes the reader on an alluring exploration of the beautiful curves that shape our world--from our bodies to Salvador Dali's paintings and the space-time fabric of the universe itself.
The book focuses on seven curves--the fold, cusp, swallowtail, and butterfly, plus the hyperbolic, elliptical, and parabolic "umbilics"--and describes the surprising origins of their taxonomy in the catastrophe theory of mathematician Rene Thom. In an accessible discussion illustrated with many photographs of the human nude, McRobie introduces these curves and then describes their role in nature, science, engineering, architecture, art, and other areas. The reader learns how these curves play out in everything from the stability of oil rigs and the study of distant galaxies to rainbows, the patterns of light on pool floors, and even the shape of human genitals. The book also discusses the role of these curves in the work of such artists as David Hockney, Henry Moore, and Anish Kapoor, with particular attention given to the delicate sculptures of Naum Gabo and the final paintings of Dali, who said that Thom's theory "bewitched all of my atoms."
A unique introduction to the language of beautiful curves, this book may change the way you see the world.
Curves are seductive. These smooth, organic lines and surfaces--like those of the human body--appeal to us in an instinctive, visceral way that straight lines or the perfect shapes of classical geometry never could. In this large-format book, lavishly illustrated in color throughout, Allan McRobie takes the reader on an alluring exploration of the beautiful curves that shape our world--from our bodies to Salvador Dali's paintings and the space-time fabric of the universe itself.
The book focuses on seven curves--the fold, cusp, swallowtail, and butterfly, plus the hyperbolic, elliptical, and parabolic "umbilics"--and describes the surprising origins of their taxonomy in the catastrophe theory of mathematician Rene Thom. In an accessible discussion illustrated with many photographs of the human nude, McRobie introduces these curves and then describes their role in nature, science, engineering, architecture, art, and other areas. The reader learns how these curves play out in everything from the stability of oil rigs and the study of distant galaxies to rainbows, the patterns of light on pool floors, and even the shape of human genitals. The book also discusses the role of these curves in the work of such artists as David Hockney, Henry Moore, and Anish Kapoor, with particular attention given to the delicate sculptures of Naum Gabo and the final paintings of Dali, who said that Thom's theory "bewitched all of my atoms."
A unique introduction to the language of beautiful curves, this book may change the way you see the world.
168 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2017
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453 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 25, 2017
Euclid alone had looked on beauty bare
But now this book will also give you sight
And show your eyes how, here and everywhere
The networks folded from the weightless light
Display the self-same patterns in their lines
The cusp, umbilical and swallowtail
Constructed out of algebraic signs
The engineer has found the painter's grail
The intersections of the model's curves
The rainbow's arc projected on the skies
The starlight bent by distant planets' swerves
Dalì's last drawing, scribbled as he dies
Are captured in their magic unity
McRobie's words will teach you how to see
But now this book will also give you sight
And show your eyes how, here and everywhere
The networks folded from the weightless light
Display the self-same patterns in their lines
The cusp, umbilical and swallowtail
Constructed out of algebraic signs
The engineer has found the painter's grail
The intersections of the model's curves
The rainbow's arc projected on the skies
The starlight bent by distant planets' swerves
Dalì's last drawing, scribbled as he dies
Are captured in their magic unity
McRobie's words will teach you how to see
October 7, 2017
It takes a really clever person to do a book review in sonnet form. I'm more your low art type.
There was once a book about curves
Which appealed to the Goodreader pervs
To watch them all stare
At the pictures in there
I tell you it gets on my nerves.
I am never going to read this book, which was more likely written for the sonneteer than for the limericker. However, I have put many a book through the production process and I unhesitatingly give it 5* if only for its magnificent manifestation. The book producer, the book seller, the book reader, we all picked it up and gazed at it with grovelling appreciation. No doubt the content deserves the treatment: I have, as you will observe, put it on my 'books I've lived through' shelf. I am, that is to say, not entirely unaware of its merit.
There was once a book about curves
Which appealed to the Goodreader pervs
To watch them all stare
At the pictures in there
I tell you it gets on my nerves.
I am never going to read this book, which was more likely written for the sonneteer than for the limericker. However, I have put many a book through the production process and I unhesitatingly give it 5* if only for its magnificent manifestation. The book producer, the book seller, the book reader, we all picked it up and gazed at it with grovelling appreciation. No doubt the content deserves the treatment: I have, as you will observe, put it on my 'books I've lived through' shelf. I am, that is to say, not entirely unaware of its merit.
October 4, 2017
Having recently been somewhat underwhelmed by a science/art crossover book, I was expecting to be equally unimpressed by The Seduction of Curves, which promises to cover 'the lines of beauty that connect mathematics, art and the nude' - but the result is, in truth, stunning (in a good way).
Using both examples from art and impressive original photography by Helena Weightman, Allan McRobie introduces us to the significant shapes that form the 'alphabet' of catastrophe theory. This sounds like something dealing with sudden and drastic failures of systems - and certainly it can be involved in them. But at its heart, it's about mathematical functions where a small change in a parameter makes a sudden and distinctive shift in the output - from example when a curve suddenly takes a totally different direction (as it often does on the contours of the human body).
What makes this very different from the other title I mentioned is that this is not just a coffee table book of pretty pictures with captions to explain them. It is a proper book, with text worth reading, illustrated by Weightman's subtle photographs (the cover is a good example of her approach) and by works of art. Just occasionally, the art perhaps dominates a little much (I'm thinking of the Moiré fringes section), but mostly the balance is such that it should appeal both to art lovers and those with a real interest in the mathematical basis.
It's such an original and impressive book, I hate to bring up a negative, but I think it would have benefited from having an introductory chapter giving us more basic background on catastrophe theory before plunging into the curves and the art/science crossover in the text. Without that, it felt that some of the mathematical side was presented without enough context.
The nudes are tasteful and are not the only photographic subjects by any means - there's an impressive section, for example, on catastrophe optics and another on gravitational lensing which, though not as visually effective as some of the rest of the book, gives a feel for a wider field of application of catastrophe theory.
The whole science/art crossover thing usually seems a feeble attempt to make science more approachable to arty types who would run a mile at the mention of a theory or a formula. (C. P. Snow's two cultures are alive and well.) When someone does an art installation based at CERN, say, it has the feel of a community project which seemed a good idea at the time, but does nothing to make the science more approachable. This is the first example I've ever seen of a book where it all comes together in a beautiful and cohesive whole.
Using both examples from art and impressive original photography by Helena Weightman, Allan McRobie introduces us to the significant shapes that form the 'alphabet' of catastrophe theory. This sounds like something dealing with sudden and drastic failures of systems - and certainly it can be involved in them. But at its heart, it's about mathematical functions where a small change in a parameter makes a sudden and distinctive shift in the output - from example when a curve suddenly takes a totally different direction (as it often does on the contours of the human body).
What makes this very different from the other title I mentioned is that this is not just a coffee table book of pretty pictures with captions to explain them. It is a proper book, with text worth reading, illustrated by Weightman's subtle photographs (the cover is a good example of her approach) and by works of art. Just occasionally, the art perhaps dominates a little much (I'm thinking of the Moiré fringes section), but mostly the balance is such that it should appeal both to art lovers and those with a real interest in the mathematical basis.
It's such an original and impressive book, I hate to bring up a negative, but I think it would have benefited from having an introductory chapter giving us more basic background on catastrophe theory before plunging into the curves and the art/science crossover in the text. Without that, it felt that some of the mathematical side was presented without enough context.
The nudes are tasteful and are not the only photographic subjects by any means - there's an impressive section, for example, on catastrophe optics and another on gravitational lensing which, though not as visually effective as some of the rest of the book, gives a feel for a wider field of application of catastrophe theory.
The whole science/art crossover thing usually seems a feeble attempt to make science more approachable to arty types who would run a mile at the mention of a theory or a formula. (C. P. Snow's two cultures are alive and well.) When someone does an art installation based at CERN, say, it has the feel of a community project which seemed a good idea at the time, but does nothing to make the science more approachable. This is the first example I've ever seen of a book where it all comes together in a beautiful and cohesive whole.
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January 28, 2018Honestly beautiful. Aesthetically pleasing through and through, but not to be outdone by the content itself. This was a pure joy to read, and utterly fascinating. The artwork and photography is printed beautifully, clearly chosen to enhance the reading experience.
The math is clearly explained even for non-math oriented people to easily understand. To me, that's the real test of the book's merits. McRobie certainly succeeds there.
The math is clearly explained even for non-math oriented people to easily understand. To me, that's the real test of the book's merits. McRobie certainly succeeds there.
April 30, 2018
The book is an attempt to explain scientifically why we find some shapes beautiful. Catastrophe theory, developed by the Fields Medal winner René Thom, and chaos theory are the main ingredients by which McRobie tries to cook a language for seductive curves. The book, overall, is elegant with pompous language. It is not a quick read and if you want to follow the content, you may need to reread some paragraphs several times and contemplate. In the end, you will have a partial knowledge why you find some people or things visually delightful.
June 1, 2023
I can’t figure out the intended audience for this book I have a PhD in physics and a strong grounding in art. This book made *some* sense to me.
The parts about the shapes and curves and catastrophe were interesting and beautiful, if somewhat diluted by the descriptions of structural engineering graphs without providing the necessary background. I still have little idea what an umbilicus is. I know more about Rene Thom than I wanted to know and am not sure what most of it has to do with art.
I don’t know who edited this book, but it is rambling.
Pictures are beautiful.
The parts about the shapes and curves and catastrophe were interesting and beautiful, if somewhat diluted by the descriptions of structural engineering graphs without providing the necessary background. I still have little idea what an umbilicus is. I know more about Rene Thom than I wanted to know and am not sure what most of it has to do with art.
I don’t know who edited this book, but it is rambling.
Pictures are beautiful.
June 2, 2019
Pleasurable exposition of mathematics and art
July 9, 2019
A former bridge builder aspires to compare a curved line to the small of a woman's back and then with...MATH! Includes some bare skin.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews