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Math and the Mona Lisa
Leonardo da Vinci was one of history's true geniuses, equally brilliant as an artist, scientist, and mathematician. Readers of The Da Vinci Code were given a glimpse of the mysterious connections between math, science, and Leonardo's art. Math and the Mona Lisa picks up where The Da Vinci Code left off, illuminating Leonardo's life and work to uncover connections that, until now, have been known only to scholars.
Following Leonardo's own unique model, Atalay searches for the internal dynamics of art and science, revealing to us the deep unity of the two cultures. He provides a broad overview of the development of science from the dawn of civilization to today's quantum mechanics. From this base of information, Atalay offers a fascinating view into Leonardo's restless intellect and modus operandi, allowing us to see the source of his ideas and to appreciate his art from a new perspective. William D. Phillips, who won the Nobel Prize in physics in 1997, writes of the author, "Atalay is indeed a modern renaissance man, and he invites us to tap the power of synthesis that is Leonardo's model."
Following Leonardo's own unique model, Atalay searches for the internal dynamics of art and science, revealing to us the deep unity of the two cultures. He provides a broad overview of the development of science from the dawn of civilization to today's quantum mechanics. From this base of information, Atalay offers a fascinating view into Leonardo's restless intellect and modus operandi, allowing us to see the source of his ideas and to appreciate his art from a new perspective. William D. Phillips, who won the Nobel Prize in physics in 1997, writes of the author, "Atalay is indeed a modern renaissance man, and he invites us to tap the power of synthesis that is Leonardo's model."
314 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
72 people are currently reading
1010 people want to read
About the author
Bülent Atalay
6 books8 followersBülent Atalay is a Turkish-American educator, author, scientist, and artist.
Born in Ankara, Turkey in 1940, Atalay is the author of the best selling book, Math and the Mona Lisa: the Art and Science of Leonardo da Vinci, initially published in English by Smithsonian Books in 2004, and subsequently in 13 foreign languages. A more recent book, Leonardo’s Universe: the Renaissance World of Leonardo da Vinci, coauthored with Keith Wamsley, was released by National Geographic Books in late 2008, and immediately listed among Encyclopædia Britannica Blog's "Ten Must-Have Reference Books from 2008." He is also a blog writer for National Geographic Newswatch.
A theoretical nuclear physicist, he is the author of numerous technical articles in physics. He has been a professor of physics for four decades at the University of Mary Washington, an adjunct professor at the University of Virginia, and a member of the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton. He lectures around the world on his expertise in the "A-subjects" – art, archeology, astrophysics, atomic physics and Atatürk ... while claiming little knowledge in the "B-subjects" – business, banking, biology ... He is currently the President of the Atatürk Society of America, dedicated to the ideals of the founder of the modern Republic of Turkey, most importantly, the secular governance.
An artist, his works have been exhibited in one-man shows in London and Washington D.C., and his books of lithographs – "Lands of Washington: Impressions Ink" and "Oxford and the English Countryside: Impressions of Ink" – were both published by Eton House in the 1970s, but are no longer in print. Copies of his books of lithographs can be found in the permanent collections of the White House, the Smithsonian Institution and Buckingham Palace.
He frequently serves as a special topics lecturer on board ships of the Crystal Cruise Line and Seabourn Cruises.
Born in Ankara, Turkey in 1940, Atalay is the author of the best selling book, Math and the Mona Lisa: the Art and Science of Leonardo da Vinci, initially published in English by Smithsonian Books in 2004, and subsequently in 13 foreign languages. A more recent book, Leonardo’s Universe: the Renaissance World of Leonardo da Vinci, coauthored with Keith Wamsley, was released by National Geographic Books in late 2008, and immediately listed among Encyclopædia Britannica Blog's "Ten Must-Have Reference Books from 2008." He is also a blog writer for National Geographic Newswatch.
A theoretical nuclear physicist, he is the author of numerous technical articles in physics. He has been a professor of physics for four decades at the University of Mary Washington, an adjunct professor at the University of Virginia, and a member of the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton. He lectures around the world on his expertise in the "A-subjects" – art, archeology, astrophysics, atomic physics and Atatürk ... while claiming little knowledge in the "B-subjects" – business, banking, biology ... He is currently the President of the Atatürk Society of America, dedicated to the ideals of the founder of the modern Republic of Turkey, most importantly, the secular governance.
An artist, his works have been exhibited in one-man shows in London and Washington D.C., and his books of lithographs – "Lands of Washington: Impressions Ink" and "Oxford and the English Countryside: Impressions of Ink" – were both published by Eton House in the 1970s, but are no longer in print. Copies of his books of lithographs can be found in the permanent collections of the White House, the Smithsonian Institution and Buckingham Palace.
He frequently serves as a special topics lecturer on board ships of the Crystal Cruise Line and Seabourn Cruises.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
June 5, 2017
بررسى استادانه تفاوت ها و تشابهات در هنرها و علوم ، به شكل تجسم يافته توسط ان نابغه ى هر دو عرصه : دا وينچى .
پرفسور بولنت اتالاي به ژرفاى ذهن لئوناردو راه يافتهو كتابى چنين خواندني و بسيار اگاهى بخش افريده
Jamie Wyeth——
رياضيات و موناليزا
ترجمه : فيروزه مقدم
انتشارات مازيار
١٣٨٩
پرفسور بولنت اتالاي به ژرفاى ذهن لئوناردو راه يافتهو كتابى چنين خواندني و بسيار اگاهى بخش افريده
Jamie Wyeth——
رياضيات و موناليزا
ترجمه : فيروزه مقدم
انتشارات مازيار
١٣٨٩
March 18, 2011
Despite the size of this book (a smaller hardback just brushing 300 pages) and despite my earnest attempt to devote time to it (as necessitated by reading it for a final project for math class), it seemed to take forever to get through it. And I cheated.
I found this a frustrating narrative. I was enthralled by the personal and professional details regarding Leonardo but skimmed through pages of math far beyond my comprehension. I don't pretend to be anywhere near competent in math but I've discovered in this class that, given time and a good teacher, I can understand concepts pretty well. This book seems to market itself (and is categorized in the library) primarily as biographical, then art, then science. This made me approach it feeling like, sure, there's going to be some math in here and I'm going to have to deal with that but sort of assumed (to my fault) that given the apparent mainstream targeting that it would be at least comprehensible. About a quarter of the way through, despite reading examples multiples times in an attempt to understand them, I began to believe that even my mathematically and scientifically minded friends would have some difficulty following it. This made it more difficult to understand the general concept of the golden ratio and at about page 200, I put the book down, went to Wikipedia, and understood the whole concept better just by reading the first paragraph on that page.
Also, it feels really cobbled together. For the second half, I skimmed through it, looking for the pertinent parts I needed for my project and details about Leonardo, which I always find fascinating. I get the sense that the author is a great artist and a great scientist and probably even a very good writer but the book seemed like he worked on different parts of the whole - concepts and historical aspects linked to both Leonardo and the golden ratio - but then just kind of them threw them together instead of forming a more comprehensive narrative. I found myself reading things towards the end about which I kept thinking, "Well, why didn't he explain that earlier?"
I think dumbed down a bit for a more general audience and with a better editor for the general map of the book, this book would have found a wider audience. If I had picked it up for the Leonardo aspect alone as pleasure reading and not for primarily a school project, I would have abandoned it far earlier. As it was, I still couldn't bring myself to read the whole second half. I'm glad the book was written; I love reading books that combine two of my pleasures - art and science - it just feels like it could have been better executed.
I found this a frustrating narrative. I was enthralled by the personal and professional details regarding Leonardo but skimmed through pages of math far beyond my comprehension. I don't pretend to be anywhere near competent in math but I've discovered in this class that, given time and a good teacher, I can understand concepts pretty well. This book seems to market itself (and is categorized in the library) primarily as biographical, then art, then science. This made me approach it feeling like, sure, there's going to be some math in here and I'm going to have to deal with that but sort of assumed (to my fault) that given the apparent mainstream targeting that it would be at least comprehensible. About a quarter of the way through, despite reading examples multiples times in an attempt to understand them, I began to believe that even my mathematically and scientifically minded friends would have some difficulty following it. This made it more difficult to understand the general concept of the golden ratio and at about page 200, I put the book down, went to Wikipedia, and understood the whole concept better just by reading the first paragraph on that page.
Also, it feels really cobbled together. For the second half, I skimmed through it, looking for the pertinent parts I needed for my project and details about Leonardo, which I always find fascinating. I get the sense that the author is a great artist and a great scientist and probably even a very good writer but the book seemed like he worked on different parts of the whole - concepts and historical aspects linked to both Leonardo and the golden ratio - but then just kind of them threw them together instead of forming a more comprehensive narrative. I found myself reading things towards the end about which I kept thinking, "Well, why didn't he explain that earlier?"
I think dumbed down a bit for a more general audience and with a better editor for the general map of the book, this book would have found a wider audience. If I had picked it up for the Leonardo aspect alone as pleasure reading and not for primarily a school project, I would have abandoned it far earlier. As it was, I still couldn't bring myself to read the whole second half. I'm glad the book was written; I love reading books that combine two of my pleasures - art and science - it just feels like it could have been better executed.
August 8, 2022
4 stars - English Ebook
Review follows later.
Review follows later.
August 10, 2007
It is a fascinating book, though some of the math is quite a bit above my head. I am enjoying the discovering how math is used in art. For instance, I finally have a good understanding of the "golden rectangle." Other golden proportions I understand by sight and feel and don't get the math.
A very interesting read.
A very interesting read.
July 28, 2011
As other reviewers note, the title is a bit misleading. Leonardo Da Vinci, the “part-time artist [who] produced the epitome of art”, is the somewhat weak link by which the author tries to hold the book together (only a few chapters are exclusively devoted to him). Leonardo’s importance may be summarized by: “In this one man’s works there is more cross-semination of ideas from different intellectual worlds than among the works of generations of specialists in any number of disciplines.”
Early on in the book, in the midst of the interesting explanation of the Fibonacci series and the golden rectangle, triangle, pyramid, logarithmic spiral, etc. a number of other facts or stories are sometimes hung out there which do not seem to have much linear relation to the topic at hand. As a result, I found myself writing “so what?” several times in the margins of the book as the discussion meandered. Similarly, I found the rehash of the history of science near the end of the book to be inferior to other resources which are available. Overall, a more limited focus would have made this a much better book. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed the discussion.
A major point of application in Atalay’s book is that “dramatic progress in any field is most effectively catalyzed by cross-fertilization with others” and that “lack of communication” between the worlds of science, art, and technology “pervades all levels of society.” To flesh this point out, it would have been instructive to read a few more historical and contemporary examples of others who have bridged the gap. I also appreciated the closing application which stressed how Leonardo was “self-nurtured” more so than a happy accident of nature and nurture. More would have been helpful here.
In conclusion, there are better books out there about the history and development of math and science. There are also better books which help us to understand and appreciate art. And there might even be better books which look at the relationship between art and science from an interdisciplinary perspective, which is Bulent Atalay’s purpose in Math and the Mona Lisa. Having said that, having not read anything better in the latter category, I still found “Math and the Mona Lisa” to be a helpful companion to guide me in reflecting and thinking more deeply on the inter-relationships between the worlds of math, science, and art.
Early on in the book, in the midst of the interesting explanation of the Fibonacci series and the golden rectangle, triangle, pyramid, logarithmic spiral, etc. a number of other facts or stories are sometimes hung out there which do not seem to have much linear relation to the topic at hand. As a result, I found myself writing “so what?” several times in the margins of the book as the discussion meandered. Similarly, I found the rehash of the history of science near the end of the book to be inferior to other resources which are available. Overall, a more limited focus would have made this a much better book. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed the discussion.
A major point of application in Atalay’s book is that “dramatic progress in any field is most effectively catalyzed by cross-fertilization with others” and that “lack of communication” between the worlds of science, art, and technology “pervades all levels of society.” To flesh this point out, it would have been instructive to read a few more historical and contemporary examples of others who have bridged the gap. I also appreciated the closing application which stressed how Leonardo was “self-nurtured” more so than a happy accident of nature and nurture. More would have been helpful here.
In conclusion, there are better books out there about the history and development of math and science. There are also better books which help us to understand and appreciate art. And there might even be better books which look at the relationship between art and science from an interdisciplinary perspective, which is Bulent Atalay’s purpose in Math and the Mona Lisa. Having said that, having not read anything better in the latter category, I still found “Math and the Mona Lisa” to be a helpful companion to guide me in reflecting and thinking more deeply on the inter-relationships between the worlds of math, science, and art.
April 16, 2022
|| 2.5 stars ||
My general poor understanding and appreciation for mathematics accounts for the lower rating. However, that isn’t to say there weren’t parts of this book that I really enjoyed and was fascinated by (especially being an artist myself).
This book not only covered what we know about Leonardo Da Vinci and his research and works, but also discusses how his genius impacted many centuries of science, math and creativity to come. Much of the math and science discussed was way over my head, and I didn’t have enough motivation to really sit down and try to understand it. Still, I found it so interesting how Da Vinci (and other artists) incorporated his knowledge of math into his paintings. After reading this book, I can certainly say that my appreciation for the artist has significantly increased.
Sections of this book also discuss mathematics in nature. Most of it is written with the theory of evolution in mind (which is fair, as this is the theory that Da Vinci and other scientists covered in this book commonly adhered to and sought to understand). However, as a Christian who rejects the Big Bang theory, I was easily able to look past this and simply marvel at how much care God took while creating all of these little details in nature, many of which we tend to take for granted and many of which we probably haven’t even discovered yet. Needless to say, this book also increased my appreciation for creation and most of all, the Creator.
Overall, this was an intriguing read despite getting lost and losing focus quite a few times throughout. If you’re a maths and science person, you will likely enjoy this book even more than I did!
My general poor understanding and appreciation for mathematics accounts for the lower rating. However, that isn’t to say there weren’t parts of this book that I really enjoyed and was fascinated by (especially being an artist myself).
This book not only covered what we know about Leonardo Da Vinci and his research and works, but also discusses how his genius impacted many centuries of science, math and creativity to come. Much of the math and science discussed was way over my head, and I didn’t have enough motivation to really sit down and try to understand it. Still, I found it so interesting how Da Vinci (and other artists) incorporated his knowledge of math into his paintings. After reading this book, I can certainly say that my appreciation for the artist has significantly increased.
Sections of this book also discuss mathematics in nature. Most of it is written with the theory of evolution in mind (which is fair, as this is the theory that Da Vinci and other scientists covered in this book commonly adhered to and sought to understand). However, as a Christian who rejects the Big Bang theory, I was easily able to look past this and simply marvel at how much care God took while creating all of these little details in nature, many of which we tend to take for granted and many of which we probably haven’t even discovered yet. Needless to say, this book also increased my appreciation for creation and most of all, the Creator.
Overall, this was an intriguing read despite getting lost and losing focus quite a few times throughout. If you’re a maths and science person, you will likely enjoy this book even more than I did!
January 25, 2024
Leonardo da Vinci, was an artist of great spirit and skill, he was also an inventor whose talents were used to create machines of war. In spite of being hired and paid to envision ways to kill, Leonardo also chose to live a values-enriched life where he filled books full of inventions of hope and beauty as a way to improve his life circumstances by connecting with and creating beauty in his own life. I believe that Leonardo da Vinci was a methodical person who systematically and purposefully challenged himself to learn and have new thoughts about nature, human anatomy, the brain, art, and science as a way to create beauty in his life. For example, Leonardo was playful in his artistic portraits of three famous women including Ginevra de’ Benci, Lady with the Ermine, and The Mona Lisa. Leonardo playfully used back panels, symbolic animals and flora, and androgynous models for his subjects. Leonardo also took time to artistically capture psychological elements such as the Apostle Peter’s angry gesture to Mary Magdalene seen in The Last Supper, and Mary’s loving protective arm extended to the infant Jesus in Virgin of the Rocks. Leonardo da Vinci also envisioned human flight, transportation, on land and sea, and tools to lighten heavy labour as a way to improve life. His connection with the beauty of nature, and social advocacy were part of his rich and values-enriched life.
The final pages of Atalay (2006) provided encouragement for people to continue seeking opportunities to learn and grow throughout the course of their lives and to follow their values and seek beauty. As Leonard da Vinci was inspired by his world we can be awe-inspired by people, nature, and what we read. We can be curious and ask questions and try to identify or discover the possible answers. We can experiment and keep an open mind as we learn more about our world. Through Leonardo’s example we are encouraged to read widely, keep a notebook close and take notes of our learnings of thoughts and new words. We are encouraged to share our learning with friends and family. We are encouraged to doodle, draw, or sketch using different techniques and varied materials ,and embrace inspiration from nature. To live a life based on values will enrich our daily walk philosophically and psychologically. Thank you Dr. Bülent Atalay for this meassage of hope and encouragement.
The final pages of Atalay (2006) provided encouragement for people to continue seeking opportunities to learn and grow throughout the course of their lives and to follow their values and seek beauty. As Leonard da Vinci was inspired by his world we can be awe-inspired by people, nature, and what we read. We can be curious and ask questions and try to identify or discover the possible answers. We can experiment and keep an open mind as we learn more about our world. Through Leonardo’s example we are encouraged to read widely, keep a notebook close and take notes of our learnings of thoughts and new words. We are encouraged to share our learning with friends and family. We are encouraged to doodle, draw, or sketch using different techniques and varied materials ,and embrace inspiration from nature. To live a life based on values will enrich our daily walk philosophically and psychologically. Thank you Dr. Bülent Atalay for this meassage of hope and encouragement.
January 16, 2021
Mona Lisa and Da Vinci have been true inspirations for me and my family and students of scientific literature and art lovers indeed!
I have written many times on this topic since childhood and my poem relates to the essence and matter of this great book i.e. how math science and art intertwined magically in Da Vinci's master work!!
Please enjoy:
Mona Lisa
Naila Hina
I have been told my smile
Resembles Mona Lisa's
A true mystery I liked her
For the scientific reasons
A true piece of beauty and art
is the one having symmetry
But when you divide this
Masterpiece of DA Vinci
In four equal quadrants, you
Will be amazed to find out
That every part of the face
Is different from each other!
also when you see it from
Different angles it depicts
Very different emotions
And feelings and convey
Many different messages.
Besides the background is
Also very communicative
Showing the evolution of
Life and the human specie
Through visionary landscape
Painted on wood plank
Rather than the canvas
The aerial technique
Fascinated by the lights
La Gioconda, is the wife of
Francesco del Giocondo.
It can't be bought or sold
belongs to the heart of public
And their hearts belong to her
Jackie Kennedy invited her
To visit USA for display and
Louvre and de Gaulle agreed
Remained With Francois I,
Louis XIV, Napoleon Bonaparte
Some scholars suggest it’s
Self portrait of DA Vinci
I have written many times on this topic since childhood and my poem relates to the essence and matter of this great book i.e. how math science and art intertwined magically in Da Vinci's master work!!
Please enjoy:
Mona Lisa
Naila Hina
I have been told my smile
Resembles Mona Lisa's
A true mystery I liked her
For the scientific reasons
A true piece of beauty and art
is the one having symmetry
But when you divide this
Masterpiece of DA Vinci
In four equal quadrants, you
Will be amazed to find out
That every part of the face
Is different from each other!
also when you see it from
Different angles it depicts
Very different emotions
And feelings and convey
Many different messages.
Besides the background is
Also very communicative
Showing the evolution of
Life and the human specie
Through visionary landscape
Painted on wood plank
Rather than the canvas
The aerial technique
Fascinated by the lights
La Gioconda, is the wife of
Francesco del Giocondo.
It can't be bought or sold
belongs to the heart of public
And their hearts belong to her
Jackie Kennedy invited her
To visit USA for display and
Louvre and de Gaulle agreed
Remained With Francois I,
Louis XIV, Napoleon Bonaparte
Some scholars suggest it’s
Self portrait of DA Vinci
October 20, 2023
This claims to be book about Leonardo da Vinci and his unique ability to appreciate and contribute to both the scientific and art worlds. At times, the author goes off from the central theme and provides us with a "history of science" type script, however for those with some education in the natural sciences, this was not necessarily a deviation which diminished in any way from the quality of the reading. A basic understanding of maths/physics/chemistry would be a distinct advantage to anyone reading this book, even though the author goes to great lengths to keep this simple and to guide the reader through the more technical sections. At times, I was not overly convinced that the "Golden number/ratio" and its associated geometry underpinned every masterpiece ever painted but it was an interesting argument nonetheless. I read this as a bedtime read and this was probably not ideal given the amount of brain work which was needed. However, I did enjoy this and would recommend it to anyone who appreciates both art and science and who wants to understand more about the few who were sufficiently gifted to be able to contribute significantly to both camps.
March 18, 2024
This was a very interesting book about the correlation between art and math. As someone with very limited knowledge about art history and the masters over the ages, I found this book very informative for the student, layman or educator.
The symmetry between art and math seemed to come alive in a natural manner and this book points it out. I learned about the golden ratio and how it formulates into many of the designs of artists in such a natural way. Applications of this formula, from the ancients, has survived through the centuries and the accomplishments in their building techniques is explained very well in Dr Atalay's fine book.
The symmetry between art and math seemed to come alive in a natural manner and this book points it out. I learned about the golden ratio and how it formulates into many of the designs of artists in such a natural way. Applications of this formula, from the ancients, has survived through the centuries and the accomplishments in their building techniques is explained very well in Dr Atalay's fine book.
August 31, 2021
I struggle reading non-fiction when it’s not something I’m super interested in but reading this book really solidified my passion for the blend of maths and art. It’s just interesting to see the different opinions on how historically maths was used in art and vice versa. And if I’m totally honest, reading the book makes you wonder how you could ever have seen them as completely separate subjects in the first place.
July 1, 2024
I DNFed after chapter 1. That was one more chapter than I should've read. The prologue states (of the 13 chapters) that only 3 chapters are about Da Vinci. Like are you serious? The book title is: "Math and the Mona Lisa: The Art and Science of Leonardo Da Vinci. Chapter 1 sucked, and skimmed the rest. Called it quits. Life is too short to be wasting my time reading crap with misleading titles. Chucking this book so others won't fall for this crap like I did
June 10, 2025
This book was very interesting, but hard to understand at times. Essentially, it goes more in depth into the divine proportion and mathematical principles introduced in The Da Vinci Code, and let me just say Leonardo Da Vinci did a LOT in his lifetime. He made countless advancements in science and was an amazing painter at the same time. Although I got lost in the math sometimes, this was a very informative and interesting book to read!
March 21, 2017
Fascinating and inspiring. The mathematical concepts are simplified enough for the layman to appreciate, though their expertise might fall short of complete understanding. A great book for any person who finds value in interdisciplinary interests or study. As a someone who was only minimally familiar with Da Vinci and the history of physics on the outset, it offered me a broad introduction to both topics and succeeded in holding my interest by making meaningful historical and cultural contextual connections throughout. There is even the occasional lyric verse embedded here and there for the poetry lovers of the world. Will be recommending.
March 12, 2018
The book gets better when the author steps out of his own way. He tries to imagine himself as a Leonardo type person, he might be but that isn’t the reason why I picked up this book. If I wanted to read an autobiography I would have.
The maths, art, and science concepts in the book are presented well but again the author got in his own way while explaining or giving examples.
The maths, art, and science concepts in the book are presented well but again the author got in his own way while explaining or giving examples.
January 21, 2024
Really helped me understand the importance of the renaissance and arts role in the coming scientific revolution. Never saw how close scientific thinking and art can be until I read this book. Drags a little towards the end I buy all in all great
September 23, 2024
This book has an interesting premise but comes up short in detail. Lots of praise for Leonardo’s genius but it was a bit shallow in showing mathematics. Many circles and lines placed over images of his paintings but I didn’t get any new insights regarding Da Vinci and his work.
September 1, 2019
A very good book. It talked mainly about Da Vinci's life and the relation between science and art, not really focus on the painting Mona Lisa. But it's just good, not at the level of excellence.
October 19, 2023
Incredible! A must-read for anyone interested in science!
June 30, 2020
Starts off slow and works hard to find examples of math in art and architecture, but as it progresses into a biography of Leonardo and a history of scientific discovery and curiosity, becomes quite powerful. Contains good advise for all inspiring polymaths out there to listen to nature and keep copious records of one's doings.
September 7, 2025
Professor Atalay immerses himself into the world of Leonardo Da Vinci. Leonardo’s world of nature, science, art, and mathematics is incredibly woven into a tapestry and Professor Atalay explores how the model used by this humble genius has transformed the way we think and live. The pages are filled with fascinating insights and thought provoking facts that kept this reader up until sunrise on several occasions.
This is a must read for any Leonardo enthusiast.
This is a must read for any Leonardo enthusiast.
June 30, 2016
review of Math and the Mona Lisa by Bulent Atalay
June 30, 2016
Read the last chapter first. It discusses the dichotomy of background reference among society in general, and provides a high level reflection of the difficulty of communication between people who are attuned to either art and humanistic natural sciences versus more technically oriented people who might pursue mathematical foundations behind observed phenomenon. It also posits the growing trend among technologists to have created a third classification in the dichotomy, where there are special strengths for people who have developed tech skills that require specialized knowledge within technical frameworks (ie. programmers who may not be language designers, standard library designers, or compiler writers.)
The bulk of the book is a look at special observational skills required for quantifying the sciences, and makes an attempt to relate mathematical relationships found in artistic layouts. It uses Leonardo as a fulcrum to pay credit to his landmark observations, measurements, mathematical skills, and prognostications for future technology and capabilities.
The material can be used as an excellent background for historical research in the development of physics and applied mathematics. It is also a very good jumping off point for artistic efforts in the time-line of da Vinci.
In consensus with the dichotomy discussed in the last section, I found the artistic revelations to be interesting, but not compelling enough to apply the necessary force to keep turning pages. However, the physics sections as related by the historical account of the lead personalities, also began to weigh heavily on my patience and required forced reading at some points.
I believe that the copy I have was probably a supplemental text to one of the humanities classes at a local college. The knowledge repository provided here should be required reading for all individuals who need to broaden their appreciation of math, physics, art, and the histories of those endeavors related from the humanistic viewpoint. Personally I believe that everyone should read this, regardless of whether they think they need the knowledge simply because exposure to the ideas as presented here should have an influence on reflective thinking of increasingly constrained minded individuals that tend toward creating localized hive-minds in exclusion of the general population.
June 30, 2016
Read the last chapter first. It discusses the dichotomy of background reference among society in general, and provides a high level reflection of the difficulty of communication between people who are attuned to either art and humanistic natural sciences versus more technically oriented people who might pursue mathematical foundations behind observed phenomenon. It also posits the growing trend among technologists to have created a third classification in the dichotomy, where there are special strengths for people who have developed tech skills that require specialized knowledge within technical frameworks (ie. programmers who may not be language designers, standard library designers, or compiler writers.)
The bulk of the book is a look at special observational skills required for quantifying the sciences, and makes an attempt to relate mathematical relationships found in artistic layouts. It uses Leonardo as a fulcrum to pay credit to his landmark observations, measurements, mathematical skills, and prognostications for future technology and capabilities.
The material can be used as an excellent background for historical research in the development of physics and applied mathematics. It is also a very good jumping off point for artistic efforts in the time-line of da Vinci.
In consensus with the dichotomy discussed in the last section, I found the artistic revelations to be interesting, but not compelling enough to apply the necessary force to keep turning pages. However, the physics sections as related by the historical account of the lead personalities, also began to weigh heavily on my patience and required forced reading at some points.
I believe that the copy I have was probably a supplemental text to one of the humanities classes at a local college. The knowledge repository provided here should be required reading for all individuals who need to broaden their appreciation of math, physics, art, and the histories of those endeavors related from the humanistic viewpoint. Personally I believe that everyone should read this, regardless of whether they think they need the knowledge simply because exposure to the ideas as presented here should have an influence on reflective thinking of increasingly constrained minded individuals that tend toward creating localized hive-minds in exclusion of the general population.
January 18, 2014
A fascinating look at the science of art and the art of science with lots of interesting facts about some of the most brilliant minds in science... as well as the brilliance of da Vinci, of course.
One of my favorite parts in this book was the story of the Indiana Department of Highway Legislators in the 1940s who couldn't quite understand why engineers would need an electric calculator. When one of the engineers tried to explain to the dimwit that they needed to follow precise calculations with pi, an irrational number, the dimwit wandered into the meeting to attempt to explain the justification for the purchase. He emerged a bit later to say that while they couldn't afford the calculator, the legislators agreed that it would be okay for the engineers rather than using 3.14 et cetera, to just round up to 4.
What an illustration. Some things never change.
One of my favorite parts in this book was the story of the Indiana Department of Highway Legislators in the 1940s who couldn't quite understand why engineers would need an electric calculator. When one of the engineers tried to explain to the dimwit that they needed to follow precise calculations with pi, an irrational number, the dimwit wandered into the meeting to attempt to explain the justification for the purchase. He emerged a bit later to say that while they couldn't afford the calculator, the legislators agreed that it would be okay for the engineers rather than using 3.14 et cetera, to just round up to 4.
What an illustration. Some things never change.
March 24, 2010
I liked the second half of this book better than the first. The first half was a lot of math history, and I learned a lot of that in my math history class in college. Interesting, but I already knew much of it. After a while, I wanted to say to the author, "I get it! The golden ratio is everywhere!" I really liked the two chapters specifically about Leonardo. He seems fascinating, and I wouldn't mind reading more about him. I did really enjoy the last few chapters which were more of a history of science; I didn't know nearly as much about the scientists. Overall, quite interesting. It's been on my list to read for several years.
June 1, 2015
Some might say this book is wide ranging, other might say unfocused. While the historical asides (Euclid, Pythagoras, et al.) are appropriate as they formed the background of Leonardo's thought and the work of his near contemporaries (Kepler, Galileo, Newton, et al.) is interesting because they often rediscovered ideas that Leonardo pioneered, the modern digressions (relativity and quantum mechanics) seem forced and strained. This is not to say that these digressions are uninteresting, but they seem to be an afterthought intended more to fill out the word count than an integral part of the book.
December 2, 2016
This is certainly one of the most unique books I've ever read. It's wonderful to see this level of interdisciplinary thinking in action. And certainly Leonardo da Vinci is the person to examine the interconnectedness of mathematics, physics, painting, architecture, and nature. When Atalay is offering concrete examples of how the intersection of knowledge operates, he's at his best. At other times the focus becomes far too mathematical for the lay reader. Nevertheless this book is an important one, especially for young students so they can appreciate how all of the various subjects they study are interdependent. I definitely wish I had been exposed to such ideas when I was young.
September 15, 2010
This caught my eye in a museum gift shop. I really wanted to know how it linked math and science to art. I'm really glad that I bought this book because it opened my eyes several fascinating correspondences between mathematical theory and artistic rendering. This book really gave me a fresh new perspective on how I look at art and beauty.
Although the book discusses specific mathematical concepts and equations I did not feel overwhelmed with them coming from a non-math perspective. The book is well written and very accessible to a lay person.
Although the book discusses specific mathematical concepts and equations I did not feel overwhelmed with them coming from a non-math perspective. The book is well written and very accessible to a lay person.
May 15, 2016
Definitely a great take on the life and work of Leonardo Da Vinci, especially with emphasized look upon the golden ratios and use of perspectives. However, I believe that too much content was spent on looking back upon Da Vinci, Einstein, Newton, and 19th-20th century scientists in a historical context. It would've been nice to see more explanation on how art and science further relate to each other. Nonetheless, this was a great read and more insight and value is given on the genius, that is Leonardo Da Vinci. (P.S. I enjoyed the moments of humour as well as the references to magicians)
July 21, 2014
The subtitle is "The Art and Science of Leonardo da Vinci" but it is more of a history of science. Several of the chapters make only tangential (or even tortured) reference to Leonardo. The latter part of the book delves into relativity and quantum mechanics. Unfortunately, discussions of these topics as a history and exposition for the lay-person have been done much better in other books. I can reluctantly recommend the book since Leonardo is such a fascinating person that even less than excellent discussions are still worth the time.
December 15, 2012
Although I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I can see where Mathematicians would find it slow and heavy in theory when perhaps their hope was for more application. Art Historians, will enjoy the prose as the author romanticizes the life and works Da Vinci. It was enjoyable, but I fear it's admirers will be a small niche of math / science / history / art enthusiasts. A rare albeit well rounded fan group.
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