Symmetry is a pretty concrete concept to see and confirmation of it tends to be right there in front of the viewer - an easy thing for students to identify. Of course, figuring out what symmetry is doing to the meaning of the work is the ultimate goal, but first we need to really get close to the specific nature of the symmetry in the image.
Here is an image I used in class this year that I’m interested in working with more in the future.
SOME QUESTIONS TO ASK:
1 - List the elements that create the symmetry. List the elements that break the symmetry. Compare and contrast these lists for categories and patterns - what are the things that are actually creating and breaking the symmetry?
Here, for example, the symmetry is created by the arch and columns, the seat, the red fields of the background, and the crown, but also by the natural symmetry of a human form facing forward. The asymmetry includes the different arm postures, the cloak, and the feet but mainly by the sword and the shield. What does the strong symmetry of the architecture imply or reveal? With that strong symmetry established, what does the prominent asymmetry of the sword and the shield suggest?
2 - List elements that create the symmetry that are inherently symmetrical, like a face, a flower, or the horizon, and those that are not inherently symmetrical but that have been arranged symmetrically.
The arch and columns are not natural elements per se, but arches are necessarily symmetrical because arches require that shape to be strong and stable. Does a consideration of what arches are, what they do, and where they appear, lend any meaning to the image? The human form, on the other hand, is inherently symmetrical but only in the posture of facing directly forward. Does this posture, which creates more symmetry in the image, lend any meaning to the image? What might it mean if we place that human form symmetrically within that arch form?
3 - List or describe what is at the center of the symmetry vs. those elements on the edges of the symmetry.
Here the architecture and background create strong symmetry but they are on the edges. The king is both symmetrical himself and in the center of the symmetry of the whole. Specifically, his face, crown, and body are central. What is the effect of this placement?
4 - Identify if there is one overall symmetry and/or if there are areas of symmetry in the work.
Here there is really only one area of symmetry, unless we determine the shield’s symmetrical shape is significant (though the 3 lions are not symmetrical).
5 - Ask about the difference between balance and symmetry. Are there elements that are not symmetrical but are balanced?
Here, for example, the sword and shield are not symmetrical but there are ways in which they could be described as balanced. The cloak and arms likewise could be described as asymmetrical but balanced. What might be particular about the meaning of true symmetry vs. balance?
MANIPULATIONS HELP US TO SEE
Experimenting with manipulations of the image can help us see these patterns. Plus, it’s fun. Make these yourself or have students do this on the computer or, even better, with scissors!
What do we see if we observe the image in quadrants?Â
Or even more dramatic might be to see the quadrants in different combinations. You could give them these separately before you even give them the whole image, making it possible for them to play with combining them in different ways.
For example, it might be interesting to have them look at the diagonal quadrants separated like this:
This might help students see that the sword and the shield are asymmetrical both horizontally and vertically. What is the effect of this composition? How does this change the way we see these items? We might also determine the degree to which the asymmetry of the clothing and the feet matter to our understanding of the image.
Have more fun - what do we see if we create mirror images of the left half and right half of the image?
These two weird versions may help to underline the way the sword and the shield stand out as the main asymmetrical elements and also how they are asymmetrical. Plus they are kind of awesome.
IN THE END
We want students to build an argument about meaning. Here, for example, we could ask about the nature and origin of authority in Medieval Europe. In images like this, a consideration of how the composition establishes and breaks symmetry can be a great concrete starting place, a weird and fun way to explore an image, and ultimately a door into some juicy ideas.