Golden Ratio
The Mona Lisa is a famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519), a Renaissance artist and scientist.
The painting depicts a woman with a mysterious smile and a landscape background. One of the reasons why the Mona Lisa is so admired is because of its use of the golden ratio, a mathematical proportion that is considered to be aesthetically pleasing and harmonious.
The golden ratio, also known as the divine proportion, is a ratio of approximately 1.618 that can be found in nature, art, architecture, music, and geometry.
It is expressed by the Greek letter phi (Φ) and can be derived from the Fibonacci sequence.
The golden ratio can be seen in the Mona Lisa in several ways. For example, if a rectangle bounds the face and this rectangle is divided by drawing a line across her eyes, it creates another golden rectangle.
The result is that the ratio of the length of Mona Lisa’s head to her eyes is also that of the golden ratio.
Another example is that if a triangle is drawn from her chin to her eyes and to the top of her head, it forms a golden triangle, which has angles of 36°, 72°, and 72°.
The golden triangle can also be found in other parts of the painting, such as the shape of her nose and mouth.
Da Vinci was fascinated by the golden ratio and its connection to nature, art, and geometry. He illustrated a book called "The Divine Proportion" by Luca Pacioli, a mathematician and friend of Da Vinci.
The book explores the mathematical and artistic properties of the golden ratio and its applications in various fields. Da Vinci also used the golden ratio in some of his other works, such as The Last Supper and The Vitruvian Man.
The use of the golden ratio in the Mona Lisa shows Da Vinci’s skill and knowledge as an artist and a scientist.
He was able to create a realistic and harmonious portrait that captures the beauty and mystery of the human face. The Mona Lisa is not only a masterpiece of art but also a testament to the power and elegance of mathematics.
