Finding the Golden Rectangle in my life was not difficult at all. Examples abound in ordinary things, buildings, and art. For example, photos are often developed into a Golden Rectangle. In 1905, Oskar Barnack (Letz Camera of Germany) invented the 35 mm camera, a new method of taking pictures. In addition, he developed the process to reduce negatives and enlarge the photos developed from them. To that end, Barnack decided that his film (35 mm) should have the ratio of the Golden Rectangle, which is 3:2. Then in the 1920s, the noted photographer, Henri Cartier-Bresson chose to display his pictures taken directly with the 35 mm camera, without cropping them first. Since then, many photos have been routinely developed using the 3:2 ratio of the Golden Rectangle.
In Richmond, Virginia, the State Capitol Building was designed by Thomas Jefferson, who also employed the Golden Rectangle. By basing his design on a Roman Temple found in Nimes France, he wanted to inspire Americans to a new sense of empire. By using the Golden Rectangle, Jefferson wanted to create a fitting style of architecture for the new country.
Many artists from Leonardo Da Vinci to Pier Mondrian have employed the Golden Rectangle in their works. However, the one painting that has stood out in my mind is “The Sacrament of the Last Supper” (1955) by Salvador Dali. (This painting hangs in the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C.) In his art, Dali regarded himself as an alchemist exploring time and space. As a master of Divine Geometry, he employed those principles in his art, notably in “The Last Supper”.
Works Consulted:
Coppens, Philip, “Salvador Dali: painting the fourth dimension”, Philip Coppens: The Official Website, 2009, 20 October 2009, http://www.philipcoppens.com/dali.html
Mabini, Alex, “35mm Film and the Golden Rectangle”, Fotogenetic, 2007, 20 October 2009, http://fotogenetic.dearingfilm.com/golden_rectangle.html
_____, “Thomas Jefferson’s Capitol of Virginia”, The Capital Square Preservation Council (Virginia), 2009, 20 October 2009, http://www.capitolsquarevirginia.state.va.us/updated%20pages/History/capitol_square.htm
1 comment:
I just wanted to point out that I had written the article you cited regarding the 3:2 ratio and the Golden Rectangle... 3:2 is not exactly the Golden Ratio, but it has the closest proportion of any film format to the Golden Rectangle. There is a subtle but important difference in this.
Alex
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