In mathematics there’s this ratio called the “golden ratio” and it kind of works like this.
If the lengths of the sides of a rectangle are in the golden ratio, then the rectangle is a “golden rectangle.” It’s possible to divide a golden rectangle into a square and another golden rectangle.
If you draw a curve between the diagonals of all the squares you get what’s called a logarithmic spiral in which you can see “The Eye of God”. Crazy mathematicians.
Not just for mathematicians, artists get in on the act
However, and here’s where it gets really interesting, the golden ratio isn’t just a geometrical fascination. Since the Renaissance, many artists have used these proportions in their work. They believed (and many still do) that the aesthetics of the dimensional relationships were linked to natural dimensions which we see in the world around us.
Golden ratio in nature
You can also see this “logarithmic spiral” in seashells, animal horns and the cochlea of the ear. It’s nature’s design.
From physiology to botany, there’s also a link to how plan cells replicate, a link less tenuous than the others to vitis vinfera.
Divine significance
It doesn’t stop there, divine significance was also attributed to the golden ratio and elaborated on in Luca Pacioli’s work, De Divina Proportione.
Published in 1509, in which he used illustrations from Pacioli’s close friend, Leonardo Da Vinci.
It’s speculated that Da Vinci used the golden ratio in his paintings from the Mona Lisa to the Last Supper where of course Jesus broke the bread and shared the wine.
And that’s why I used it in The Corkscrew website.
How’s that for a bit of a long-winded disclosure that I worked on the site, launched last week?
Nice. I reckon the first image would make for a great wine label with a great story behind it.
Lame. Not even a tenuous link.
Nerdy, but I like it.
Any opinions on the special offer wines? looks to be a nice mix!
I knew it! The second I looked at that site it reminded me of a cochlea.
Paul, you are a genius of Da Vinci’s ilk to spot such a thing. Now hurry up and buy something from the site so I can get paid.
Hi Will,
I have to maintain a secular state over here on sourgrapes.ie so no comment on the offers.
Lar
Oh, and Moira, just spotted this on Flickr regarding none other than the golden ratio and Twitter’s new design. Proves I’m not such a nut job (or that’s there are two nut jobs out there with similar tenuous design stories).
I saw it before somewhere….
symmetricalist.com
perhaps…
Or maybe it’s just Dan Brown’s latest book being released in a subliminal guerilla marketing campaign.