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The Fibonacci Spiral

what is the fibonacci spiral?

First documented in 300 BC by Greek mathematician Euclid, the Fibonacci sequence is a mathematical formula that suggests that each number is equal to the sum of the two numbers that precede it.

what is the fibonacci spiral?

Multiple sources state that the formula was possibly discovered by the Italian mathematician Leonardo Fibonacci well after 1170 AD.

WHAT IS IT USED FOR?

Initially thought to be exclusive to mathematics, this became a formula with a ratio that appears in very specific elements in nature; plants, seed growth, and the human ear, and may be considered a universal formula.

THE RULE OF THIRDS

The rule of thirds speaks directly to a simplified version of the golden ratio where a similar approach to producing an aesthetically pleasing image is possible.

EXAMPLES OF THE FIBONACCI SEQUENCE IN ART

Doryphoros  (c. 450 – 440 BC)  Polykleitos

The School of Athens  (c. 1509 – 1511) Raphael

Composition with Large Red Plane, Yellow, Black, Gray and Blue (1921) Piet Mondrian

de divina proportione

Luca Pacioli wrote a book called De Divina Proportione (1509), which detailed the collaborative insights and findings of the application of the golden ratio in various disciplines.

leonardo da vinci

The positioning of the Mona Lisa’s head, neckline, garment, and arm indicate some use of the golden ratio. Although unclear, it can still be said that the breadth of her face could be very close to the golden ratio of the canvas width.