February 25, 2014

20th-Century Math Hidden in 15th-Century Art

Join Our Community of Science Lovers!

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American

Art and science are often thought of as disparate entities, drawing on different strengths and different ways of thinking. This is surely true, but the disciplines also share patterns of thought and essential characteristics. Take, for example, their inherently collaborative processes. No artist creates in a vacuum just as no scientists could perform the work that they do without the research that came before.

In this manner, it is illuminating to see Anita Chowdry's shamsa collection inspired by the Islamic manuscript arts, but brought into a this century with the application of modern mathematical concepts, technology, and materials. Her series of shamsas (from the Arabic word for sun) are based on elements from traditional hand-painted Islamic manuscripts from the 15th through 17th centuries in Mughal India and Savafid Iran. In these royal manuscripts the first page was traditionally adorned with an elaborate medallion, meticulously hand-painted with mineral pigments and precious metals.

While studying the techniques used to paint these intricate sunbursts, Chowdry noticed the patterns are strongly reminiscent of fractal geometry and the famous images produced by Benoit Mandelbrot's research on the topic in the late 1970s and 1980s. Upon realizing this, she embarked upon a journey to incorporate her knowledge of the ancient art of manuscript illustration with modern mathematical concepts and technology. The result is a spectacular collection of images and objects:

On supporting science journalism

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.

If you're curious about the type of original artwork that inspired Chowdry's project, here are some beautiful examples I dug up in my own explorations for this post:

-a rosette from 17th-century India at the Met

-a Persian rug from the Savafid period (that sold at auction for $1.93 million!) displaying a motif reminiscent of the Julia Set (look just above the bird in the detail image)

-a Tedx talk by Yale professor Michael Frame on fractals in math and in nature

Subscribe to Support Independent Journalism

Great science journalism requires human expertise, time, effort and creativity. And it costs money. That’s why I and the journalists here at Scientific American hope you’ll join our community.

When you subscribe, you are supporting staff and freelance journalists who are passionate about telling science stories that are true, important and compelling. Our editors and reporters are often experts in their fields, which means they understand the nuances of big discoveries and can untangle the breakthroughs from the hype. With a subscription, you are also supporting rigorous fact-checking to ensure the words we publish are precise and accurate. And you’re supporting original illustrations, graphics and photos that bring you closer to an advanced laboratory, an ice sheet in Antarctica or a space mission in orbit. You’re helping us craft other types of high-quality journalism as well: Our newsletters are carefully written, edited and curated by staffers you have or will come to know and love. Our Science Quickly podcast is based on original reporting, collaboration with editors and scientists and exacting production.

Subscriptions keep this engine running so we can continue to deliver thoughtful, rigorous and independent science journalism to you. In an era of viral misinformation, this work is crucial. If you value what we do, I hope you’ll consider joining us as a subscriber

Thank you,

Jeanna Bryner, Editor in Chief, Scientific American