The Circle and Sphere in Art
These 2-D and 3-D geometric figures are common in the history of art. I will discuss the obvious and offer new perspectives.
A circle represents unity, balance, alignment, and infinity.
In ancient Egypt, the goddess of the sky Nut (or Nwt) famously held the sun disc in her hand.
Formerly a Roman temple, becoming a Catholic church since 609 AD, the Pantheon displays the perfect geometry of the dome. A circular oculus provides the only natural light.
Domes in churches represent heaven, the universe, and eternity.
Early Netherlandish artist Jan van Eyck painted "The Arnolfini Portrait" (1434) which has become mysterious by the convex mirror (surrounded by ten (10) roundels on its frame) and the figures reflected.
Leonardo da Vinci's "Vitruvian Man" (1490) proposes ideal human proportions with the figure of a man with outstretched arms and legs in both a circle and square.
"Christ as Salvador Mundi" (1499-1510), the 'lost' painting by Leonardo, shows Christ holding an orb/sphere with a curved surface.
Dutch artist Hieronymus Bosch painted "The Garden of Earthly Delights" (1490-1510) where the external panel depicts the creation of the world by God, suspended in the cosmos.
Earth was identified as a planet in 1515 by Polish priest Copernicus.
The Sun is considered a star, and the Moon is a satellite of Earth.
French post-impressionist artist Henri Rousseau painted a moonlit scene in "The Sleeping Gypsy" (1897).
American modernist artist Arthur Dove painted "Silver Sun" (1929) with shimmering concentric circles. It can be seen at the Art Institute of Chicago.
Swedish abstract artist Hilma af Klint painted "The Swan, no. 17" (1915). The image is clearly a circle; however, it may possess a hidden mystical meaning.
Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky painted "Squares with Concentric Circles" (1913). He considered circles to symbolize progression and renewal. He was said to be able to "hear colors" and "see sounds".
Japanese artist Endo Toshikatsu created "Void-Blackening" (2015), a wooden sphere rubbed with tar and set aflame.
Japanese artist Nobuo Sekine's installation, "Phase-Mother Earth" (1968) consisted of a cylinder, earth, and cement. This work began the art movement Mono-ha (Japanese for "school of things").
American sculptor Richard Serra created the site-specific installation "Forged Rounds". I saw these colossal circular steel structures at Gagosian Gallery, NYC in 2019.
A circle represents unity, balance, alignment, and infinity.
In ancient Egypt, the goddess of the sky Nut (or Nwt) famously held the sun disc in her hand.
Formerly a Roman temple, becoming a Catholic church since 609 AD, the Pantheon displays the perfect geometry of the dome. A circular oculus provides the only natural light.
Domes in churches represent heaven, the universe, and eternity.
Early Netherlandish artist Jan van Eyck painted "The Arnolfini Portrait" (1434) which has become mysterious by the convex mirror (surrounded by ten (10) roundels on its frame) and the figures reflected.
Leonardo da Vinci's "Vitruvian Man" (1490) proposes ideal human proportions with the figure of a man with outstretched arms and legs in both a circle and square.
"Christ as Salvador Mundi" (1499-1510), the 'lost' painting by Leonardo, shows Christ holding an orb/sphere with a curved surface.
Dutch artist Hieronymus Bosch painted "The Garden of Earthly Delights" (1490-1510) where the external panel depicts the creation of the world by God, suspended in the cosmos.
Earth was identified as a planet in 1515 by Polish priest Copernicus.
The Sun is considered a star, and the Moon is a satellite of Earth.
French post-impressionist artist Henri Rousseau painted a moonlit scene in "The Sleeping Gypsy" (1897).
American modernist artist Arthur Dove painted "Silver Sun" (1929) with shimmering concentric circles. It can be seen at the Art Institute of Chicago.
Swedish abstract artist Hilma af Klint painted "The Swan, no. 17" (1915). The image is clearly a circle; however, it may possess a hidden mystical meaning.
Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky painted "Squares with Concentric Circles" (1913). He considered circles to symbolize progression and renewal. He was said to be able to "hear colors" and "see sounds".
Japanese artist Endo Toshikatsu created "Void-Blackening" (2015), a wooden sphere rubbed with tar and set aflame.
Japanese artist Nobuo Sekine's installation, "Phase-Mother Earth" (1968) consisted of a cylinder, earth, and cement. This work began the art movement Mono-ha (Japanese for "school of things").
American sculptor Richard Serra created the site-specific installation "Forged Rounds". I saw these colossal circular steel structures at Gagosian Gallery, NYC in 2019.
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