The famous Sacred Geometrical form, the Golden Section, or Golden Mean, was first written about by Luca Paciolo (1445-1517) in his divina proportione (“On Divine Proportion”). “Basically it says that if any line AB is divided at point M so that the ratio of the two parts, the smaller to the larger (AM to MB), is the same as the ratio of the larger part (MB to the whole AB)”... we have a Golden Mean proportion. (96)
Paciolo’s writings influenced Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), who used the Golden Mean in his famous painting of “The Last Supper”. Albrecht Durer, George Seurat and Mondrian also incorporated it into their artworks. The ancient Greek temple, the Parthenon, is based on the Golden Mean. In modern times, LeCorbusier used it in shaping windows and other proportions. Although not LeCorbusier’s design, the United Nations Building in New York City is also based on this famous ratio. (96)
Even poetry__ Virgil’s poem, “Aeneid”, and other Roman poets of the time__ can be viewed as structured on Fibonacci numbers which have also frequently been used to arrange musical compositions. Violin maker, Stradivari knew about the Golden Section and ...“used it to place the f-holes in his famous violins.” Mozart’s sonatas have been found to incorporate the Golden Mean. Other articles by Derek Haylock state that Beethoven’s "Fifth Symphony" is also structured along Golden Section lines. Composers Bartok, Debussy, Schubert, and Bach have used it in their music. (96)
Another important Sacred Geometry form is the Star of David, (Figure 6-C) formed from two overlapping equilateral triangles; one pointing upwards, the other downwards. It’s like the blending of both left and right brains, feminine and masculine forces, yin and yang. Architects love to include it in their plans, for it subtly influences the brains of those standing within it.
This author used it in composing many of her paintings__ long before she learned what Sacred Geometry was.
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Credits
(96) The Golden Section in Art, Architecture & Music. www.mes.surrey.ac.uk/