The age of the Baroque--a time when great strides were made in
science and mathematics--witnessed the construction of some of the
world's most magnificent buildings. What did the work of great
architects such as Bernini, Blondel, Guarini, and Wren have to do
with Descartes, Galileo, Kepler, Desargues, and Newton? Here,
George Hersey explores the ways in which Baroque architecture, with
its dramatic shapes and playful experimentation with classical
forms, reflects the scientific thinking of the time. He introduces
us to a concept of geometry that encompassed much more than the
science we know today, one that included geometrics (number and
shape games), as well as the art of geomancy, or magic and prophecy
using shapes and numbers.
Hersey first concentrates on specific problems in geometry and
architectural design. He then explores the affinities between
musical chords and several types of architectural form. He turns to
advances in optics, such as artificial lenses and magic lanterns,
to show how architects incorporated light, a heavenly emanation,
into their impressive domes. With ample illustrations and lucid,
witty language, Hersey shows how abstract ideas were transformed
into visual, tactile form--the epicycles of the cosmos, the sexual
mystique surrounding the cube, and the imperfections of heavenly
bodies. Some two centuries later, he finds that the geometric
principles of the Baroque resonate, often unexpectedly, in the work
of architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright and Le Corbusier. A
discussion of these surprising links to the past rounds out this
brilliant reexamination of some of the long-forgotten beliefs and
practices that helped produce some of Europe's
greatestmasterpieces.
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