Fibonacci Sequence and Art: The Measure of Utilization During Art Movements in European History

Abstract

The goal of this study was to examine paintings from three different art movements--the Renaissance, Baroque, and Romantic eras--and determine if there were differences in the observed usage of the Fibonacci sequence during each period. By doing this, I hoped to further the understanding of the techniques and characteristics of paintings made during these art movements. Prior research shows that the Fibonacci sequence has been noticed in some major Renaissance pieces, such as the Mona Lisa and the Vitruvian Man; however, there is no apparent research done specifically on how this mathematical principle has appeared in other art movements, nor are there any existing comparisons made between art movements in regard to utilization of this sequence. Data was collected through content analysis based on random samples of paintings that I formulated. For each art movement, through content analysis, it was then determined whether or not each painting incorporated the Fibonacci sequence. The results had shown that the Renaissance era had utilized the sequence in 60% of its paintings, the Baroque in 40%, and the Romantic in 30%. Therefore, it can be concluded that the Fibonacci sequence had differed in how often it had been incorporated when comparing the Baroque and Romantic eras to the Renaissance; however, this is limited due to various factors during the analyzation process. Further research should try to examine various other art movements, and if modern era art is more prone to utilize the Fibonacci sequence as knowledge of this mathematical concept is more universally known.