FYSP 106 - Symmetry at the Alhambra: Geometry and Art in Islamic Spain

FC NSMA CD QFR WINT

4 credits
What does it mean for a work of art to be symmetric? How does one study symmetry in art? Can artistic symmetries be classified? One of the primary characteristics of the art of Al-Andalus, or Islamic Spain, is the presence of beautifully intricate geometric patterns. We will study these designs and develop the terminology needed to characterize them. This will take us on a fascinating voyage that will include discussions of topics as diverse as the 711 Muslim conquest of the Iberian Peninsula, the author of the short story Rip Van Winkle, and the 20^th century Dutch graphic artist M.C. Escher. No mathematical background is expected (or needed) for this seminar. A willingness to flex your geometric reasoning muscles is more than sufficient!