Hidden Harmony: The Connected Worlds of Physics and Art

by Jack R. Leibowitz

Overview

Most "art and science" books focus on the science of perspective or the psychology of perception. Hidden Harmony does not. Instead, the book addresses the surprising common ground between physics and art from a novel and personal perspective. Viewing the two disciplines as creative processes, J.R. Leibowitz supplements existing and original research with illustrations to demonstrate that physics and art share guiding aesthetics and compositional demands and to show how each speaks meaningfully to the other.

Hidden Harmony is the first serious look at what art and physics, as creative processes, have in common. Without assuming a background either in art or physics, the author widens our experience and understanding of both domains by exploring how concepts such as balance and re-balance, coherence and unity, and symmetry and broken symmetry affect and are affected by artistic vision and scientific principle. He reveals shared themes and understandings in each field and adroitly illustrates the parallels between the strategies guiding the dabs of color and layers of images in a work of art and those guiding the assembly of physical evidence into models of the physical world.

Featuring examples of paintings and sculptures and complementary examples of physical concepts, this contemplative work helps us see art and physics as artists and physicists do.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780801888663
Publisher:	Johns Hopkins University Press
Publication date:	07/30/2008
Edition description:	20
Pages:	160
Product dimensions:	6.90(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

J. R. Leibowitz is an emeritus professor of physics and former chairman of the art department at the Catholic University of America. He is a fellow of the American Physical Society.

Table of Contents

Preface
1. The Mind's Eye as Interpreter
2. What Is Saved and Why
3. What Is Broken and How
4. The Balacen of Shapes
5. Some Visual Elements in Art
6. Searching for Light
7. Einstein's Relativity and the Escape from Relativism
8. Form in Impressionism and Postimpressionism
9. Cubism and the Expanding Horizon
10. The Growing Circle of Understanding
Notes
Index

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

Hidden Harmony is a very engaging, well written and beautifully illustrated book. I highly recommend it.
—Gerald Holton, author of Einstein, History and Other Passions

Gerald Holton

"Hidden Harmony is a very engaging, well written and beautifully illustrated book. I highly recommend it."

Editorial Reviews

The first thing I noticed when I picked up Hidden Harmony was its excellent production quality and aesthetics . . . The next thing that attracted me to the book was Leibowitz's impeccable taste . . . He writes extremely well, conveying his convictions in an erudite manner totally devoid of snobbery.
—Eric J. Heller, Physics Today

An original perspective on the relation between physics and art.
—Sebastian de Haro and Thomas van Lier, Found Physics

The author's comments on art are as stimulating as his exposition of physical theories is clear.
—Alan Williams, The Art Book

This is a thoroughly thought-provoking, accessible read, which not only provides some interesting views on art but gives some very nice insights into the concepts underlying physics.
—Barry Kent, Observatory Magazine

This material undoubtedly resulted in an excellent classroom experience and if one were contemplating offering such an interdisciplinary course it might be a useful resource.
—Ralph Davis, American Journal of Physics

From the Publisher

An original perspective on the relation between physics and art.

Found Physics - Sebastian de Haro and Thomas van Lier

This is a thoroughly thought-provoking, accessible read, which not only provides some interesting views on art but gives some very nice insights into the concepts underlying physics.

Observatory Magazine - Barry Kent

This material undoubtedly resulted in an excellent classroom experience and if one were contemplating offering such an interdisciplinary course it might be a useful resource.

American Journal of Physics - Ralph Davis

The first thing I noticed when I picked up Hidden Harmony was its excellent production quality and aesthetics . . . The next thing that attracted me to the book was Leibowitz's impeccable taste . . . He writes extremely well, conveying his convictions in an erudite manner totally devoid of snobbery.

Physics Today - Eric J. Heller

The author's comments on art are as stimulating as his exposition of physical theories is clear.

The Art Book - Alan Williams

An original perspective on the relation between physics and art.

— Sebastian de Haro and Thomas van Lier

Found Physics

The author's comments on art are as stimulating as his exposition of physical theories is clear.

— Alan Williams

The Art Book

This is a thoroughly thought-provoking, accessible read, which not only provides some interesting views on art but gives some very nice insights into the concepts underlying physics.

— Barry Kent

Observatory Magazine

This material undoubtedly resulted in an excellent classroom experience and if one were contemplating offering such an interdisciplinary course it might be a useful resource.

— Ralph Davis

American Journal of Physics

The first thing I noticed when I picked up Hidden Harmony was its excellent production quality and aesthetics... The next thing that attracted me to the book was Leibowitz's impeccable taste... He writes extremely well, conveying his convictions in an erudite manner totally devoid of snobbery.

— Eric J. Heller

Physics Today