Absolutely! But they were also responsible for some of the most spectacular pieces of art ever created. However, by proclaiming that an 'oblong' of certain proportions is better, in any way, than an 'square' you are creating an artificial situation - some kind of an 'ideal' that is restrictive and simply not supported by what we see about us. Where is the golden ratio 'seen' in nature by the way? Please explain. Some examples would help.
But please don't find 'numbers' in nature from snail shells, or sea creatures, patterns on leaves, or in the arrangement of flower parts, or any other 'golden' patterns in biology, or 'magical' numbers in mathematical series and then convert them into 'magical' ratios for rectangles. That's artificial. You might just as well convert them to ellipses, spirals or other much more complicated, even folded, surfaces or shapes. The 'golden' proportions are simply one idea about what is pleasing to the eye. Squares can be too. Making rules about them is silly. Great art throughout history has been about breaking those rigid, stultifying, rules. Just look at some of the greatest pictures. You can't make rules about art. I'm sure Picasso wouldn't have made his timeless contribution to art if he'd followed the 'rules.' What about Van Gogh's unconventional use of colour? I've just removed a paragraph here that would have set the cat among the pigeons. Don Dr E D F Williams http://personal.inet.fi/cool/don.williams Author's Web Site and Photo Gallery Updated: March 30, 2002 ----- Original Message ----- From: "frank theriault" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, December 27, 2002 11:55 PM Subject: Re: 6x6 - Waste of Space? (WAS: Re: Medium Format-Which one is best?) > The Ancient Greeks also thought that there were only four elements, only allowed > men to vote and called it democracy, had no problem making captured enemy > warriors into slaves, believed there were dozens (if not hundreds) of gods, and > thought you could tell the future by looking at the guts of dead chickens or > steam coming out of holes in the ground (such as at the Oracle of Delphi). > > Telling me that the Greeks liked rectangles doesn't impress me too much <vbg>. > > regards, > frank > > Bob Blakely wrote: > > > "Golden ratio". Said by the ancient Greeks to be the most naturally pleasing > > four sided shape. The "golden ratio" is found everywhere in nature. > > > > -- > "The optimist thinks this is the best of all possible worlds. The pessimist > fears it is true." -J. Robert > Oppenheimer > >
