The science of beauty, as developed in nature and applied in artHay, D. R. (David Ramsay)
Philosophy
The science of beauty, as developed in nature and applied in art
Hay, D. R. (David Ramsay)
Aesthetics; Nature (Aesthetics); Proportion (Art)
The outline of the front of the arm commences at the point (33), by a
gentle concavity at the arm-pit, and then swells out in a convex curve
over the biceps, reaching (34), where it becomes concave, and passing
through (35), again becomes convex in passing over the long supinator,
and, becoming gently concave as it passes the radial extensors, rises
slightly at (36), and ends at (37), where the outline of the wrist
commences. The outline of the back of the arm commences with a concave
curve at (38), which becomes convex as it passes from the deltoid to the
long extensor and ends at the elbow (39), from below which the outline
follows the convex curve of the extensor ulnaris, reaching the wrist at
the point (40).
It will be seen that the various undulations of the outline are regulated
by points which are determined generally by the intersections and
sometimes by directions and extensions of the lines of the diagram, in
the same manner in which I shewed proportion to be imparted, in a late
work, to the osseous structure. The mode in which the curves of (¹⁄₂),
(¹⁄₃), (¹⁄₄), (¹⁄₅), and (¹⁄₆) are thus so harmoniously blended in the
outline of the female figure, only remains to be explained.
The curves which compose the outline of the female form are therefore
simply those of (¹⁄₂), (¹⁄₃), (¹⁄₄), (¹⁄₅), and (¹⁄₆).
Manner in which these curves are disposed in the lateral outline (figure
1, Plate XIX.):—
Points. Curves.
Head from 1 to 2 (¹⁄₂)
Face ” 2 ” 3 (¹⁄₃)
Neck ” 3 ” 4 (¹⁄₅)
Shoulder ” 4 ” 6 (¹⁄₆)
” ” 6 ” 8 (¹⁄₄)
Trunk ” 9 ” 15 (¹⁄₄)
” ” 21 ” 24 (¹⁄₂)
Outer surface of thigh and leg ” 15 ” 20 (¹⁄₆)
Inner surface of thigh and leg ” 25 ” 30 (¹⁄₆)
Outer surface of the arm ” 8 ” 33 (¹⁄₆)
Inner surface of the arm ” 9 ” 36 (¹⁄₆)
Manner in which they are disposed in the outline (figure 2, Plate XIX.):—
Points. Curves.
Front of neck from 1 to 2 (¹⁄₆)
” trunk ” 2 ” 10 (¹⁄₄)
Back of neck ” 16 ” 18 (¹⁄₆)
” trunk ” 18 ” 23 (¹⁄₄)
” ” ” 23 ” 25 (¹⁄₃)
Front of thigh and leg ” 11 ” 13 (¹⁄₄)
” ” ” ” 13 ” 15 (¹⁄₆)
Back of thigh and leg ” 25 ” 32 (¹⁄₆)
Front of the arm ” 33 ” 37 (¹⁄₆)
Back of the arm ” 38 ” 40 (¹⁄₆)
Foot ” 0 ” 0 (¹⁄₆)
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