--- product_id: 1422655 title: "The Geometry of Art and Life" price: "R591" currency: ZAR in_stock: true reviews_count: 10 url: https://www.desertcart.co.za/products/1422655-the-geometry-of-art-and-life store_origin: ZA region: South Africa --- # The Geometry of Art and Life **Price:** R591 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Geometry of Art and Life - **How much does it cost?** R591 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.co.za](https://www.desertcart.co.za/products/1422655-the-geometry-of-art-and-life) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description The Geometry of Art and Life [Ghyka, Matila] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Geometry of Art and Life Review: Secrets of the Universe Revealed (not joking!) - Ghyka leads the reader through the incredible diversity of the ever-present Golden Ratio in art, architecture, and biology. The 9 chapters are arranged in a kind of progression, covering these topics: 1. Proportion, Rhythm, Architecture is “frozen music” 2. Golden Section (phi), esthetic rectangles, Fibonacci series ratios 3. Regular and Star polygons, Great Pyramid, Sublime Triangle 4. Pythagorean solids, 13 Archimedian semi-regular solids, 4-d hypersolids 5. Shapes that fill a plane or 3-d space, asymmetry and energy states 6. Logarithmic spiral growth, life’s pentagonal symmetry, human proportions 7. Gothic Master Diagram, how mason’s marks relate to phi diagrams 8. Harmonic Analysis of some examples of Sculpture, Architecture, Painting 9. Dynamic Symmetry and Cubism, Pointillism, Functionalism Overall, the text is straightforward, the math is no more complex than high school courses, and the principles are illustrated with abundant photos. The hardest task for the reader is visualizing some of the complex diagrams, but one can skim or glance at the difficult ones and still follow the text. Although a few of the asides about least action and other principles appear to be outdated, there are several eternal insights. The one that impressed me most was his thorough explanation of 5 as the key to living organisms whose cellular growth is by “intussusception” (from the inside outward) while 6 is the key to inorganic matter whose crystals grow by agglutination (additions to the outside of the structure). This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand how math links the human mind and the physical universe. Review: Accessible and Fascinating - This excellent book, written in 1946, still remains in print, and for good reason. Ghyka shows mathematically that objects in nature are not randomly formed, but all have regularity and harmony. Beginning with the concepts of ratio and proportion in the plane, the Golden Section, and then to regular polygons and geometric shapes in 3 dimensions, Ghyka demonstrates these patterns with simple algebra and geometry, and plenty of diagrams. He explains the logarithmic spiral and its role in harmonious growth in nature, with photographs and diagrams. He shows how ancient builders used the Golden Section in their architecture and in their art. This book is a wonderful weaving of philosophy, mathematics and science, covering a lot of ground, and is very well-written. It is nothing like trying to wade through H.M.S. Coxeter! This book would be a fine companion to Cook's "The Curves of Life," fleshing out the concepts presented there. This little book is a gem -- there is a tremendous amount of information packed into its 174 pages, yet it is understandable to the layperson. And it is aptly titled. It truly is about "The Geometry of Art and Life." If you are one of those observant persons who is looking for a more detailed understanding of the underlying patterns in nature, art and architecture, and you don't mind spending a little time going through some simple algebra and geometry, this is the book for you. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #1,088,094 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #603 in Philosophy Aesthetics #725 in Arts & Photography Study & Teaching #3,172 in Arts & Photography Criticism | | Customer Reviews | 4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars (99) | | Dimensions | 5.5 x 0.5 x 8.75 inches | | Edition | 2nd | | ISBN-10 | 0486235424 | | ISBN-13 | 978-0486235424 | | Item Weight | 2.31 pounds | | Language | English | | Print length | 174 pages | | Publication date | June 1, 1977 | | Publisher | Dover Publications | ## Images ![The Geometry of Art and Life - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71Nsuh9TIOL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Secrets of the Universe Revealed (not joking!) *by M***L on July 12, 2015* Ghyka leads the reader through the incredible diversity of the ever-present Golden Ratio in art, architecture, and biology. The 9 chapters are arranged in a kind of progression, covering these topics: 1. Proportion, Rhythm, Architecture is “frozen music” 2. Golden Section (phi), esthetic rectangles, Fibonacci series ratios 3. Regular and Star polygons, Great Pyramid, Sublime Triangle 4. Pythagorean solids, 13 Archimedian semi-regular solids, 4-d hypersolids 5. Shapes that fill a plane or 3-d space, asymmetry and energy states 6. Logarithmic spiral growth, life’s pentagonal symmetry, human proportions 7. Gothic Master Diagram, how mason’s marks relate to phi diagrams 8. Harmonic Analysis of some examples of Sculpture, Architecture, Painting 9. Dynamic Symmetry and Cubism, Pointillism, Functionalism Overall, the text is straightforward, the math is no more complex than high school courses, and the principles are illustrated with abundant photos. The hardest task for the reader is visualizing some of the complex diagrams, but one can skim or glance at the difficult ones and still follow the text. Although a few of the asides about least action and other principles appear to be outdated, there are several eternal insights. The one that impressed me most was his thorough explanation of 5 as the key to living organisms whose cellular growth is by “intussusception” (from the inside outward) while 6 is the key to inorganic matter whose crystals grow by agglutination (additions to the outside of the structure). This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand how math links the human mind and the physical universe. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Accessible and Fascinating *by K***N on December 28, 2001* This excellent book, written in 1946, still remains in print, and for good reason. Ghyka shows mathematically that objects in nature are not randomly formed, but all have regularity and harmony. Beginning with the concepts of ratio and proportion in the plane, the Golden Section, and then to regular polygons and geometric shapes in 3 dimensions, Ghyka demonstrates these patterns with simple algebra and geometry, and plenty of diagrams. He explains the logarithmic spiral and its role in harmonious growth in nature, with photographs and diagrams. He shows how ancient builders used the Golden Section in their architecture and in their art. This book is a wonderful weaving of philosophy, mathematics and science, covering a lot of ground, and is very well-written. It is nothing like trying to wade through H.M.S. Coxeter! This book would be a fine companion to Cook's "The Curves of Life," fleshing out the concepts presented there. This little book is a gem -- there is a tremendous amount of information packed into its 174 pages, yet it is understandable to the layperson. And it is aptly titled. It truly is about "The Geometry of Art and Life." If you are one of those observant persons who is looking for a more detailed understanding of the underlying patterns in nature, art and architecture, and you don't mind spending a little time going through some simple algebra and geometry, this is the book for you. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ For Secular Scientists and the Spiritual *by Z***9 on February 1, 2022* Amazing book if you’re looking for quick cheat math for practical application in building orgone accumulators to the. Also a great stepping stone in understanding mathematical harmonies within man mad structures. As above, so below sorts of stuff. This book covers everything from classical art, architecture, cymatics and geometric harmony within nature. I’d say the secular scientist and spiritual adventurer all could gain something useful from this book. I have yet to check the math, though. I’ll update this review if/when I do. ## Frequently Bought Together - The Geometry of Art and Life - The Divine Proportion: A Study in Mathematical Beauty (Dover Books on Mathematics) - The Golden Ratio: The Divine Beauty of Mathematics --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.co.za/products/1422655-the-geometry-of-art-and-life](https://www.desertcart.co.za/products/1422655-the-geometry-of-art-and-life) --- *Product available on Desertcart South Africa* *Store origin: ZA* *Last updated: 2026-07-07*