View source for Jay Hambidge

{{Short description|American painter}}
[[Image:At the Tomb of Omar Khayyam - by Jay Hambidge.jpg|thumb|''At the Tomb of [[Omar Khayyam]]'', by Jay Hambidge]]

'''Jay Hambidge''' (1867–1924) was an American artist who formulated the theory of "dynamic symmetry", a system defining compositional rules, which was adopted by several notable American and Canadian artists in the early 20th century.

==Early life and theory==
He was a pupil at the [[Art Students League of New York|Art Students' League]] in [[New York City|New York]] and of [[William Merritt Chase]], and a thorough student of classical art. He conceived the idea that the study of [[arithmetic]] with the aid of [[geometry|geometrical]] designs was the foundation of the proportion and symmetry in Greek architecture, sculpture and ceramics.<ref name="Blake_1921">{{cite journal |last1=Blake |first1=Edwin M. |title=Dynamic Symmetry-A Criticism |journal=The Art Bulletin |date=March 1921 |volume=3 |issue=3 |pages=107–127 |doi=10.2307/3046381|jstor=3046381 }}</ref> Careful examination and measurements of classical buildings in [[Greece]], among them the [[Parthenon]], the [[Bassae|temple of Apollo at Bassæ]], of [[Statue of Zeus at Olympia|Zeus]] at [[Olympia, Greece|Olympia]] and [[Athena|Athenæ]] at [[Aegina|Ægina]], prompted him to formulate the theory of "dynamic symmetry" as demonstrated in his works ''Dynamic Symmetry: The Greek Vase'' (1920)<ref>[https://archive.org/details/dynamicsymmetry00hambgoog ''Dynamic Symmetry: The Greek Vase'']</ref> and ''The Elements of Dynamic Symmetry'' (1926).<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=VYJK2F-dh2oC ''The Elements of Dynamic Symmetry'']</ref> It created a great deal of discussion.<ref name="Blake_1921"/> He found a disciple in Dr. Lacey D. Caskey, the author of ''Geometry of Greek Vases'' (1922).<ref name="Bellows_1979_3">Bellows, George (1979). ''George Wesley Bellows: Paintings, Drawings, and Prints''. Columbus, Ohio: Columbus Museum of Art. p. 3. {{OCLC|228660551}}.</ref>

In 1921, articles critical of Hambidge's theories were published by Edwin M. Blake in ''[[Art Bulletin]]'', and by [[Rhys Carpenter]] in ''[[American Journal of Archaeology]]''. Art historian Michael Quick says Blake and Carpenter "used different methods to expose the basic fallacy of Hambidge's use of his system on Greek art—that in its more complicated constructions, the system could describe any shape at all."<ref>Bellows, George, and Michael Quick (1992). ''The Paintings of George Bellows''. Fort Worth, Tex: Amon Carter Museum. p. 94 n. 55. {{ISBN|0883600684}}.</ref> In 1979 Lee Malone said Hambidge's theories were discredited, but that they had appealed to many American artists in the early 20th century because "he was teaching precisely the things that certain artists wanted to hear, especially those who had blazed so brief a trail in observing the American scene and now found themselves displaced by the force of contemporary European trends."<ref name="Bellows_1979_3"/>

He was married to the American weaver [[Mary Crovatt Hambidge|Mary Crovatt]].<ref name="The New York Times">{{cite web |title=Mary Hambidge, Weaver, Dies; Led Mountain Crafts Foundation |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1973/09/16/archives/mary-hambidge-weaver-dies-led-mountain-crafts-foundation.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=17 January 2024 |date=16 September 1973}}</ref>
===Dynamic symmetry===
Dynamic [[symmetry]] is a proportioning system and natural design methodology described in Hambidge's books. The system uses ''[[dynamic rectangle]]s'', including ''root rectangles'' based on ratios such as {{radic|2}}, {{radic|3}}, {{radic|5}}, the [[golden ratio]] (φ = 1.618...), its square root ({{radic|φ}} = 1.272...), and its square (φ<sup>2</sup> = 2.618....), and the
[[silver ratio]] (<math>\delta_s=2.414...</math>).<ref name=hambidge>
{{cite book
|first=Jay
|last=Hambidge
|title=Dynamic Symmetry: The Greek Vase
|edition= Reprint of original Yale University Press 
|publisher=Kessinger Publishing
|location=Whitefish, MT
|year=2003
|orig-year=1920
|pages=19–29
|isbn=0-7661-7679-7
|url=https://archive.org/details/cu31924019526882
}}</ref><ref name=ghyka>
{{cite book
|author = Matila Ghyka
|year = 1977
|title = The Geometry of Art and Life
|url = https://archive.org/details/geometryofartlif00mati
|url-access = registration
|publisher=Courier Dover Publications
|pages =[https://archive.org/details/geometryofartlif00mati/page/126 126–127]
|isbn = 9780486235424
}}</ref>

From the study of [[phyllotaxis]] and the related [[Fibonacci sequence]] (1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, ...), Hambidge says that "a much closer representation would be obtained by a substitute series such as 118, 191, 309, 500, 809, 1309, 2118, 3427, 5545, 8972, 14517, etc. One term of this series divided into the other equals 1.6180, which is the ratio needed to explain the plant design system."<ref>Hambidge (1920) p. 159; note that his cited ratio 1.6180 is exact only for the pair 500, 809.</ref> This substitute sequence is a [[Generalizations of Fibonacci numbers|generalization of the Fibonacci sequence]] that chooses 118 and 191 as the beginning numbers to generate the rest. In fact, the standard Fibonacci sequence provides the best possible rational approximations to the golden ratio for numbers of a given size.{{clarify|date=August 2014|reason=2/1, for example, provides a worse approximation of the golden ratio than does 191/118.}}

A number of notable American and Canadian artists have used dynamic symmetry in their painting, including [[George Bellows]] (1882–1925),<ref>Bellows, George (1979). ''George Wesley Bellows: Paintings, Drawings, and Prints''. Columbus, Ohio: Columbus Museum of Art. pp. 3–4. {{OCLC|228660551}}.</ref> [[Maxfield Parrish]] (1870–1966),<ref>Ludwig, Coy L., Diane Casella Hines, Robert Fillie, James Craig (1973). ''Maxfield Parrish''. New York, NY: Watson-Guptill Publications. p. 142. {{ISBN|0823038971}}.</ref> The ''New Yorker'' cartoonist [[Helen Hokinson]] (1893–1949), Al Nestler (1900–1971),<ref>Nestler, Al (1966). ''Moods in Oils and Felt Pens''. [Tustin, Calif.]: [Foster art Service]. {{ASIN|B000BJTB32}}</ref><ref>Nestler, Al (1970). ''Color and Composition''. Tustin, CA.: Walter T. Foster. {{ASIN|B000BJOB8W}}</ref> [[Kathleen Munn]] (1887–1974),<ref>[http://www.aci-iac.ca/kathleen-munn/significance-and-critical-issues eBook by Georgiana Uhlyarik] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304122223/http://www.aci-iac.ca/kathleen-munn/significance-and-critical-issues |date=2016-03-04 }}, Canada Art Institute</ref> the children's book illustrator and author [[Robert McCloskey]] (1914–2003),<ref>McCloskey, Jane (2016). ''McCloskey: Art and Illustrations of Robert McCloskey'', Downeast Books.</ref> and Clay Wagstaff (b. 1964).<ref>''New American Paintings'' No. 48, p. 153. The Open Studios Press, Boston, 2003.</ref> [[Elizabeth Whiteley]] has used dynamic symmetry for works on paper.<ref>Whiteley, E. "A Process for Generating 2D paintings and Drawings from Geometric Diagrams." ''Journal of Mathematics and the Arts''. v.2 no.1 March 2008. 20-38 pp.</ref>

== Applications ==

=== Photography ===
[[File:Root rectangles Hambidge 1920.png|thumb|437x437px|Root Rectangles to Generate diagonals for Dynamic Symmetry]]
The application and psychology of Dynamic Symmetry in such a fast and modern medium such as photography, in particular [[Digital photography|Digital Photography]], is challenging but not impossible. The [[Rule of thirds|Rule of Thirds]] has been the composition of choice for a majority of new and experienced photographers alike.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://phlearn.com/magazine/rule-of-thirds-how-to-use-it-in-your-photography/|title=Rule of Thirds in Photography [4 Tips for Mastery]|website=PHLEARN|date=11 June 2019 |access-date=2020-03-07}}</ref> Although this method is effective, Dynamic Symmetry can be applied to compositions to create a level of in depth creativity and control over the image. According to Bob Holmes,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.robertholmesphotography.com/about/index|title=Robert Holmes|website=www.robertholmesphotography.com|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-07}}</ref> a photographer from National Geographic, a photographer must "be responsible for everything in the frame".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://medium.com/swlh/4-tips-from-a-national-geographic-photographer-4eafbdf4c067|title=4 Tips from a National Geographic Photographer|last=Silber|first=Marc|date=2019-11-04|website=Medium|language=en|access-date=2020-03-07}}</ref> Using diagonals to align subjects and the reciprocal diagonals associated to the size of the frame, one would be able to create a highly intricate work of [[fine art]]. For example, the portrait photographer [[Annie Leibovitz]] used this method to create an image,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://archive.vanityfair.com/article/2001/4/1/vanity-fair|title=VANITY FAIR {{!}} Vanity Fair {{!}} April 2001|website=Vanity Fair {{!}} The Complete Archive|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-07}}</ref>  among many others, for [[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair Magazine]]. The image correctly posed each of the models to intersect the subject with a corresponding diagonal to draw the viewer to the main idea of the photograph.

This powerful process was used regularly by French painter turned film photographer: [[Henri Cartier-Bresson]]. Using Dynamic Symmetry, Henri was able to create engaging and interesting photographs that he deemed were made with the idea of "The Decisive Moment",<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.artbook.com/9783869307886.html|title=Henri Cartier-Bresson The Decisive Moment ARTBOOK {{!}} D.A.P. 2015 Catalog Steidl Books Exhibition Catalogues 9783869307886}}</ref> a photographic psychology that describes "when the visual and psychological elements of people in a real life scene to spontaneously and briefly come together in perfect resonance to express the essence of that situation".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://truecenterpublishing.com/photopsy/decisive_moment.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130618194952/http://truecenterpublishing.com/photopsy/decisive_moment.htm|url-status=usurped|archive-date=June 18, 2013|title=Photographic Psychology: The Decisive Moment|website=truecenterpublishing.com|access-date=2020-03-08}}</ref>

==See also==
*''[[De Divina Proportione|On the Divine Proportion]]''
*[[Frederik Macody Lund]]
*[[Samuel Colman]]
*[[List of works designed with the golden ratio]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Gutenberg author | id=24849| name=Jay Hambidge}}
* {{Internet Archive author |sname=Jay Hambidge}}
* [https://archive.org/details/ElementsOfDynamicSymmetryHambidge Elements of Dynamic Symmetry at Archive.org]
* [https://archive.org/details/dynamicsymmetry00hamb The Greek Vase at Archive.org]
* [http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-2579 Hambidge Center for Creative Arts and Sciences] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926225352/http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-2579 |date=2007-09-26 }}
* {{NIE}}

{{Mathematical art}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hambidge, Jay}}
[[Category:Symmetry]]
[[Category:Golden ratio]]
[[Category:Numerologists]]
[[Category:Painters from New York City]]
[[Category:19th-century American painters]]
[[Category:American male painters]]
[[Category:20th-century American painters]]
[[Category:American non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:1867 births]]
[[Category:1924 deaths]]
[[Category:Canadian emigrants to the United States]]