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Splendid Symmetry | |
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From the earliest times, artists have made use of symmetry and pattern in creating and decorating works of art and architecture. Symmetry involves specific ways of repeating a shape. There are several types of symmetry—reflection, rotation, and translation. In reflection symmetry, a shape is “flipped” across an imaginary line to produce its mirror image. In rotation symmetry, a shape is turned at a constant angle and repeated. In translation symmetry, a shape is repeated by sliding it (forward, backward, sideways), without flipping or turning. In all of these transformations, the shape’s line lengths and angles stay the same. What kind of symmetry does this tile have? To answer, you need to know why the tile was made and where it belonged. Hexagonal (six-sided) tiles were used in Islamic countries to decorate mosques and palaces, both inside and out. In Islamic religious art, abstracted vines, leaves, and flowers became common motifs. Many artists depicted flowers and plants native to their own region. Often whole walls were covered with identical tiles that formed a continuous pattern. Repeating a single tile design over and over in all directions is an example of translation symmetry. (This particular tile also has reflection symmetry, since you can divide it into mirror-image halves.) In designing decoration of all kinds, Islamic artists used symmetry for cultural reasons. The repetition of identical motifs symbolized unity in multiplicity, an important idea in Islam. The colors and plants chosen for this tile reflect the surroundings, interests, and artistic taste of the people living when and where the tile was made. |
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March 2010
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