What is asymmetry and symmetry in art?

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Both in art and in nature there are such concepts as symmetry and asymmetry. We see them every day in the world around us. And each subject has one or both of these concepts.

What is asymmetry in art

This is the exact opposite of symmetry. In art, it helps to express the dynamism of the action, to show the naturalness and ease of movement, to diversify the composition.

In an asymmetric composition, the symmetry is either slightly broken or completely absent. Items can be located in one part of the canvas and carry a large load there. That's what asymmetry is. At the same time, harmony in an asymmetric composition is not violated, but on condition that the artist obeys certain rules for its construction.

We can observe asymmetry in nature. The human body, for example, is not perfectly symmetrical. The limbs may vary slightly in length or thickness, one half of the face differs from the other in the curvature of the lips, wrinkles, the location of the eyebrows, and others. The photo below clearly shows what asymmetry is. Agree, if our facial features were symmetrical, it would not look very good.attractive!

Symmetry in life

Many objects are symmetrical. It implies that certain parts are balanced about a central axis or point.

If an object is divided into equal parts and its extreme points on one side repeat the same on the opposite side, then it can be judged as symmetrical. Perfectionists pay a lot of attention to symmetry.

It is used in decorative art (in drawing ornaments, for example). Symmetry and asymmetry are often used in composition. For example, artists in the Renaissance perceived the language of symmetry as a reflection of the ideal, balanced state of an object. They sought to enforce its laws.

Application of symmetry and asymmetry in art

In the painting "The Betrothal of the Virgin Mary" by Renaissance artist Rafael Santi, the world is displayed in perfect harmony and all its splendor. Each object contains strict logic.

What is asymmetry for paintings? In Raphael's work, an impression of solemnity is created, but at the same time the characters are removed from the viewer, they are immersed in their thoughts, and at the same time their dynamics, which is characteristic of asymmetry, are well expressed. After all, only with the help of it can one express actions well.

The main action, putting the wedding ring on Mary's finger, is in the very center of the composition. Symmetrically placed onpicture of the temple in the background, in the very center. Thus, the viewer can immediately identify the main actions in the picture, correlate them and understand what the meaning is.

Some figures of the composition still break the symmetry, being located out of a certain sequence. Thus, symmetry and asymmetry in the composition help to highlight the main actions and together create a harmonious work.