Various works of art that use various forms of symmetry to catch the viewers attention.
Rotating disk, Nariño Plateau - Late Period, 600/1700, From the collection of: Museo del Oro, Bogotá
It is impressive to me that even in this time period the individuals who created this disc had the ability to create such accurate radial symmetry.
Console Table, Attributed to Charles Heathcote Tatham, c. 1805 - 1811, From the collection of: The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
While not %100 symmetrical, the fact that the artist was able to achieve this amount of detail while working within a symmetrical silhouette is why I chose this.
A Wooded Landscape in Three Panels, Louis Comfort Tiffany, c. 1905, From the collection of: The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
I chose this piece because it uses three panels with a symmetrical pattern as the canvas, which gives interesting rigid geometry to an otherwise natural and chaotic scene.
Ginger Jar, Jacob Bodendieck, 1677 - 1678, From the collection of: The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
I chose this piece due to the radial symmetry it demonstrates in a real 3D plane. I also picked it cause its shiny, yay shiny.
The Visitation, Theodor Rehbenitz, 1820, From the collection of: The J. Paul Getty Museum
I picked this piece for the architecture. The arches, ceiling, and floor demonstrate excellent symmetry and give interesting geometry to the scene.
Raven design used on a spoon, Charlie George Sr. Xalxidi, circa 1910, From the collection of: Royal BC Museum
Even though the symmetry in this piece is far from perfect, the fact that it is even close says something about the attention to detail that the artist put into this.
Design for an Oval Frame on Theme of Venus Victorious, Gilles-Marie Oppenord, 1690 - 1700, From the collection of: Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
Though incomplete, this symmetry on this design for an oval frame is obvious. The level of detail on the one side makes me wish I could see the completed design.
Human Skeleton, Posterior View (Relates to Table II), George Stubbs, 1724–1806, British, 1795 to 1806, From the collection of: Yale Center for British Art
though the proportions on this skeleton are not accurate, the anatomical symmetry in this piece is closer than something I might have expected from this time period.
Bowl from Astroki, Unknown, 1000 BC - 800 BC, From the collection of: Museo Arqueológico Nacional
Like with the previous sculpt, the radial symmetry in this bowl while on a 3D plane is why I chose this piece. Also like before, it too is shiny.
Ear Spool, Unknown, 1150/1450, From the collection of: Minneapolis Institute of Art
I chose these spools due to the amount of detail the artist was able to capture in such a small area while maintaining an overall symmetrical pattern.
Trees, Artist: Master of I-nen Seal, mid 17th century, From the collection of: Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art
I chose this piece because of the symmetrical pattern created by the different panels. This geometric pattern goes in direct contrast to the asymmetrical colors created by the trees in the piece.
Disco de Chalco, unknown, 1325/1521, From the collection of: Museo Nacional de Antropología, México
Like with the first disc, this also shows impressive radial symmetry, however this one is more 3D than the first.
Serpiente de cascabel, unknown, 1325/1521, From the collection of: Museo Nacional de Antropología, México
While technically not symmetrical, the radial pattern presented in this caught my attention, as it has almost a natural look to it.
Central, Choy Yuk Wai, John, 2004, From the collection of: Hong Kong Heritage Museum
This one caught my eye as it is more of a perspective piece. The perspective, however, is split down the middle, causing an almost symmetrical line between the two linear perspectives.
Manhattan Bridge, Looking Up, Berenice Abbott, 1936, From the collection of: Museum of the City of New York
This is another example of symmetry in architecture, though this perspective give it an interesting angle to view it from.
Credits: All media
This user gallery has been created by an independent third party and may not represent the views of the institutions whose collections include the featured works or of Google Arts & Culture.
Museum of the City of New York
Royal BC Museum
Museo Arqueológico Nacional
Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Minneapolis Institute of Art
The J. Paul Getty Museum
Hong Kong Heritage Museum
Museo del Oro, Bogotá
Museo Nacional de Antropología, México
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
Yale Center for British Art