The Composition of the Renaissance

The Renaissance, Rococo and Baroque styles all use a composition system called dynamic symmetry. Maxfield Parrish, Mulcha and a few other modern artists have also used dynamic symmetry compositions. Basically, the elements in the painting or drawing are arranged carefully to fall within circles, squares and triangles. This is what creates the subtle order to the painting and makes it very pleasing for the mind to assimilate. I have an appreciation for this order since I have also been a graphic designer by profession for years. A well-designed brochure, for example, will have the elements carefully aligned in complementary fashions. The more advanced designers will not only arrange their compositions in rectangles, but will take on the more dramatic circles and triangles in their pieces. It is these arrangements that also make this type of painting successful or not. Below are two pieces, the first is a copy of a Vouet painting, the second is one of my compositions, each with the dynamic symmetry marked for easier viewing. Click to see larger image: