Circling the Square

           

Vitruvian Man, by Leonardo da Vinci,
c. 1490, pen & ink on paper

In book three of his series, Vitruvius wrote:

“since nature has designed the human body so that its members are duly proportioned to the frame as a whole, it appears that the ancients had good reason for their rule, that in perfect buildings the different members [sections/structural elements] must be in exact symmetrical relations to the whole general scheme.[1]

Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man was based on this study, but it was also the basis for floor plans and decorative features in Ancient and Medieval architecture. The overlapping of the square and the circle in Vitruvian Man is also seen at Notre Dame Chartres (NDC), and very often called a mandala. In some instances, the mandala maybe better called circling the square. In this post, I wish to define these two terms and examine Notre Dame Chartres’ geometric features to distinguish whether the intent of Medieval design is best labelled mandala or circling the square.

Before examining NDC, I would first like to more clearly define my terminology. A mandala is the overlapping of squares and circles to symbolize the universe. The mandala is created from a religious standpoint. Its origins lay in Buddhism and Hinduism and the term was brought to the west in the 20th century to describe the western use of the overlapping shapes. Mandalas represent "cosmic truth" in the east, and in the west came to represent the intermingling of heaven and Earth and the creation of God. The square, Earth, represents limited space, whereas the circle represents the boundlessness of the heavens. This could be interpreted as expounding upon the boundlessness of God and the limitations of man. The circle and the square are also used because they are symmetrical and balanced and like God in their uncomplicated forms. Cardiff University psychologist David Fontana states that mandalas symbolic nature aid the viewer in reaching a" mystical sense of oneness with the ultimate unity from which the cosmos in all its manifold forms arises."[2] The mandala is therefore a form of religious design used for meditative purposes. Circling the square, like a mandala, is a symbol depicting the relationship between the heavens and Earth. Unlike the mandala, circling the square is created with scientific and mathematical interest. The overlapping shapes are used to measure proportions, ratios and distances like in da Vinci's Vitruvian Man. Miranda Lundy, author of Sacred Geometry, states that when the circle (the heavens) overlaps the square (Earth) and they are of equal area or perimeter that we call this circling the square, and that “if the Earth fits inside the square, then the equal perimeter circle defines the relative size of the Moon to 99.9 percent accuracy.”[3] Both terms refer to the formatting and design of the universe, yet they derive from differing intentions. I feel that although these terms do label one for science and one for religion, the two fields  were very much married in the Middle Ages, making the identification of circle/square art difficult.

“if the Earth fits inside the square, then the equal perimeter circle defines the relative size of the Moon to 99.9 percent accuracy.”

When I began my research, I was determined to pick one term over the other to describe the NDC window. Mandala seemed appropriate being that it is a religious setting, but the incredible understanding of math by Gothic architects argues for the use of circling the square and the use of modules to create a sound structure. I have come to believe that circling the square and the mandala are united at NDC. In my previous post about NDC, I discussed the numerological qualities of the NDC West Rose Window which represents both biblical and scientific ideas. The West Rose Window depicts the Second Coming of Christ, but also the twelve months of the year, the four seasons (as represented in the arms of the cross), and the Aristotelian elements. With the emphasis on religion from the interior the pattern seems more mandala-like. From the exterior where these images are unavailable to the viewer, we are dependent on circling the square to communicate the idea of heaven and earth intermingling that is seen from the inside.The window is symmetrical, and divine in the eyes of Vitruvius for simply that reason [5]. But with no imagery, the numbers and the format are more cosmological, and therefore better labeled as circling the square from the exterior view. Knowing that from the interior the viewer sees both God looking down at them and a calendar, the circling the square and mandala are really one in the same at NDC.

West Rose Window NDC, Interior

Circling the Square, NDC Exterior

Circling the square can also be applied to the NDC Labyrinth. The Labyrinth, a symbol for life’s journey, is overlooked by the West Rose Window with Christ in Judgement. With this in mind, the circling the square concept could represent the heavens around the earth and God watching the lives of creations from above.

NDC Labyrinth Circling the Square

So is circling the square synonymous with term mandala? Yes and no. Circling the square and mandalas are both the overlapping of circles and squares in the creation of a symbol of the universe. Yet mandalas are created from a religious background and circling the square from a mathematical. This mathematical means of creation focuses on proportions and symmetry, and once completed can be associated with cosmological and religious meanings. The existence of circling the square at NDC acknowledges the creators recognition of the importance of geometry in academia and rather that they were academics themselves. 

 ~Emily

1 Lundy, Miranda. "Circling the Square." Sacred Geometry. New York: Walker &, 2001. 14-15. Print. 
2 Fontana, David (2005). "Meditating with Mandalas", pg 10. Duncan Baird Publishers, London.

3 Lundy.

4 Hemenway, Priya. The Secret Code: The Mysterious Formula That Rules Art, Nature, and Science. N.p.: Evergreen, 2008. 92-96. Print.

5 "Geometry in Art & Architecture Unit 9." Geometry in Art & Architecture Unit 9. Dartmouth University, n.d. Web. 30 June 2013