Annalisa Crannell
Franklin & Marshall College

Math and Art: The Good, the Bad, and the Pretty

Abstract: Dust off those old similar triangles, and get ready to put them to new use in looking at art! We’re going to explore the mathematics behind perspective paintings—a mathematics that starts off with simple rules, and yet that leads into really lovely, really tricky mathematical puzzles. Why do artists use vanishing points? What’s the difference between 1-point and 3-point perspective? Why do your vacation pictures not look as good as the mountains you photographed? We’ll look at all of these questions, and more.

Biography: Annalisa Crannell is a Professor of Mathematics at Franklin & Marshall College and Governor of the MAA-EPADEL section. Her primary research is in topological dynamical systems (also known as “Chaos Theory”), but she also is active in developing materials for courses on Mathematics and Art. She has worked extensively with students and other teachers on writing in mathematics, and with recent doctorates on employment in mathematics. She especially enjoys talking to non-mathematicians who haven’t (yet) learned where the most beautiful aspects of the subject lie.