Similarities and Contrasts in Artistic and Scientific Creation-Discovery

Abstract

The author summarizes 13 of his publications in Leonardo on the comparison of artistic and scientific creation-discovery. This article details how fundamental aspects of artistic creation are clarified by mechanisms initially introduced to describe scientific discovery. These aspects are linked to the equilibrium between an artist's pictorial idea and the material or technique used. The author also sheds light on art by contrasting it to science. He further addresses the muscular image or kinesthetic aspect of art, which is also shown to be essential in much scientific thinking. He then links aspects of his own paintings to his practice of science.