Circles: Science, Sense and Symbol

Circles have shaped our lives in numerous ways. Coins, crockery, pictures and many of our manufactured materials use them. They are an early stage in children's drawing, representing a myriad of objects from suns to smiling faces. However the study of circles has been in the province of science - circles have been enlisted to plumb the depths of geometry or to scale the peaks of the cosmos. Artists have drawn circles but not accorded them the prominence they deserve. This book is not only about the science but also about the sight of circles - it is a celebration of the circle, that most powerful of symbols. Throughout this richly illustrated book, circles are used to express simple but powerful principles of perceptual organisation. They are also arranged to provide patterns that are both pleasing and perplexing. Readers will recognise the power and potency of their vision. The eye is the first circle.