visualizing influence

evolutionofart-xsmall.jpg

timothy stotz has made a stunning diagram called ‘the flowering staircase‘ to depict the chains of influence in european art from 1435 to 1935. the single image (4 MB download) links well-known painters and sculptors who were in direct contact, collaborated, and influenced each other positively or negatively. while most evolutionary diagrams (aka cladograms or tree diagrams) have a single root, mapping the evolution of ideas and culture can be impossible in two-dimensional space. in this diagram, several artists appear more than once because of their influential role in multiple artists’ work – regardless of location. it would be amazing if all cultural production were linked in this way to its influences and its offspring.

This entry was posted in 2d, art, visualization. Bookmark the permalink. Both comments and trackbacks are currently closed.

2 Trackbacks