Celestial Tapestry

The basic theme running through this kaleidoscopic illustrated book is the idea of a deep hidden reality or concealed order that artists, mathematicians, scientists and mystics seek to unfold and represent in their own way. In a series of short sections and chapters, the author explores a huge variety of phenomena and patterns such as labyrinths, Platonic solids, cosmic architecture, knots, perspective, astronomy and representations of time, drawing richly on mainly European culture, though with excursions into China and India. The book comes across as a kind of tapestry collection, with one item leading onto the next in a successive association of ideas and threads woven together – it is quite some journey through the author's mind and reading, bringing out some intriguing connections and little-known items as well as recontextualising many great creative discoveries.