Generative Art Timeline · Chapter 2: Modern Era (1850–1949)
1917
On Growth and Form Published by D’Arcy Thompson

The book by Scottish mathematical biologist D’Arcy Thompson showed how mathematical transformations could describe a variety of organic forms. Thompson thus pioneered the use of mathematics in biology which helped move forward mathematics in art. D’Arcy’s work greatly impacted computer art’s aesthetic in the second half of the century, particularly the artificial life movement.
Text by Peter Bauman. Generative Art Timeline, Le Random.
Sources
People
Movements
artificial life, Math Art, Post-Impressionism
Filed under
- Ideas
- artificial life, biology, form, mathematics, morphogenesis, nature, Post-Impressionism
- Technologies
- computer art, Math Art
- People
- D'Arcy Thompson
- Works
- On Growth and Form
- Places
- Scotland
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- 1986 · The Beauty of Fractals by Heinz-Otto Peitgen and Peter Richter
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- Mario Klingemann & A.I.C.C.A. on Alien Perspective, Peter Bauman, March 10, 2025
Le Random podcast
- Timeline Ch 2—Modern Era with Kate Vass — listen with transcript on Le Random (20 Jul 2023, 58 min). Chapter 2’s episode. Apple Podcasts · Spotify