Virginia Center for Plastic Surgery | Dr. Desman
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Wednesday, April 23, 2008
The Classical Nose
The Greeks were mathematicians, and much of their art reflects this. From their cities to their temples to their sculpture, everything was assigned an ideal mathematical ratio. Sometimes, these ratios were completely arbitrary, but in other cases, they seem to have some real significance, like the precisely-expressed ratios of harmonies in music.
In their sculpture, the Greeks worked for centuries to find the ideal form of every part of the human body, and their discoveries have shaped our ideals of beauty ever since, although some are more subject to taste than others.
One area where the Greek ideal still holds significant sway is in the nose. To the Greeks, the ideal nose had a geometric perfection. The bridge was straight, and its ratios were precise. If you drew a vertical line drawn through the crease on the side of the nostrils and a horizontal from that line to the tip of the nose, you would define a pair of triangles. The larger, vertical triangle should have a 3-4-5 proportion, while the smaller triangle, defining the lower portion of the nose, should be closer to a 1:1:√2 proportion. Although when you look at Greek sculpture, the noses are of course rounded, not triangular, many of them incorporate these mathematical proportions.
In fact, modern nose surgery (rhinoplasty) derives much of its success from utilizing the precise proportionality established by classical sculpture, adjusted, of course, for the unique structure of your face, including the proportions of your forehead and chin, as well as your ethnicity to create a nose that is at once mathematically precise and personally pleasing.
To learn more about the science of rhinoplasty, please contact the Virginia Center for Plastic Surgery to set up a consultation.
In their sculpture, the Greeks worked for centuries to find the ideal form of every part of the human body, and their discoveries have shaped our ideals of beauty ever since, although some are more subject to taste than others.
One area where the Greek ideal still holds significant sway is in the nose. To the Greeks, the ideal nose had a geometric perfection. The bridge was straight, and its ratios were precise. If you drew a vertical line drawn through the crease on the side of the nostrils and a horizontal from that line to the tip of the nose, you would define a pair of triangles. The larger, vertical triangle should have a 3-4-5 proportion, while the smaller triangle, defining the lower portion of the nose, should be closer to a 1:1:√2 proportion. Although when you look at Greek sculpture, the noses are of course rounded, not triangular, many of them incorporate these mathematical proportions.
In fact, modern nose surgery (rhinoplasty) derives much of its success from utilizing the precise proportionality established by classical sculpture, adjusted, of course, for the unique structure of your face, including the proportions of your forehead and chin, as well as your ethnicity to create a nose that is at once mathematically precise and personally pleasing.
To learn more about the science of rhinoplasty, please contact the Virginia Center for Plastic Surgery to set up a consultation.
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Our goal is to provide you with the highest quality cosmetic surgery care in the Northern Virginia and Washington DC region. Dr. Desman is committed to serving you through advanced training, dedication to perfection and unmatched personal care.
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