Painting - <I>Squares of 2, 4, 16 from Square Root of x</I>
date: label: date made
content: 1972
name: label: painter
content: Johnson, Crockett
notes: label: Description
content: In this painting, Crockett Johnson supposed that one was given two lengths, one the square root of the second. Although no numerical values were given, he sought to construct three squares, one the square root of the second and the second the square root of the third, and to give their values numerically. His solution is represented in the painting, and described in his notes as work from 1972.
label: Description
content: The three squares are visible, one the entire surface of the painting and the two others within it. The vertical lines point to the starting point of the painting, a line segment along the base and its square root. From here, Crockett Johnson constructed the elaborate geometrical argument illustrated by the painting. He claimed that he had constructed squares of area 2, 4, and 16. The ratios of the areas are as he describes, but the absolute numerical values depend on the units of measure.
label: Description
content: This oil painting on masonite is #88 in the series. It is unsigned. There is an inset metal strip in the wooden frame.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Mathematics
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content: Science & Mathematics
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content: Crockett Johnson
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content: Art
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Ruth Krauss in memory of Crockett Johnson
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1979.1093.57
label: catalog number
content: 1979.1093.57
label: accession number
content: 1979.1093
objectType: label: Object Name
content: painting
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: masonite (substrate material)
label: Physical Description
content: wood (frame material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (frame material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 122 cm x 120.6 cm x 3.8 cm; 48 1/16 in x 47 1/2 in x 1 1/2 in