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The obvious beauty of symmetry has long been an important consideration to artists and artisans working in the Western tradition

admin2013-11-10  63
问题     The obvious beauty of symmetry has long been an important consideration to artists and artisans working in the Western tradition. Indeed, there are few examples in Western culture of major structural works such as gates, religious altars, or kings’ thrones which do not incorporate the principle of symmetry into their design. The theory underlying this practice rests on certain assumptions about human vision. It is assumed that if the eye of the viewer is directed toward some central point in the design, this central point must be the center of visual gravity as well. In other words, the center of the design must be balanced by equal mass on the left and right. It is further assumed that, if the object is not so arranged, there will arise in the viewer a certain visual discomfort and tension of the eye muscles. This tension and discomfort will, of course, limit the potential for esthetic enjoyment and appreciation.
    According to the theories which came into vogue at the time of the Renaissance, vertical symmetry is of less significance than bilateral symmetry. In other words, making an esthetic object, small on the top and large at the bottom is not apt to create a visual tension, at least on the scale of an imbalance between right and left.
    We can see this principle at work in the average gateway arch or cathedral window. There is a wide base with two sides which extend upward. The two sides converge, forming a central design point at the top. This point functions as the center of the design and the center of visual gravity. The artist pays particular attention to the sloping vertical lines. The slope must be exact on both sides. The result of this careful attention is the perfectly formed arch with its two symmetrical shoulders and its central dominating point. It matters little to the artist that the arch design is large at the bottom and increasingly smaller at the top, since he assumes the inherent truth of all Renaissance prescriptions.
What does the author feel about the ancient artists and artisans?
选项 A、They executed their designs without thought of symmetry.
B、They paid little attention to symmetry.
C、They were aware of the supposed importance of symmetry.
D、They attempted in most cases to make the viewer uncomfortable.
答案C
解析 从文章篇首处可以做出推断：在西方传统中，对称美学很长时间都是艺术家和工匠考虑的重点。事实上，西方文化中的艺术作品的主要结构如门、宗教圣坛、王座没有不符合这一设计原则的。该句双重否定表肯定。[C]项与此句意思相同。其他选项认为他们没有或很少重视这一点，与原文内容不符。
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