Simplicity

Closely related to harmony (a principle of design) this term refers to the practice of using a limited number of similar elements to secure a more uniform appearance.Quotes: "Our life is frittered away by detail . . . Simplify, simplify." Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862), American writer, transcendentalist. See transcendentalism. "To write simply is as difficult as to be good." W. Somerset Maugham (1874-1965), English author and playwrite. "In art, one does not aim for simplicity; one achieves it unintentionally as one gets closer to the real meaning of things." Constantin Brancusi (1876-1957), Romanian sculptor, in an exhibition catalogue for Wildenstein Galleries, NY, 1926. See sculpture. "Simplicity is the deciding factor in the aesthetic equation." Raymond Loewy (1896-1986), French-born American industrial designer. See aesthetics. "The urge toward simplification and order keeps us going and inspires us in the midst of chaos. Chaos is the beginning; simplicity is the end." Maurits Cornelius Escher (1898-1972), Dutch graphic artist. See chaos.Also see elegance, ikebana, interdisciplinary, and monumental.