Omne Trium Perfectum

Three. Two. One…

…is said to be a lonely number, two is a pair, and three to five is a few. A half dozen is six, a dozen twelve, and everything in between is several. Thirteen is a baker’s dozen, twenty is a score, and more than that is numerous. These are some methods of describing the universal language in the English language. Numbers, although a global constant, are perceived in numerous (ha) lights. By analyzing linguistic structures, one can see the odd variety in numbering systems in different languages and cultures. In French, for instance, the difference between 16 and 10+7 contrasts the English system of 12 and 10+3. There are many of these oddities that differentiate the philosophies behind numbering systems. But there is a universal perception of numbers in art. For art, three is a special number.

When looking at a two-dimensional illustration–a painting or photograph–you will notice that most of them follow the Rule of Thirds: a principle of balance and composition for objects in space. This guideline suggests that elements in a visual design should be placed along equally-spaced horizontal and vertical lines on a canvas, which is therefore divided into three horizontal and three vertical grids. For some scientific reason, we are aesthetically-drawn to images following this rule.

Also in art, it is typically good practice to use an odd number of focal points. While certain principles of continuity enable groups of four or six to be aesthetically pleasing, most often an odd number of objects–such as three–serve for good balance in composition. It is said that our eyes are often drawn to the center of an image, so by placing an object in the center with secondary objects on either side, we establish not only symmetry, but some odd (as in ‘not even’) form of balance. Three makes this simple.

Humans like three. Not only in visual art, but in the written word as well. This is especially evident in fairy tales, such as “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” the “Three Little Pigs,” and the “Three Blind Mice.” In Latin, this principle is phrased “omne trium perfectum,” which translates to “all things in a set of three are complete.” When three pieces are presented together, a perfect balance is found. The Rule of Three leaves a good taste in the mind; a sense of completeness and satisfaction. It is said that we often remember things in groups of three. In Christian and Catholic faith, there is the Trinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Caesar, in saying “veni, vidi, vici” establishes his narrative in a triad–I came, I saw, I conquered. In much of literature, such as Three Musketeers and the Three Spirits of Christmas in Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, three appears again and over again. So what?

Numbers are universal, but their embodiment in language and culture are relative. But three manifests itself in the universal language of art. There’s something special about it. Although odd, it brings us balance, clarity, and satisfaction.