# The Denial of Perspective: Seriously weird photographs

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-denial-of-perspective-seriously-weird-photographs/360053>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [June 9, 2006, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-denial-of-perspective-seriously-weird-photographs/360053 "2006-06-09T13:08:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2006, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-denial-of-perspective-seriously-weird-photographs/360053/1 "2006-06-09T13:08:39Z")

</div>

[Felice Varini has an almost unholy talent](http://www.gravestmor.com/wp/archives/2006/01/10/notes-on-the-denial-of-perspective-02-felice-varini/):

> [@](#):
>
> Felice Varini paints (lines, concentric circles, triangles) on things (tunnels, castles, groovy interiors). A seemingly random smattering of elements that, viewed from a specific point in space, coalesce into a tangible planar element.

In plane English (;)), it means that Varini paints things on walls that, when viewed from the right angle, look like they compose a physical structure. The photographs are very striking.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![audiobottle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@audiobottle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audiobottle)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2006, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-denial-of-perspective-seriously-weird-photographs/360053/2 "2006-06-09T13:33:42Z")

</div>

This reminds me of that sidewalk chalk artist who does similar things by drawing holes, swimming pools, people, etc all at an angle so it looks 3D. I love the last picture in that series, with the big X. That is awesome. I wonder what the margin of error is though? Is it a gradual thing as you’re walking into the right spot, or does it suddenly just pop out at you?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2006, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-denial-of-perspective-seriously-weird-photographs/360053/3 "2006-06-09T14:01:42Z")

</div>

Interesting stuff. Others fiolks have done this before. There was an entire exhibit of such _anamorphic art_ at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston about 20 years ago. It’s weird when soneone walks through the middle of one of those figures, because it destroys the illusion while you’re observing it.

Hans N=Holbein’s **The Ambassadors** is a 16th century example of a type of this art:

[http://phs.prs.k12.nj.us/~ewood/virtualmuseum/Ambassadors/Ambassadors.html](http://phs.prs.k12.nj.us/~ewood/virtualmuseum/Ambassadors/Ambassadors.html)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2006, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-denial-of-perspective-seriously-weird-photographs/360053/4 "2006-06-09T14:05:11Z")

</div>

**The Angel of the Bridge** :

[http://bridge.skyline.net/features/angel.html](http://bridge.skyline.net/features/angel.html)