Optical Effect Collection (page 4)

The nympheas; the clouds. Right part of the triptych painted in Giverny
JLJ4690604 The nympheas; the clouds. Right part of the triptych painted in Giverny. Painting by Claude Monet (1840-1926), 1914-1926. Oil on wood. Dim: 2 x 4, 25m. Paris, Musee De l Orangerie

The Death of Cleopatra, lunette, 1531-32 (fresco)
ALI79364 The Death of Cleopatra, lunette, 1531-32 (fresco) by Romanino, Girolamo (c.1485-c.1566); Castello del Buonconsiglio, Trento, Italy; Alinari

Painted cupola, 1685-86 (fresco)
5907275 Painted cupola, 1685-86 (fresco) by Bibiena, Ferdinando Galli (1657-1743) & Ricci, Sebastiano (1658-1734); Oratory of the Madonna del Serraglio, San Secondo Parmense

Father Kirchers Catoptric Machine - Machine by which a man looking at a plane mirror
XEE4407650 Father Kirchers Catoptric Machine - Machine by which a man looking at a plane mirror sees the face of a donkey, an ox

Letter Z Zootropic. Engraving in "ABC des joux pour petits boys"
DUV4208510 Letter Z Zootropic. Engraving in " ABC des joux pour petits boys". Imaging of Pont-a-Mousson, Louis Vagne, printer-publisher, late 19th century

Cinematographer: movie stuff. Deforming mirrors give the illusion of filming monsters
XEE4140593 Cinematographer: movie stuff. Deforming mirrors give the illusion of filming monsters. Anonymous illustration from 1925. Private collection

Appearance of a giant pyrosome, In "The Journal of Youth", 1887
XEE4132863 Appearance of a giant pyrosome, In " The Journal of Youth", 1887. by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Appearance of a giant pyrosome)

Baroque architecture: staircase painted in trompe l oeil (trompe-l
LSE4196200 Baroque architecture: staircase painted in trompe l oeil (trompe-l oeil) (17th century). Painting by Jean Daret (1613-1668). Hotel de Chateaurenard

The Drunkenness of Noah, detail from the Sistine Chapel ceiling, 1508-12 (fresco)
3529381 The Drunkenness of Noah, detail from the Sistine Chapel ceiling, 1508-12 (fresco) by Buonarroti, Michelangelo (1475-1564); Vatican Museums and Galleries, Vatican City; Alinari Archives

The Mirage on the Sea (Colour Litho)
2778482 The Mirage on the Sea (Colour Litho) by Beltrame, Achille (1871-1945); Private Collection; (add.info.: The mirage on the sea. A singular scene took place on the beach of Tripoli)

Triumph in the Name of Jesus (oil on canvas) (b / w photo)
ALI224430 Triumph in the Name of Jesus (oil on canvas) (b/w photo) by Gaulli, Giovanni Battista (Baciccio) (1639-1709); Galleria Spada, Rome, Lazio

Scientific shows: living spectra. Cup of the room showing the device of experience with
XEE4191336 Scientific shows: living spectra. Cup of the room showing the device of experience with comedian fighting a ghost. Engraving in " La Nature", 1883. Private collection

Detail of the vaulted ceiling of the Sala delle Asse with a geometric branch pergola design, c
ALI161928 Detail of the vaulted ceiling of the Sala delle Asse with a geometric branch pergola design, c.1498 (fresco) (b/w photo) by Vinci, Leonardo da (1452-1519); Castello Sforzesco, Milan

Christ the Judge with Symbols of the Passion, Evangelists and Prophets, 1560-65 (fresco)
5052172 Christ the Judge with Symbols of the Passion, Evangelists and Prophets, 1560-65 (fresco) by Castello, Giovanni Battista (Il Bergamasco) (1509-69); Santa Caterina, Genoa

Tabletop (scagliola)
3823023 Tabletop (scagliola) by Paulini, Pietro Antonio (18th century); Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence, Tuscany, Italy; (add.info)

Vanite et trompe l oeil - Painting by Jean Francois De Le Motte (17th century
JLJ4592897 Vanite et trompe l oeil - Painting by Jean Francois De Le Motte (17th century) - Strasbourg, Musee Des Beaux Arts by Le Motte, Jean-Francois de (17th century); Musee des Beaux-Arts

Portrait of a woman in the entrance of a door, detail. 1st century (fresco)
LRI4590698 Portrait of a woman in the entrance of a door, detail. 1st century (fresco) by Roman, (1st century AD); Area archeologica di Pompei, Naples, Campania

St. Gregory, c. 1450-52 (fresco)
3703890 St. Gregory, c.1450-52 (fresco) by Pizzolo, Niccolo (c.1420-53); (add.info.: formerly in the Ovetari Chapel of the Church of the Eremitani, Padua)

Light refraction: Atmospheric refraction gives the illusion that the sun is bigger at
XEE4140439 Light refraction: Atmospheric refraction gives the illusion that the sun is bigger at the rise or sunset than at the zenith. Anonymous illustration from 1925. Private collection

The Spectre of the Brocken in the Harz Mountains - Brocken spectrum or Brocken spectrum
XEE4153718 The Spectre of the Brocken in the Harz Mountains - Brocken spectrum or Brocken spectrum - engraving from 1877 by Unknown Artist

Portrait of Louis XIV King of France (1638-1715) Detail
JLJ4646158 Portrait of Louis XIV King of France (1638-1715) Detail. Painting by Jean Garnier (1632-1705) 17th century. Dim 1, 74 x 2, 23 m by Garnier

Fantastic architecture, Pompei, Italy (fresco)
885469 Fantastic architecture, Pompei, Italy (fresco) by Roman, (1st century BC); Casa dei Vettii, Pompei, Italy; out of copyright

Ceiling in the Autumn Room, Brignole Gallery (fresco) (b / w photo)
ALI367679 Ceiling in the Autumn Room, Brignole Gallery (fresco) (b/w photo) by Piola, Domenico the Elder (1627-1703); Palazzo Rosso, Genoa

Allegory of Winter, on the vault of the Winter Room (fresco) (b / w photo)
ALI367678 Allegory of Winter, on the vault of the Winter Room (fresco) (b/w photo) by Piola, Domenico the Elder (1627-1703); Palazzo Rosso, Genoa, Italy; Alinari

The Blessed Philip Benitius, c. 1505-6 (tempera on poplar wood)
BFM286769 The Blessed Philip Benitius, c.1505-6 (tempera on poplar wood) by Perugino, Pietro (c.1445-1523); 158x64.5 cm; Lindenau Museum, Altenburg

St. Helena, c. 1505-06 (tempera on poplar wood)
BFM286768 St. Helena, c.1505-06 (tempera on poplar wood) by Perugino, Pietro (c.1445-1523); 157.5x64.8 cm; Lindenau Museum, Altenburg

Interior of the Theatre, built 1580-85 (b / w photo)
ALI252722 Interior of the Theatre, built 1580-85 (b/w photo) by Palladio, Andrea (1508-80) & Scamozzi, Vincenzo (1552-1616); Teatro Olimpico, Vicenza

Detail of the vaulted ceiling of the Sala delle Asse with a geometric branch pergola design, c. 1498 (fresco)
ALI246097 Detail of the vaulted ceiling of the Sala delle Asse with a geometric branch pergola design, c.1498 (fresco) by Vinci, Leonardo da (1452-1519); Castello Sforzesco, Milan

La chute de Phaeton (Phaethon) (1625) - Fresco en trompe l
LSE4196113 La chute de Phaeton (Phaethon) (1625) - Fresco en trompe l oeil by Carlone - Ceiling of the hall of the old medieval castle (1320) - Cagnes sur Mer (Cagnes-sur-Mer)

Scientific shows: living spectra. Experience the spectra on the theatre stage
XEE4191351 Scientific shows: living spectra. Experience the spectra on the theatre stage. A comedian fights a ghost. Engraving in " La Nature", 1883. Private collection

Baroque architecture: staircase painted in trompe l oeil (trompe-l
LSE4196204 Baroque architecture: staircase painted in trompe l oeil (trompe-l oeil) (17th century). Painting by Jean Daret (1613-1668). Hotel de Chateaurenard

Reflection of light: optical illusion. Using an ice cream to give the illusion of a woman
XEE4140409 Reflection of light: optical illusion. Using an ice cream to give the illusion of a woman fish. Anonymous illustration from 1925. Private collection

Anamorphosis after Elevation of the cross"by Peter Paul (Pierre-Paul
JLJ4599653 Anamorphosis after Elevation of the cross" by Peter Paul (Pierre-Paul) Rubens (or Peter Paul or Petrus Paulus) (1577-1640)" Painting by Domenico Piola (1627-1703)

Frescos from the House of Fabio Rufo, 1st century
LRI4587528 Frescos from the House of Fabio Rufo, 1st century by Roman, (1st century AD); Area archeologica di Pompei, Naples, Campania

Salon des muses, detail: the music. Painting in trompe l
JLJ4680959 Salon des muses, detail: the music. Painting in trompe l oeil by Charles Lebrun (Le Brun) (1619-1690), 17th century. Chateau de Vaux Le Visomte (Vaux-Le-Vicomte)

G. A. Reid and Chas. Wagner: Philadelphia in Perspective, c. 1883 (cyanotype)
996294 G.A. Reid and Chas. Wagner: Philadelphia in Perspective, c.1883 (cyanotype) by American Photographer, (19th century); 8.8x11.6 cm; Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto

Image of the optical effect known as corona
Image of the optical atmospheric effect known as a corona around the lunar disc. It consists of one or more rings located symmetrically around the Moon

Sun pillar and sun dogs
MODEL RELEASED. Sun pillar and sun dogs. Man standing in from of a sun pillar (centre) with two sun dogs either side of it. These optical effects are most commonly seen near sunrise or sunset

Pollen corona. Pine tree branch in front of a corona (luminous disk) around the Moon. A corona is an optical atmospheric effect

Rainbow over a lake. A rainbow is seen when sunlight is refracted and reflected by raindrops in the air in front of an observer. Photographed at Surprise Lake, Atlin, British Columbia, Canada

Unusual halo around sun
An unusual halo. A halo is formed when light from the Sun is refracted by tiny hexagonal ice crystals high in the atmosphere. The most common halo is 22 arc-degrees in diameter

Total lunar eclipse of 1877
A total lunar eclipse on Feb. 27. 1877 in the Wintter Alps in Austria. The Moon moved into the Earth shadow creating a 3D-effect often observed during Lunar Eclipses, in brown, yellow, orange

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"Unveiling the Illusion: Exploring the Mesmerizing World of Optical Effects" Step into a world where reality blurs and imagination takes flight. From grand country houses to ancient frescoes, optical effects have been used throughout history to captivate and deceive the eye. In the staircase hall of Kings Weston House, Bristol, an intricately painted urn in a niche plays tricks on perception. Its skillful shading and perspective create an illusion of depth that draws you closer, as if beckoning from another dimension. At Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, the Saloon mesmerizes with its north-west view. The clever use of light and shadow gives life to Baroque architecture, making it seem almost tangible. It's a testament to Sir John Vanbrugh's mastery in creating optical illusions within his designs. Radnor House in Middlesex boasts a ground-floor baroque ceiling that defies gravity itself. With its intricate patterns and trompe-l'oeil techniques, it transports visitors into a realm where ceilings become portals to otherworldly realms. Sezincote in Gloucestershire enchants guests with its dining room adorned with trompe-l'oeil paintings. These masterpieces blur boundaries between reality and artistry, transforming plain walls into windows opening onto lush landscapes or scenes from distant lands. Moving beyond architecture, we delve into artistic masterpieces such as "The Ambassadors. " Hans Holbein's iconic painting challenges our perception through anamorphic distortion—a hidden skull only revealed when viewed from an oblique angle—an eerie reminder of mortality lurking beneath beauty. Venturing further back in time, we discover frescoes adorning Santuario della Santa Casa in Loreto. Here, prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah stand alongside celestial beings—each brushstroke breathing life into divine visions that transcend mere paint on plaster. Turning pages of illuminated manuscripts like the Book of Hours reveals opulent creations bound in red velour with metal corners.