Abstract
Within visual science the simple figures that induced spatial distortions were given the label ‘geometrical optical illusions’ in the mid-nineteenth century in order to restrict them to the relatively small but reliable distortions of visual space, mostly in the domains of size or orientation. Classifying them in this way is too restrictive as some combine both dimensions and others involve different dimensions. Spatial illusions have been grouped in many different ways, but there is no general consensus regarding which is best. Geometrical optical illusions were given this label by Johann Joseph Oppel in 1855; they involve some mismatch between what is seen and what is physically present. Sometimes they have been given labels like optical and spatial illusions, in order to distinguish between the many expressions of visual distortions. The more general term ‘optical illusions’ often refers to the phenomena seen in the natural environment, like mirages or sticks appearing to bend in water, which can be interpreted in terms of physical optics. Many novel forms of geometrical optical illusions were devised and depicted in the final decades of the nineteenth century, and they often bear the names of those who first drew and described them. In this chapter the original forms of some illusions of orientation and size will be shown together with novel variants including portraits of those after whom they are named.
Keywords
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsAuthor information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Wade, N. (2016). Geometrical Optical Illusions. In: Art and Illusionists. Vision, Illusion and Perception, vol 1. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-25229-2_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-25229-2_7
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-25227-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-25229-2
eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)