Exceptional Eye Tricks

Book excerpt: Whether they're drawn from nature or art, optical illusions can amaze, amuse, confuse, and fool the viewer. They remind us that we do not see the world as it is, but only filtered through our own perceptions. This stunning collection captures the full breadth of the form, from composite images and trompe l'oeil to tricks of perspective and the absolutely impossible. There are ambiguous illusions with multiple meanings, depending on how you look, such as "Dance with Me": Can you see the ominous face gazing at a happy couple dancing among the trees? If you want to glimpse the magic in a topsy-turvy illusion, just rotate the page to reveal some hidden imagery. Viewed one way, "The Mysterious Island," painted by Hungarian artist István Orosz, shows a small ship sailing through an opening in some rocks. But turn it upside down and instead there's a portrait of the great author Jules Verne! And of course, there are illusions where things seem to be the same size when they're really not and others that seem to be in motion when, of course, they're completely still. From a twice-as-beautiful-as-one double rainbow to a fully intact wall that appears to have crumbled, these mysterious illusions will fascinate and enchant anyone who loves art, science, and magic. From the Trade Paperback edition.