This document discusses the development of linear perspective in the early 15th century in Florence, Italy. It was developed by Filippo Brunelleschi and Leon Battista Alberti. Brunelleschi demonstrated the principles of linear perspective through a "peep show" experiment using a painted panel and mirror. He showed how perspective could be used to create an accurate representation of three-dimensional space on a two-dimensional surface. Alberti later formulated specific rules for artists to follow to achieve linear perspective. The document provides examples of one-point and two-point perspective and gives homework assignments for students to practice these techniques.

1. Brunelleschi, Alberti &
Perspective
Professor Will Adams
Valencia College
Fall 2011

2. THE INVENTION OF LINEAR PERSPECTIVE

3. WHAT IS LINEAR PERSPECTIVE?
 A system for
representing three-
dimensional space on
a two-dimensional flat
surface
 Developed in
Florence, Italy in the
early 15th century by
Filippo Brunelleschi
and Leon Batista
Alberti

4. DEVELOPMENT OF LINEAR PERSPECTIVE
 Filippo Brunelleschi
(1377-1446) was the
sculptor and architect
who demonstrated the
principles of perspective
through mathematics
 In 1415, Brunelleschi
painted his picture of the
Baptistery on the surface
of a small mirror, right on
top of its own reflection.
The Baptistery in Florence

5. BRUNELLESCHI’S “PEEP SHOW”
 To demonstrate the fact that his
painting was indeed an exact
replica that could fool the
eye, Brunelleschi drilled a small
hole in the mirror and then stood
directly in front of the
Baptistery, looking through the
peephole to see the real building.
 He then held up a second, clean
mirror in front of his painted
panel. The second mirror
blocked the view of the real
building, but now reflected his
painted version on the original
mirror.

6. BRUNELLESCHI’S “PEEP SHOW”
 By holding up the panel
and pressing the hole to
one eye while holding a
mirror with the other
hand, the viewer could
see the painting’s
reflection.
 A viewer standing in the
cathedral doorway could
check the painted illusion
against the real view.

7. LEON BATTISTA ALBERTI (1404-72)
 Architect and writer who
was the first to formulate
rules that artists could
follow
 Imagined the picture
surface as an “open
window” through which a
painted world is seen
 Showed how a perspective
“checkerboard pavement”
is created within the
picture space - in which
the receding parallel lines
represent the visual rays
connecting the spectator’s
eye to a spot in the
distance

8. LEON BATISTA ALBERTI
• Based his system on the height of the human figure, being 3 braccia tall
• Drew a rectangular picture area, imagined as an open window
• Divided the ground line into scaled braccia
• Fixed the central vanishing point by drawing a vertical line three braccia high
from the center of the ground line
• Drew diagonals – orthogonals - joining the ground line to the vanishing point

9. APPLICATION OF LINEAR PERSPECTIVE
 Brunelleschi devised the method
of perspective for architectural
purposes.
 He is said to have made a ground
plan for the Church of Santo
Spirito on the basis of which he
produced a perspective drawing
to show his clients how it would
look after it was built.
 We can compare this drawing
with a modern photo of the actual
church.

10. BRUNELLESCHI’S PROPOSAL DRAWING
OF SANTO SPIRITO, DATED 1543 INTERIOR OF SANTO SPIRITO TODAY
APPLICATION OF LINEAR PERSPECTIVE

11. ONE-POINT PERSPECTIVE

12. PERSPECTIVE
 Linear Perspective:
 Based on the way the human eye sees the
world.
 Objects that are closer appear larger, more
distant objects appear smaller.
 To create the illusion of space the artists creates
a vanishing point on the horizon line.
 Objects are drawn using orthogonal
lines, which lead to the vanishing point.

13. PERSPECTIVE
 Horizon Line
 The place where the land and the sky meet.
 Vanishing Point
 The single point on the horizon where all the
lines on the ground level seem to come together
 Orthogonal Line
 Lines that connect to the vanishing point

14. PERSPECTIVE
The red line is the Horizon Line.

15. PERSPECTIVE
Can you locate the vanishing point?

16. IN ONE POINT
PERSPECTIVE, THE
VANISHING POINT CAN
BE AT ANY LOCATION
ALONG THE HORIZON
LINE; WHERE IS THE
VANISHING POINT IN
THIS EXAMPLE?

17. MISSING VANISHING POINTS?
 Sometimes the vanishing points can be
obscured by subjects within the composition
or placed outside the picture plane itself.

18. IN THIS PAINTING, LITTLE STREET, BY VERMEER, THE VANISHING
POINT IS HIDDEN BY THE BUILDING ITSELF; CAN YOU LOCATE THIS
POINT?

21. TWO-POINT PERSPECTIVE

22. In two-point perspective, there are 2 vanishing points
located along the horizon line.

23. • Notice how the corner of the
building is facing the viewer.
This is a simple example of
2 point perspective.
• Where are the vanishing
points?
• Sometimes vanishing
points are not on the
picture plane at all!

24. • A building can be reduced to a simple shape…..a box.
• All convergent lines are drawn from each of the corners.
• Notice how the “walls” of the box are straight up &
down.

25. PERSPECTIVE

26. PERSPECTIVE
• Objects seen at an angle would be drawn with two-
point perspective using two vanishing points.
• Artwork with two-point perspective often has
vanishing points "off the page".

27. PERSPECTIVE
• Lines leading to the vanishing points are
called orthogonals.

28. PERSPECTIVE
In two-point perspective, the front edge of the form is
seen as the closest point.

31. CLASS ACTIVITY

32. PERSPECTIVE
Draw a horizon line towards the top of your paper.

33. PERSPECTIVE
Make sure the end of the ruler (or side of the triangle) is flush
with the edge of the paper. If lines are not exactly vertical your
drawing will be crooked.

34. PERSPECTIVE
Draw two vanishing points on the horizon line near
the page edges.

35. PERSPECTIVE
Now draw a vertical line: this is your front edge. Draw
it in near the bottom-middle of the page, so you have
plenty of room to add more forms to your building.

36. PERSPECTIVE
Now connect the both ends of the front edge to both
vanishing points. These are orthogonals. Draw lightly
so you can erase!

37. PERSPECTIVE
Draw two vertical lines between the orthogonals where
you want the back edges of your form to appear.

38. PERSPECTIVE
Now join the back and top corners to the opposite
vanishing point to complete the top of the form.

39. PERSPECTIVE
Erase the extra orthogonals. Now you have a form
drawn in two-point perspective!

40. PERSPECTIVE

41. PERSPECTIVE
Your First Assignment:
 Create a drawing of
boxes in 2-point
perspective.
 Stack Forms on top
of each other
 Add Design or
Texture to your box
forms.

46. HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT

47. HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT: DUE OCTOBER 27TH
Your Final
Assignment
• Create a fantasy city
using two-point
perspective!
• Sketch out in pencil first
• Add forms and details to
create your city
• Outline with black marker
or pen
• Paint with
watercolor, colored pencil
or marker to complete
your city