Art and Illusion: A Study in the Psychology of Pictorial Representation

by E. H. Gombrich

Start Free Trial

Topics for Further Study

Download PDF PDF Page Citation Cite Share Link Share

Last Updated on July 29, 2019, by eNotes Editorial. Word Count: 113

Find several of John Constable’s paintings. Demonstrate your understanding of Gombrich’s analysis by applying his theories to the paintings you find. Write a short paper detailing what you note.

Research Sir Karl R. Popper’s ‘‘searchlight theory.’’ How does this theory coincide with Gombrich’s approach to art?

Find examples of several optical illusions. Using Gombrich’s theories, explain why the illusions deceive the eye. What accounts for our ‘‘reading’’ of the image in the way we do?

Read ‘‘Illusion and Reality,’’ the first chapter of Leonard Shlain’s Art and Physics (1991). Compare and contrast the ideas you find in this chapter with the ideas you find in Art and Illusion.

See eNotes Ad-Free

Start your 48-hour free trial to get access to more than 30,000 additional guides and more than 350,000 Homework Help questions answered by our experts.

Get 48 Hours Free Access
Next

What Do I Read Next?