Mirror Anamorphosis: a hybrid of maths, physics, and art that delivers a subtle, yet mindblowing result!
The above is a famous image mapped by Hungarian artist István Orosz featuring a scene from the classic science fantasy novel The Mysterious Island. When a mirrored cylinder is placed on the moon, it reveals a portrait of the novel’s writer, Jules Verne, hidden within the frame’s geometric structure.
Comprehending the math behind anamorphic art is no easy feat, but if you’re interested there is a research paper from 1999 that breaks it down as best as possible. Before the study was published, no discernible mathematical understanding of the process had been uncovered. Fascinating, when you consider that the artform dates back to a much simpler example produced by Leonardo da Vinci in 1485.
For those that are keen to see the effect in person, the image (and cylinder) is available in puzzle form. You can also purchase a variety of books featuring anamorphic art on Amazon.
Video source: @PhysicsFun/Instagram
There is no Moon scene in mysterious island. The error is somewhere… Maybe an “island valley”?