Perspective (Art Dictionary)

Perspective: A term which refers to the “depth” of a picture – that is, the illusion of three-dimensional space on the picture’s two-dimensional surface – whereby forms in the background appear smaller than those in the foreground. The “single point” or linear perspective system was pioneered by Filippo Brunelleschi (1377-1446) in Florence in relation to his architecture. Mathematically constructed so that all receding parallel lines seem to converge towards each other, eventually meeting at a single point (the vanishing point), this method of perspective was employed by artists from the early 15th century onwards. Curiously, Dutch and Flemish painters of the early 15th century developed their own independent method of perspective.