Optical Illusion from Via Piccolomini, Roma, Italy

Here are three pictures I want you to look at. They were taken on Via Piccolomini, only a few streets away from the hotel we stayed at in Rome.

The first photo was taken as I was walking towards St. Peter's cupola on Via Piccolomini. The further away you are from the cupola the larger it appears. The others were taken from the fence at the end of Via Piccolomini. In the second photo I used the zoom lens to get a closer view of the cupola. The 3rd photo was taken as it was.

I did not realize when I took the photos that it was an optical illusion. I was taking a walk early one of the first mornings and happen to have my camera. A few days later Giuseppina mentioned that her cab driver had mentioned this optical illusion as he was taking her to the hotel. I went back to look at my pictures and sure enough, the cupola looks larger on the pictures I took further away from it.

This is also a YouTube link where someone shot a video of it. Next time I'm in Rome, I will have to take my own video of it, and in the daytime.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpviV1ehsgc

I showed these photos and the YouTube video to my students yesterday, and I had underestimated what an impact it made on them, so I wanted to share it with you too.
If you have any photos from this street, do share them with me.

I feel that the optical illusion is a phenomenon similar to when we see the moon on the horizon and it looks HUGE, then as it travels higher on the sky, it appears smaller. It is still the same moon. Here the cupola appears large as it is the only thing seen against the horizon of the street. As one gets closer and sees the broader horizon, the cupola is no longer isolated, and it is seen at its actual size. Any other theories you may have, please share them, inquiring minds need to know.

A friend sent me the following information: I found a website that explains this sort of optical illusion. It shows some exercises that explains optical illusions such as this one. The cupola is like the circles. The circles are the same size but their position to the circles surrounding them makes them appear larger/smaller. Check out this web page:
http://www.visualillusion.net/Chap04/Page04.php

On the other hand, the moon changes in size because the bend of the horizon. The bend of the horizon magnifies it or makes it smaller depending its position in the sky relative to us. So the harvest moon isn't an optical illusion, the horizon acts like a magnifying glass; the light that shines from the moon bends with the atmosphere making it larger. Thank you Jennifer.

Last batch of photos

http://picasaweb.google.com/Maria12956/072609_8#

I'm home now, and having uploaded my last batch of photos is making me very nostalgic of what an amazing experience this has been. The group of 25 plus the directors became a very cohesive bunch. We all got along well, and enjoyed each other's company. We worked hard, and we were all rather tired by the end, yet we all exhibited amazing enthusiasm on our last day together as we presented our projects.

I miss them all.

You will notice that I explained as much as I could in the captions of the photos. Photos are not allowed in the museums, but as you can see, I did sneak a few.

I came home with a suitcase full of books, and I wish I had purchased more books relating to he works of art that I had the privilege to see. It will be for the next time I return to Italy. I did want to bring a case of local wine, but the books won out.

In the movies

Cut and paste this link to view photos. I will be adding the captions later.


http://picasaweb.google.com/Maria12956/071109_7#

The headline "In the movies" refers to the fact that the evening we returned to Rome, a movie was being shot in our hotel. It is a made for TV movie, "Donna Detective", will be on Italian TV later in the fall. They were shooting scenes in a room a few rooms down the hall from my room. When I retired that night, the director asked me if they could use my room just for about 20 minutes. They needed the maid to come out of my room. I agreed and they set up shop. They put lighting, and shot the scene several times. I sat back playing on the computer the whole time.

The next morning the shooting was in the lobby. During one of our breaks, I crossed the lobby to go to he bathroom, on my way back, the director came over to me and said "Thank you for last night." We talked for a while, and I headed back to the class. I was not aware, but one of the classmates heard the comment, "Thank you for last night" and I suddenly had a group of people around me wanting to know what I had done the night before, and who was the good looking man thanking me. LOL kind of cute I must say. The story did not turn out as juicy as they expected, but it was interesting nonetheless.

Tempus Fugit

It has been an amazing experience, full of activities and learning. Along with tired and swollen feet and sleepless nights. I do miss my own bed.

http://picasaweb.google.com/Maria12956/070709_6#

Cut and paste this link to view the photos, they are photos from several days and several locations. Along with the photos, read the captions, it will tell you where they were taken.

No rest for the weary

http://picasaweb.google.com/Maria12956/070309_5#

Photos of American Academy in Rome http://www.aarome.org/ (do visit their blog, it has a very interesting history and present.)

Photos to the Farnesina - Ministry of Foreign Affairs and their "Modern Art" collection.

Photos to the Galleria Borghese (my first visit there...OMG it is amazing), and photos to Barberini Museum.

The last few days we have had an incredible busy schedule, but it has all been worth it.

June 29, 2009 - Visit to Perugia

http://picasaweb.google.com/Maria12956/062909_4# Link to photos

On Monday, June 29, we visited Perugia, an Etruscan City. The bus let us off at a plaza 1/2 way to the top of the city where we had to take a series of escalators to the summit. The last leg of the escalators were in underground part of the old city, the prisons. The beginning of the photos show this.

We were hosted by the Universita' per Stranieri - University for Foreigners. Students from 140 countries come here to study and learn Italian. (More countries than those that participate in the Olympics.)

The photos are of the old city, the old walls, the buildings, it is absolutely charming. I would have liked to stay more and explore.

IL BAROCCO = BAROQUE STYLE - June 30, 2009

http://picasaweb.google.com/Maria12956/063009_4# link to photos

Today we experienced the Baroque Style which was born in Rome dating from 1580 to 1680. We viewed two distinct baroque styles, one of Borromini, and one of Bernini.

The Baroque Style is known for its excess. It used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, oil painting, literature, and music. The Baroque was encouraged by the Roman Catholic Church to convey religious images in the arts after the period of the inquisition and the Martin Luther reform.

In the first set of photos you see Francesco Borromini's play of geometric designs in architecture. The Church of San Carlino or San Carlo delle Quattro Fontane (of the Four Fountains). You will see the four fountains at each corner of the intersection.

In contrast to Borromini's church we see Bernini's Church of St. Andrea of the Quirinale, a Jesuit church. Also we see the statue and room of St. Stanislaus. The bed, blanket, pillow and statue are all different types of marble, truly amazing.

Then we see the Ecstasy of Saint Theresa of Avila in the Chapel of Santa Maria della Vittoria. Here is one of the Baroque masterpieces by Bernini.