Perspectivism covers a variety of techniques for representing space by creating the illusion of three dimensions on two dimensional surface such as a canvas or paper. Perspective developed as a coherent body of rules and theories during the early Renaissance of the mid 15th century, but Leonardo Da Vinci were already exploring its limitations much earlier than that.

The linear perspective term was created to describe this technique, its adopts a vanishing point on the horizon (sometimes we can find multiple vanishing points in a single painting), all imaginary or actual lines in the painting which recede towards the horizon.  Also the scale of everything in the painting can be strictly worked out in relation to the vanishing point.

Da Vinci was the first one to achieve convincing “aerial perspective” – term he invented to describe such accomplishment.  In our eyes perception the objects which are further away look paler and bluer through the effect of the atmosphere.  Aerial perspective applies this principle in art to create the impression of space through careful control of colour and tone.  I always say that in order to be great artist you have to be able to perceive what you are looking at, and forget what you think it is supposed to look like. 

Some of the Artists:

• Leon Battista Alberti
• Giotto Di Bondone
• Filipo Brunelleschi
• Vincenzo Di Biago Catena
• Lorenzo Di Credi
• Piero Della Francesca
• Francesco Granacci
• Andrea Mantegna
• Masaccio
• Perugino
• Paolo Ucello
• Leonardo Da Vinci