Pareidolia is a type of optical illusion in which we tend to see finished images in random shapes, textures, and patterns. Psychiatrists also see it as a symptom of a mental illness, but do not rush to worry – in such clinical cases, the control was convinced of the real existence of a ghost.
Each of us has “recognized” human and animal figures, faces, and other things that don’t actually exist in the clouds or in terracotta tiles. This game of the imagination is fun and can even be useful and inspiring. It certainly helped the genius of the young Leonardo da Vinci, who had a tendency to spend hours lounging around the countryside near Vinci, watching the clouds and discovering fantastic objects in them.
Some artists play with pareidolia quite successfully. We’re offering you just a few examples, but we hope you find them interesting and entertaining. If you explore this further, the examples online are impressive and countless
“The Seasons,” which have become Giuseppe Arcimboldo’s signature
Collages by Asier Sanz, die-hard,
Trump fan
A one-minute short on the topic
Let’s join in with a few photos
