Art in optics

Physicist Charles Falco dazzled a full house of art and history enthusiasts last Thursday evening, as the invited speaker for the Lyne Starling Trimble Science Heritage Lecture, “The Science of Optics; The History of Art.” A fellow of the APS, IEEE, OSA, and SPIE, Falco has gained acclaim for his extensive and diverse research. Most recently, he has worked with artist David Hockney to dive deep into the Renaissance canvas to unlock the secret of renowned artists, such as van Eyck, Bellini, and Caravaggio, who were able to make startling advances in the realistic depiction of their subjects. They assert that these innovators used optical projections in creating portions of their work, and have done the analysis to back it up. What’s fascinating is that their work reveals that optical instruments were in use by artists nearly two centuries before they were known to have been used. You can read more about the Hockney-Falco thesis on the University of Arizona website.

Charles Falco

Teaser image
Teaser text
Charles Falco and David Hockney unlock secrets of renowned Renaissance artists