The da Vinci Illusion: Revealing Hidden Images

*SELF PORTRAIT:  Leonardo da Vinci

Black and white image.

Cropped section with lighting enhanced.  If you sit back and stare at this section of the sketch, what all do you see?  Do you see the right profile of a face?  Left profile of a face?  A partial face with large lips?

Right profile of face outlined.

Left profile of face outlined.

Partial face with large lips outlined. 

Larger view shown darker.  The longer I stare at this the more faces I see!

The hidden images are everywhere once you know how to look for them.

Right profile outlined.

With lighting enhanced.  Can you find more hidden images? Hint: The longer you stare at this sketch you'll notice that faint background images begin to grow darker and more distinct revealing hidden images not seen otherwise.

Small bearded face outlined.

Smiling face.

Another face outlined with the mouth on the left side.

Face looking to the right outlined.  Are you seeing them?  You should also begin seeing distinct letters and numbers.

What has become known on my site as the "infamous letter R" (hidden within so many of da Vinci's works) outlined.

  The hidden faces, numbers and letters are too numerous to even begin to try and outline.  It is also difficult to try and outline ALL the images because they form and fade from one faint image into another to another and so on.  Also, when you think you've found all the hidden images possible try coming back later and you'll be amazed at the number of new images you hadn't noticed before. 

Then change your viewing angle...

Upside down, cropped section with lighting darkened to hopefully enable you to see the hidden images much faster and easier.  Again for those of you short on time and patience I've outlined a few below.

A bearded face.

Another face.

Left profile.

With lighting darker I see even more images.  How many more hidden images can you find?

*This sketch is also known as "Portrait of an Old Man" due to questions as to it actually being a self portrait of Leonardo da Vinci. 

Portions republished from N 2 DA VINCI AND BEYOND archives.