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Inspired by Leonardo: The Illusions of Leonardo

The bust of a man, and the head of a lion©

Date: Tuesday 26 February 2019

Time: 6:00pm - 7:30pm

Price: £5

The expression in Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa (1503-6) is ambiguous. This ambiguity is triggered by a visual illusion of the mouth - from some vantage points the mouth appears to turn downwards, generating a melancholic expression, but from other viewpoints, it seems to turn upwards, creating a more cheerful appearance.

It is remarkable that Leonardo played with this disagreement between the eyes and the brain centuries before scientists understood the mechanisms behind it. In this lecture, Dr Allessandro Soranzo from Sheffield Hallam University's Department of Psychology, Sociology and Politics, shows how this visual illusion works.

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The income from your ticket contributes directly to The Royal Collection Trust, a registered charity. The aims of The Royal Collection Trust are the care and conservation of the Royal Collection, and the promotion of access and enjoyment through exhibitions, publications, loans and educational activities.