16 Circles Coffer Illusion

This is the 16 circles coffer illusion. Can you spot all 16 circles?

Coffers are the panels on recessed ceilings. When most people look at the design below, they see a pattered that looks like a series of coffered panels on a ceiling.

But look closer and you’ll see that this isn’t a bunch of squares or rectangles, it’s really 16 circles on a striped background. Don’t believe it, scroll down to the end to see the 16 circles revealed.

Also, scroll down to learn a bit more about how the 16 circles coffer illusion works.

What is the 16 Circles Coffer Illusion?
How does the 16 Circles Coffer Illusion work?
Some Similar Illusions
Discovery of the 16 Circles Coffer Illusion
References and Resources
See For Yourself – The 16 Circles

What are coffers and the 16 Circles Coffer Illusion?

16 Circles Coffer illusion is a visual pattern of circles that creates the illusion of a three-dimensional coffered ceiling. The pattern consists of 16 large circles arranged in a grid pattern on top of a striped surface.

Coffer designs are primary used in ceilings as a way of making a flat ceiling appear as though it is a three-dimensional. A coffered ceiling is a ceiling with recessed panels, often used in grand buildings like palaces and cathedrals.

The coffer illusion is an example of a trompe l’oeil, which is French for “trick of the eye.” Trompe l’oeil techniques are often used in art and architecture to create realistic illusions of depth and dimension, often with the aim of making something appear more grand or impressive. The coffer illusion is a particularly effective example of this technique, as it can create the impression of a grand, expensive ceiling in a space that may not have the actual dimensions or budget to accommodate one.

How does the 16 Circles Coffer Illusion Work?

The 16 Circles Coffer illusion works by taking advantage of the way our brains process visual information. When we look at the pattern of circles, our brains automatically try to interpret them as a three-dimensional pattern of recessed panels.

Our brains interpret this pattern as a series of recessed panels because of a number of visual cues, such as the relative size of the circles, the positioning of the smaller circles in the spaces between the larger ones, and the pattern of intersections between the circles. These cues create the impression of depth and dimension, even though the ceiling is actually flat.

The 16 Circles Coffer illusion is an example of a trompe l’oeil, which is French for “trick of the eye.” Trompe l’oeil techniques are often used in art and architecture to create realistic illusions of depth and dimension.

Some Similar Illusions

There are many other illusions that are similar to the 16 Circles Coffer illusion in that they create the impression of depth and dimension on a two-dimensional surface. Some examples include:

Checker Shadow Illusion: This illusion was created by Edward H. Adelson in 1995. It features a checkerboard pattern with two squares of different shades of gray, but the squares appear to be the same color due to the way our brains process visual information.
Ames Room Illusion: This illusion was first created by American ophthalmologist Adelbert Ames Jr. in 1946. It uses forced perspective to make objects in one corner of a room appear much larger than objects in the opposite corner, creating the illusion of a distorted room.
Penrose Triangle: This is an impossible object, first created by the mathematician Roger Penrose in the 1950s. It is a two-dimensional image of a three-dimensional object that appears to be a triangle, but when viewed from certain angles, it is clear that the object cannot exist in three dimensions.
Necker Cube: This illusion was discovered by Swiss crystallographer Louis Albert Necker in 1832. It is a line drawing of a cube that can be seen from two different perspectives, creating the impression that the cube is flipping back and forth between two orientations.

These and other illusions demonstrate the fascinating ways that our brains interpret and process visual information, often leading us to perceive things that are not actually there or to misinterpret what we see.

Discovery-Creation of the 16 Circles Coffer Illusion

The 16 circles illusion was created by Stanford University psychologist and vision scientist Anthony Norcia

Anthony Norcia is a neuroscientist and researcher who is known for his contributions to the field of visual neuroscience. He is a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Stanford University and has conducted extensive research on the neural mechanisms that underlie visual perception, including color perception and visual motion processing.

Norcia has also developed innovative methods for studying the brain’s response to visual stimuli, such as the use of non-invasive brain imaging techniques like functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG). His research has led to a deeper understanding of how the brain processes visual information and how visual perception is affected by neurological disorders and brain injuries.

Norcia’s contributions to the field of visual neuroscience have earned him numerous awards and honors, including a John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship and a National Institutes of Health Research Career Development Award.

The original coffer illusion, also known as the ceiling illusion, was first discovered by the Italian architect, artist, and engineer Filippo Brunelleschi in the early 15th century. Brunelleschi was a pioneer of linear perspective, a technique used to create the illusion of depth and three-dimensional space in two-dimensional art. He created the coffer illusion as a way to demonstrate his understanding of perspective and to showcase his architectural designs. The illusion involves painting a series of coffered panels on a flat ceiling, with each panel appearing to recede into the distance as if it were part of a larger, three-dimensional structure. The coffer illusion was a groundbreaking achievement in the history of art and architecture, and it has influenced artists and architects for centuries since its discovery.