Leonardo da Vinci and other artists were trying to figure out how to draw in 3-D (another optical illusion trick) when they learned about an awesome Chinese invention -
"The ANAMORPHOSCOPE" "ana" means "again" and "morph" means "form" This neat device has two parts -- a curved mirror and a strange distorted drawing. Place the curved mirror on the drawing and Shazaam! The mirror magically re-forms the drawing into a normal reflection. People throughout Europe and the Orient were enchanted by anamorphoscopes from 1550 -1850. Artists and spies even used anamorphosis to disguise dangerous messages, and they zealously guarded the secret methods of constructing their amazing images - some of which took a many years to paint. Anamorphoscopes need good quality mirrors. For thousands of years, until about the mid 16th century, mirrors were made of polished stone or metal. They were very small and rather dark. Looking into one was like trying to see your face in the bathroom mirror with only a night light on. How lucky that when anamorphoscopes arrived in the Mediterranean from China, glass makers of Venice, Italy had just learned how to create excellent, bright glass mirrors. People throughout the world were willing to pay a lot of money for such fine mirrors. In fact, a Venetian mirror the size of the one on your closet door would have cost as much as a new car does today! Venice's government protected this special, highly profitable technology, by moving the glass artisans to the island of Murano. The artisans, themselves, were so fierce about monopolizing their marvelous craft, that only family members were allowed to know the formulas, and no person was allowed to leave the island with even a small piece of broken mirror. Some who did leave were tracked down and killed! What a difference today! Now, the entire world enjoys wonderful, inexpensive mirrors of glass, aluminum, or even flexible plastic. Today, computers can generate wacky distortions in seconds. Today, anamorphosis is part of virtually every video game, animated movie, and commercial. And today, you can get really cool new MIRROR-aculous art toys, activities, and party fun games from OOZ & OZ. | 
