Lifestyle

The Isleworth Mona Lisa And The Monocular Perspective

Published

3 years ago

October 4, 2022

Leonardo da Vinci’s Isleworth Mona Lisa is one of the most famous paintings in the world. Art historians and other professionals have studied and analyzed it for centuries. There are many theories about why Leonardo painted the Mona Lisa, what he was trying to depict, and how he achieved his desired results. This article will look closely at the Isleworth Mona Lisa and explore the monocular perspective theory.

What Is The Isleworth Mona Lisa?

The Isleworth Mona Lisa is a painting of Lisa Gherardini, the wife of Francesco del Giocondo. It got its name from Isleworth, London, where Hugh Blaker had taken it to his studio after rediscovering it. It is thought to be an inspiration for Leonardo da Vinci’s second Mona Lisa, which hangs in the Louvre Museum in Paris. A private collector currently owns the Isleworth Mona Lisa.

The Glass Wall

When you look at the Mona Lisa in a mirror, you see a completely different image than when you look at it directly. This is because our eyes are set in our skulls about four inches apart. This distance is called the interocular distance. Each eye sees a slightly different image when we look at an object. The brain then combines these two images into one three-dimensional image.

The problem with the Isleworth Mona Lisa is that it is two-dimensional. It was painted on a flat piece of wood, so there is no way for our eyes to see it in three dimensions. When we look at the Isleworth Mona Lisa, our eyes see two different images, but the brain cannot combine them into one three-dimensional image. The result is that we see a flat, two-dimensional image. The Mona Lisa appears to be staring at us from behind a glass wall.

The Monocular Perspective

So how did Leonardo da Vinci paint the Isleworth Mona Lisa? How did he create a three-dimensional image on a two-dimensional surface? The answer lies in the monocular perspective.

The monocular perspective is a way of painting that uses only one eye. When we look at an object with both eyes, each eye sees a slightly different image. But when we look at an object with only one eye, the brain must combine the two images. This is how Leonardo da Vinci was able to paint the Isleworth Mona Lisa.

He used a technique called sfumato, which is a way of blurring the edges of objects. This made it possible for him to create the illusion of depth. The result is a painting that appears to be three-dimensional, even though it is only two-dimensional.

The Mona Lisas are not the only paintings that use the monocular perspective. Many famous paintings, such as The Last Supper and The Virgin of the Rocks, also use this technique.

The Binocular Perspective

The monocular perspective is not the only way to create the illusion of depth. Another way is to use the binocular view. The binocular view is a way of painting that uses both eyes. When we look at an object with both eyes, each eye sees a slightly different image. This allows our brain to combine the two images into one three-dimensional image. The binocular perspective is often used in landscapes and cityscapes. It is also used in some portraits, such as the Mona Lisa.

So why did Leonardo da Vinci use the monocular perspective? One theory is that he was trying to create a more realistic image. The binocular perspective often makes objects appear smaller than they are. This is because our eyes are four inches apart, and the distance between our eyes and the thing we are looking at is added to the object’s size.

For example, if you hold your hand up to your face, it will appear smaller than it is. But if you hold your hand out at arm’s length, it will appear its true size. Leonardo may have been trying to create a more realistic image using the monocular perspective. He wanted the Louvre Mona Lisa and the Isleworth Mona Lisa to appear their actual size, so he used the technique to make them appear larger.

Both the monocular and binocular perspectives were used in the paintings. This would explain why the paintings appear to be three-dimensional. It is also possible that Leonardo da Vinci was using a new technique that had not yet been discovered.

How did Da Vinci Reinvent Perspective?

The word perspective comes from the Latin word perspicere, which means “to see through.” Perspective is a way of drawing that gives objects their correct size, shape, and position. It is based on the idea that our eyes are four inches apart and that we see objects in three dimensions.

Leonardo da Vinci was the first artist to use the monocular perspective. He was also the first artist to use the binocular perspective. He reinvented perspective by using both eyes to create the illusion of depth.

Final Thoughts

The Isleworth Mona Lisa is a fascinating painting. It is one of the first paintings to use the monocular perspective. It is also one of the first paintings to use the binocular perspective. Leonardo da Vinci was a master of perspective, and his invention of the monocular and binocular perspectives changed the course of art history.

Lifestyle

Confronting Propaganda: Street Smart Documents Honest Reactions to Gaza Indoctrination Footage

Published

2 days ago

November 6, 2025

Michelle Langton

Photo Courtesy of: Street Smart

Byline: Michelle Langton

In a recent project, the Street Smart team gathered 20 strangers and presented them with propaganda footage from Gaza that has circulated widely online but remains largely unfamiliar to many audiences. The aim wasn’t to provoke outrage or test media literacy in a classroom setting. It was to capture raw, unfiltered emotional reactions to material that reveals how narratives are formed at the source. The resulting video offers a candid look at how people process shocking content and how their perceptions shift when they see what is rarely shown on mainstream platforms.

The Structure of the Experiment

The format was simple. Participants were seated and shown a series of clips from Gaza, including children’s programming and broadcasts containing intense ideological messaging. No background information was provided, and viewers were not instructed on how to interpret what they were seeing. After watching, they were asked for immediate reactions.

The footage elicited a wide range of emotions. Some viewers were stunned by the content, admitting they had never seen anything like it before. Others expressed disbelief, questioning why this kind of material isn’t more widely discussed. A few were visibly shaken, saying the experience fundamentally altered their understanding of the situation.

By presenting the footage without narration or added commentary, Street Smart allowed participants’ genuine responses to emerge. The experiment revealed how propaganda can affect an entire generation. It can shock, unsettle, and force people to reconsider their assumptions.

Why This Project Matters

Sage Fox and Dorani aligned the purpose of this experiment with Street Smart’s broader mission of challenging prevailing narratives and encouraging critical thought among younger audiences. In an environment where footage spreads rapidly across digital platforms, propaganda can shape public opinion long before context catches up.

By showing the Gaza Indoctrination footage in a controlled setting and recording uncoached responses, the team aimed to expose the emotional and cognitive impact of this type of content.

“The first reaction is often the most revealing, because it shows how powerful images can be without context.”

The Range of Reactions

While each participant brought their own perspective, several themes emerged. Some expressed sympathy with the imagery itself, saying it was emotionally powerful.

One participant said, “It makes me question what I see online every day. How much of it is shaped this way?”

Their comments highlight how propaganda resonates differently depending on prior knowledge and exposure. Many viewers have simply never encountered such footage directly.

Street Smart’s Approach

This project continues a pattern established by Sage Fox & Dorani’s earlier videos. Rather than relying on experts or lengthy analysis, Street Smart focuses on real people and their honest reactions. The approach is simple but effective. Present potent material, listen to what people say, and share those moments with a wider audience.

The Gaza Indoctrination footage experiment fits this model. It doesn’t attempt to draw final conclusions or offer political commentary. Instead, it documents how people respond when they’re exposed to narratives that are usually filtered through intermediaries.

Implications for Media Literacy

Beyond its viral potential, the video raises broader questions about how people interact with powerful imagery online. Propaganda operates on emotional reflexes. As this experiment shows, those reflexes are often unexamined until they’re brought to the surface.

Sage Fox & Dorani hope that projects like this push audiences to think more critically about what they see and share.

“The purpose is not to tell people what to believe. It is to remind them that every image comes from somewhere, and that source matters,” they said.

Next Steps for Street Smart

As Street Smart’s platform grows, Sage Fox & Dorani plan to conduct similar experiments in different contexts. They intend to use their direct, street-level approach to highlight how people react when presented with challenging material.

The Gaza footage project is one piece of a larger mission. The team uses simple methods to shed light on complex issues. By focusing on authentic reactions, they continue to build a unique space in online media that blends cultural investigation with raw human response.

A Window into Unfiltered Thought

“We showed 20 strangers real propaganda footage from Gaza — and filmed their unfiltered reactions” is not a dramatic exposé or academic study. It is a clear, unmediated record of how individuals respond when confronted with material designed to persuade. In that restraint lies its strength.

By documenting these moments, Street Smart shows how awareness can begin with a pause. A brief space between seeing and believing.