In this fascinating juxtaposition of science and art history, ophthalmologists Michael Marmor and James Ravin examine the role of vision and eye disease in art. They focus on the eye, where the process of vision originates, and investigate how aspects of vision have inspired and confounded many of the world's most famous artists.
Why do Georges Seurat's paintings appear to shimmer? How come the eyes in certain portraits seem to follow you around the room? Are the broad brushstrokes in Monet's Water Lilies due to cataracts? Could van Gogh's magnificent yellows be a result of drugs? How does eye disease affect the artistic process? Or does it at all? The Artist's Eyes considers these questions and more.Using key works of art as well as innovative illustrations that simulate different artists' vision, Marmor and Ravin shed new light on the story of art.