The Riddle of “Impossible Figures”: Why They Break Our Brains and What’s Wrong with Them (12 photos)

After all, they were able to draw "impossible figures" on paper. Why then does this visual illusion break our brains? What's wrong with them? Let's figure it out together!





What are "impossible figures" in simple words

To put it very simply, "impossible figures" are drawn figures that are depicted on a plane and create a 3D effect, but... they cannot be recreated in reality, since the figures are geometrically incorrect and are not perceived by our brain as possible real figures, since obvious contradictions are visible.

Pay attention to the phrases in bold - this is the essence of "impossible figures".

More confused? Then, to understand what we are talking about, let's look at the "impossible figures" and everything will immediately become clear.

1. Impossible triangle



In the picture: the very first "impossible figure", drawn by Oskar Reutersvärd in 1934 (black and white) and in color.

The first "impossible figure" appeared completely by accident. Swedish artist Oscar Reutersvärd (Reutersvärd or Reutersvärd), when he was studying at the gymnasium in 1934, got bored during grammar lessons and began to draw cubes with a pencil, and one day they formed an amazing three-dimensional triangle of irregular geometric shape.

Or rather, the shape of the triangle seems to be correct, but “something” does not allow you to understand how these cubes are actually located in this triangle.

He showed this drawing to his friend, mathematician Ian Cornell. Ian was delighted. They searched for similar objects with such amazing properties for a long time, but did not find any and realized that Oscar was the first who could draw such “impossible figures”.

Then, in 1958, “impossible figures” were described by Lionel and Roger Penrose.

Rutersvärd later wrote:

"In 1958 I read an article in which the Penroses described several impossible objects. Only then did I understand what I had discovered as a child. Up to that time I had drawn about a hundred impossible objects, and the Penroses' article inspired me to do research in this area. To date (1986) I have drawn about 2,500 impossible objects."

2. "The Three-by-Seven Structure." This figure is made of incorrectly connected lines, which eventually gave this impossible figure





In the picture: impossible figure "Structure three-by-seven", type of ambiguous figures, Oscar Reutersvärd, 1964.

3. "The Devil's Fork". This figure is also made of incorrectly connected lines



In the picture: impossible figures, type of ambiguous figures, Oscar Reutersvärd, 1964. Fig. 1. "The Devil's Fork" is black and white. Fig. 2. "The Devil's Fork" is three-dimensional with a shadow. Further understanding of such impossible objects led Oscar to create more complex structures.

4. A drawing that really breaks your brain



In the picture: an impossible figure "Devil's Fork" with a thread, an impossible bar with holes, impossible nuts. Oscar Reutersvärd, 1967

5. Penrose Stairs



In the picture: the impossible figure infinite "Penrose Stairs", created by O. Reutersvärd, 1937.

In 1937, Oscar Reutersvärd drew a staircase that became the most famous "impossible figure". It was later named after the Penrose father and son.

The Penrose Stairs are famous for the fact that you will never go up (if you go counterclockwise) or down (if you go clockwise). No matter how you walk, you will always be on the same level, although the figure clearly depicts steps. Again, the play of shadows did their job.

6. Escher's Staircase



In the picture: the impossible figure "Escher's Staircase or Relativity", created by M. Escher, 1948.

Dutch graphic artist M.C. Escher, known to the world as the master of the "impossible" world, decided to improve the "Penrose Staircase" and created a new masterpiece called "Escher's Staircase".

Here is the usual play of shadows and nothing more, but what an effect it produces - it's magnificent. As if the laws of physics do not exist and people can walk sideways and upside down in the same building.

And new technologies have made it possible to see "Escher's Staircase or Relativity" in this form:



In the picture: "Escher Staircase or Relativity" created with the help of 3D graphics.

7. Escher Cube. This cube "Escher cube" looks more like a drawing of a child who tried to draw a 3-dimensional picture, but confused what and how to draw



In the picture: impossible figure "Escher Cube", created by M. Escher, 1958.

8. Borromean rings



The uniqueness of these rings is that if you mentally remove any ring, the other two will be lying on top of each other, not connected.

Try it yourself, for example, mentally remove the red ring - the green ring will simply lie on top of the blue. Or remove the blue ring, then the red ring will be on top of the green. This is incredibly amazing!

9. "Impossible figures" in paintings. Belgian artist Jos de Mey created his own impossible world, his paintings were called absurd. Here is one of his "impossible figures":



In the picture: "Window" and "Table", Jos de Mey (1928-2007).

10. Impossible Bridge



The modern 40-year-old Swedish sur-photographer Erich Johanssen (Johansson), known for his surreal photographs, also applied knowledge of "impossible figures" in his work.

And there are a lot of such pictures, you just have to type "impossible figures in pictures" into the search. I would like to show you all of them, but it is very difficult to do this within the framework of one article, and it is not necessary.

Instead of a conclusion

"Impossible figures" prove that on a piece of paper you can create something that is impossible to do in life. The play of shadows can deceive our brain, and optical illusions have become a separate art form that attracts with their impossibilities.

Everyone understands that this cannot happen in reality, but the eyes see and the brain simply "breaks".

And since then these impossible figures have attracted (as visual illusions) mathematicians, psychologists, computer scientists, graphic designers, philosophers and ordinary people.