International Journal of Health Sciences

Optical interpretation of the glass orb in Leonardo da Vinci’s, Salvator Mundi
Grigol Keshelava

Abstract
A debate in scientific literature has arisen regarding whether the orb depicted in ,,Salvator Mundi’’ by Leonardo da Vinci was rendered in a optically faithful manner or not. The object of this research is the glass orb in ,,Salvator Mundi’’. In our view the orb in ,,Salvator Mundi’’ is heterogenous and reflects three aggregate state that are characteristic of our planet- air, water and land. In the left part of the orb, there is a deformation and enlargement of the image of the fold, which is the result of the refraction of a light, and which is characteristic of the fluid. In the right part, the image of the folds is not deformed behind the orb, which means there is air in this space. The part of the hand cluster that appears behind the orb is perceived as a solid substance – land.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/ijhs.v8n2a4