People & Archives of Perspective

The history and development of perspective has been shaped by artists, architects, mathematicians, scientists, theorists, writers and researchers working across many different periods and disciplines.

The Perspective Research Centre brings together material on important historical and contemporary figures in perspective, together with specialist archival resources that preserve and extend their work.

Use the sections below to explore key people, individual studies and research archives.


Explore important figures who contributed to the development of perspective across art, geometry, optics, architecture, visual theory and related fields.

This resource provides a starting point for investigating the people, ideas and historical developments that have shaped our understanding of perspective.

Explore Key People in the History of Perspective →


Explore the work of Leonardo da Vinci in relation to perspective, vision, optics, representation and the study of spatial appearance.

Leonardo’s investigations demonstrate the close historical relationship between artistic practice, observation, geometry and the science of vision.

Explore Leonardo da Vinci →


The Kim Veltman Archive provides access to the work and research of perspective historian and scholar Kim H. Veltman.

The archive preserves an extensive body of writing concerned with perspective, visual knowledge, art, science, technology and the historical development of systems of representation.

Explore the Kim Veltman Archive →


Perspective continues to develop through the work of contemporary researchers, theorists, artists, designers and specialists.

Explore Modern Perspectivists to discover individuals and approaches contributing to the continuing study and development of perspective.

Explore Modern Perspectivists →


These resources form part of the wider research programme of the Perspective Research Centre.

For related material, explore Perspective Category Theory →, the Taxonomy of Perspective →Perspective Resources →, and the wider Perspective Topics A–Z Master Index → (4.5 MB PDF).