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Visiting the church today you will see instead a large round canvas
across the transept painted in perspective representing the immaginary
dome. This false perspective was painted by the Jesuit Fra' Andrea Pozzo.
It's a masterpiece of painted illusion; the ideal position from which to
appreciate this trick is marked by yellow disk on the floor of the central
nave. A school of architecture and perspective at the Collegio Romano was
directed by Andrea Pozzo. His students were responsible for the fresco that
can be seen in the vault of the nave. The faces of the characters in the
scenes are portraits of real people. You can experience a game of
perspective by keeping your eyes on the fresco over the entrance while
walking around the church or towards it, and you will see the columns
sway and threaten to totter.
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