by Yunus Kaya, Mustafa Kocalan, Tansel Türkdoğan
ABSTRACT
This study analyses the perceptual and phenomenological connection between traditional quadratura/trompe l’oeil techniques and modern Virtual Reality (VR) technologies using a comparative analytical method. The research examines how both strategies influence spatial perception and impact the viewer’s or participant’s experience through visual analysis, literature evaluation, and contextual interpretation. Research demonstrates that although quadratura and trompe l’oeil provide constrained illusions via static perspective mastery, virtual reality enhances these illusions by incorporating dynamic, interactive, and multisensory elements. While both disciplines seek to immerse audiences in alternative universes, they diverge markedly in their methods, breadth, and sensory engagement. The research examines three principal intersections: (1) the perceptual paradox between representation and reality, (2) technological mediation differentiating analogue and digital instruments, and (3) participant autonomy differentiating passive observation from interactive engagement. This project employs an interdisciplinary approach that integrates art history and new media philosophy, emphasising the potential of virtual reality to preserve ancient frescoes and enhance interactive teaching methods in art education. The study ultimately creates a discourse between historical and modern deception techniques, offering a theoretical foundation for comprehending the changing dynamics among reality, representation, and technology.
