The Eye of Horus (Ancient Egypt) – Period: c. 3000 BCE – Meaning: Protection, royal power, and good health. – Medium: Amulets, paintings, tomb art. – Legacy: One of the most enduring symbols of the "watchful eye."
The All-Seeing Eye (Eye of Providence) – Region: Western Christian Art / Freemasonry – Depiction: An eye enclosed in a triangle with rays of light. – Used in: U.S. dollar bill, churches, and Enlightenment art. – Symbolism: Divine omniscience, God watching over humanity.
“The False Mirror” by René Magritte (1929) – Artist: Belgian surrealist René Magritte – Depiction: A hyper-realistic human eye with a sky and clouds inside. – Interpretation: Vision as perception; the world seen through subjective eyes.
“Eye Balloon” by Yayoi Kusama – Medium: Inflatable sculpture – Style: Polka dots, surrealism, and immersive installations. – Interpretation: Obsession, hallucination, and self-awareness—common themes in Kusama’s work.
“The Eye” (Sculpture at Citygarden, St. Louis) by Tony Tasset – Medium: Fiberglass sculpture (30 feet tall) – Details: A giant, hyper-realistic blue eye. – Effect: Both playful and uncanny, exploring themes of surveillance and spectacle.
Eye Motifs in Turkish Nazar Amulets – Medium: Blue glass beads – Use: Worn or hung in homes to ward off the evil eye. – Significance: Folk protection against envy and harm.
“Eye” Series by M.C. Escher – Notable Work: “Eye” (1946) – a lithograph of an eyeball reflecting a skull. – Theme: Mortality reflected in vision—a chilling contemplation of death.
Un Chien Andalou" by Luis Buñuel and Salvador Dalí (1929) – Medium: Surrealist short film – Scene: Iconic eye-slashing sequence with a razor. – Impact: Challenged traditional visual perception in film.