ABSTRACT
Mirror images fascinated Renaissance visual artists and fascinated Shakespeare as well. Some of this Renaissance interest echoed biblical, classical and medieval contexts in which mirror gazing connoted deep contemplative vision, or alternatively figured forth delusion by appearances. In addition, recognition of mirroring phenomena that were not yet understood scientifically impacted in a seemingly prescient manner on some Shakespearian passages and images. In order to understand such anticipation, it is useful to review a now discredited theory, once promoted by David Hockney, that held that early Renaissance visual artists used concave mirrors to project images of their subjects onto work surfaces where they were traced. The widespread rejection of that theory illustrates the dangers of backdating technological achievements and also illustrates conceptual frameworks that were apparently of great interest to both Leonardo and Shakespeare.
