Anamorphosis as a Teaching Tool in High Schools

This paper presents the outcomes of SaS – Sapienza at School: Anamorphosis Workshop between Art and Science, a Third Mission project funded by Sapienza University of Rome and developed in collaboration with the Caravaggio Artistic High School. Aimed at introducing high school students to the principles of Descriptive Geometry and Perspective, the project explored anamorphosis as an interdisciplinary and engaging educational tool. Following an initial seminar series on historical and contemporary anamorphic techniques, a selected group of students participated in a practical workshop that guided them through the design and realisation of an anamorphic floor installation. Activities included perspective analysis, 3D modelling, rendering, and digital projection, culminating in a two-phase competition and the installation of the winning artwork at the school’s entrance. The project demonstrated how anamorphosis can serve as both a didactic strategy and a creative bridge between art and science, encouraging students to perceive space and geometry in novel ways. Beyond the technical outcomes, the initiative fostered critical thinking, cooperative learning, and cultural awareness, offering students a new lens through which to interpret their surroundings and academic disciplines.