How pointing fingers shape what we see in old master paintings

One of the most common human gestures, the pointing finger, appears frequently in Old Master paintings as a guiding cue. However, its influence on viewers’ gaze has never been systematically investigated. Researchers in experimental art history at the University of Vienna used eye‐tracking methods to analyze whether and how viewers’ eyes follow pointing gestures in works by renowned artists such as Raphael, Giorgione, Caravaggio, and Rembrandt.

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