A mesmerizing optical illusion featuring horses has captivated social media users, sparking heated debates reminiscent of the famous gold-and-white or blue-and-black dress controversy.
This time, the confusion revolves around a painting by Bev Doolittle titled 'Pintos,' which has left viewers baffled about the number of horses in the picture.
This amazing picture, named Doolittle's 'Pintos,' is featured on the National Institute of Environmental Health Science's Kids Environment Kids Health website.
After being shared on Reddit, the painting has reignited interest and debate.
Doolittle's 'Pintos,' a piece from the mid-to-late 1970s, showcases a group of chestnut horses against the backdrop of the American Southwest.
The artist skillfully used lines, color, and pattern to create an optical illusion, blending the horses seamlessly into their environment.
According to Art Discovery, the lines of snow in the rocks blend with the white lines on the horses, and the shapes and colors of the horses match the rocks behind them. This technique makes the horses difficult to distinguish from their surroundings, compelling viewers to look closely to find them.
In the comment section, many viewers were baffled by the apparent lack of horses in the picture.
While Doolittle herself stated that the painting features five horses, a scientist from the institute claimed there are seven.
Many X users admitted they couldn't determine how many horses are in this picture. While some struggled to see more than five horses, others suggested they spotted five, aligning with Doolittle's original
One person said: I see five.
A second wrote: What’s the right answer? I see seven, Can you pls let us know ? I would like to know
While a third commented: 5 heads, 16 legs
Someone else said: 5.. Actually become a canyon with white Forrest and dark clouds if you turn it around.. Kind of neat.
Another user said: I saw only 5 horses
Someone wrote: 5, including the little guy. Spectacular picture!
my head counted legs, divided by 4, came out. FIVE. My heart marveled at such a LARGE HERD of beautiful horses...Someone said.
A previous painting depicted a man dressed like Peter Pan in the woods, with a hidden woman in the scene. Such illusions challenge our visual perception and offer a fun way to test our observational skills.
In this earlier illusion, viewers were tasked with spotting a woman's face hidden within the natural scene.
However, according to designers, in nine seconds, if you can spot the face within the natural scene, you have a high IQ.
It may be hard to see, but she's hidden under the man's armpit. For ease of understanding, this area is circled in red.
