On the reverse perspective of icons

From The Children of God:

Really! What's up with the incorrect perspective in these icons?! Did the artist not know how to properly draw in linear perspective? That's what those of us with Western eyes think the first time we look at an Orthodox icon - at least those of us with art degrees. Or maybe you've looked at an icon and thought that it looked a little "off" but couldn't put your finger on why. That's reverse perspective.

Western art uses linear perspective to create realistic spaces on a two dimensional surface. Linear perspective is a "form of perspective in drawing and painting in which parallel lines are represented as converging so as to give the illusion of depth and distance."[1] The point at which these parallel lines intersect is called the vanishing point. The vanishing point is anchored on the horizon line. It is a very mathematical and geometrical way to depict space, distance and relative size. Giotto, in the 13th century, was the first to create this linear perspective and use it in his religious frescoes. It is widely thought that linear perspective evolved from reverse perspective, making linear perspective the more refined and technologically precise methods of depicting space in art and making reverse perspective the older and therefore more primitive way to "try" to depict space. See the diagram below for an illustrated definition of linear perspective...

Complete post here.