Already in other contexts we talked about how one aspect of the Baroque is to “surprise” to deceive the eye, to involve the viewer with decorative effects and movement. Of course, not all Baroque works can have the amazing effects that we found in the 
church of St. Ignatius of Loyola … but surely turning to Rome we can find many other examples really interesting.
To which this time I want to talk about a very special corridor of the first half of 1600 by the great architect Francesco Borromini and whimsical, and is housed in the Palazzo Spada. We must remember that the Spada Gallery houses an important collection of paintings, especially the 1700’s, sculptures and antique furniture, and the entrance is very cheap … but actually to see the passage of which I will speak is not even necessary to enter in the gallery and pay the ticket, simply enter in the opening hours of the gallery entrance of the building, Piazza Capo di Ferro 13.
Beyond the entrance of the building, on the left, through the window, you can see it: here is the famous “Perspective Gallery.”
But what’s so special about this gallery?
You should be lucky, as I was, to witness the passing of some guardian within this corridor (or maybe ask him politely if he passes through it for you?) …. Just that he performs a few steps into it to make the magic walking inside, he will become bigger and bigger, and in just 3 steps will become a giant as tall as the capitals of the columns!
How is it possible?
And ‘This is the incredible: the entire gallery is a terrific prospective game invented by Borromini. The gallery, which seems to 30 meters long, in fact it measures just 8!
To make deception to the eye, the whole architecture of the gallery competes with scientific precision to create the illusion: the ceiling is lowered, the walls close, geometric designs on the floor deform, columns slope and lowered gradually over 3 meters! Even the “big” statue of Mars in the bottom of the tunnel, it is actually a statue … of just 60 cm!