STEREOSCOPIC ANAMORPHOSISES

Achim Bahr

Exceptional three-dimensional pictures that achieve incomparably amazing effects are stereoscopic anamorphosises. This term — meanwhile commonly used — was  introduced by Achim Bahr, who himself used it the first time for his work Immaterielles Schachspiel. In contrast to customary stereo-pictures, this way of representation underlies a special technique of reproduction: When the picture, that lies horizontally in front of the observer, is seen from a diagonal angle of about 45°, the representation raises straight upright out of the plane! Although the virtual model appears perspectively, the scale is always preserved in all directions.

The very first work of this kind has been the drawing of a chessboard — a graphic representation by means of the technique with anaglyphs, published 1981. The edition was limited to 750 pieces only, but nevertheless it achieved quickly a widespread dissemination, also since experts enthused over its astonishing, novel 3D-effect and the graphic precision. Long ago the whole edition was sold out, nowadays copies get dealt as costly rarities among collectors.

1989 the German Federal Postal Services (Telekom) gave an order to make the world-wide first 3D-telegram in the same technique. As more than 500.000 copies were sold, it reached an extraordinary width public; long since, this edition is out of print, too.

Finally, the greatest — and up to now matchless — example to crack up all the fascinating facilities of such stereo pictures, is the illustration of the famous building of Neuschwanstein castle. It got published on the occasion of the memory that King Ludwig II of Bavaria was born 150 years ago. In order to make a stereoscopic anamorphosis of that high leveled quality and to that point of perfection, at first it was necessary to make a very specified photogrammetrical reconstruction of the entire building. More precise information on these items will be given in the service section; you also will find there notes on the special compound of colors that only for the purposes of printing Neuschwanstein had to get newly developed. For further information on the picture itself and this project you might look at the cover text.

Thought to be especially impressive, moreover a large version of Neuschwanstein, a silk-screen print in the size of 210 x 170 cm exists. It lies on the ground and gets viewed from upright position. The perceptible model at this gets a virtual height of about 100 cm.