Why was it that linear perspective was first, and only conceived in Western Europe? How and why did it transform Western Art; and what were its unintended consequences for Western science? This seminar will examine the rationale behind Florentine engineer and architect Filippo Brunelleschi's original perspective demonstration in 1425; how he constructed his first picture of the Florentine Baptistery, and who were the earliest artists to apply his new geometric rules to their paintings and sculptures. We will then investigate how Brunelleschi's perspective began to appeal to mathematicians and natural philosophers, eventually making it possible for Galileo Galilei to recognize through his telescope for the first time ever, the mountains and craters of the moon. Required of each student: at least two oral presentations in class, plus a single term paper due at the end of term. Enrollment limit: 12.