If you can spot all the faces hidden in this optical illusion in less than ten seconds, your eyesight is among the best.

While some works age, this image retains all its power. Unlike modern illusions, often created using digital tools, the Tree of Appearances relies on a subtle play of trompe-l’oeil. But why does it continue to attract our attention?

Why do we see faces in this picture?

Our brains love to identify familiar shapes, even where they don’t actually exist. This is called pareidolia, a psychological phenomenon that causes us to see faces in a cloud, a silhouette in a rock, or a human expression in a tree trunk.

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