To add onto something that Carl Welty talked about in this week's episode — how Filippo Brunelleschi invented (or re-developed as this article points out) linear perspective in 1413, here's even greater detail: http://www.renegadetribune.com/filippo-brunelleschi-rediscovery-perspective/.
Included there is a version of James Burke's 1991 Masters of Illusion from The National Gallery of Art. We've included it below for ease of viewing.
The video effects aren't to be missed — just brilliant!