Early demonstrations of subjective contours, amodal completion, and depth from half-occlusions: "stereoscopic experiments with silhouettes" by Adolf von Szily (1921).
If all-black figures are used, certain monocular appendages to binocular shapes are seen in depth, either nearer (when in a medial position) or further (when in a lateral position) than the binocular shape itself. These appendages also link to form subjective contours in front of the binocular shape or amodal completions behind it. These and other discoveries by von Szily, made before 1921, anticipate a number of modern findings.
Ehrenstein
W H
WH
Institut für Arbeitsphysiologie, Universität Dortmund, Germany. ehrenst@arb-phys.uni-dortmund.de
Gillam
B J
BJ
D003867:Depth Perception; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary; D011589:Psychology, Experimental / Q000266:history*; D014177:Translations