A Design Born in Amsterdam
In 1904, the Droste cocoa company in the Netherlands introduced a unique product packaging. Illustrator Jan Misset created an image featuring a nurse holding a tray with a cup of cocoa and a box of Droste cocoa, which depicted the same nurse holding the same tray and box, creating a visual loop.
An Image Within an Image
This design caught the public’s attention, as the repeating image seemed to go on indefinitely, pulling viewers into a mesmerizing visual cycle. The Droste company continued to use this artwork on their products, cementing it in popular culture.
Naming the Droste Effect
As time went on, this specific recursive effect gained popularity. By the 1970s, mathematicians and artists began referring to this visual phenomenon as the “Droste effect,” after the cocoa company that made it famous.
In 1904, the Droste cocoa company in the Netherlands introduced a unique product packaging. Illustrator Jan Misset created an image featuring a nurse holding a tray with a cup of cocoa and a box of Droste cocoa, which depicted the same nurse holding the same tray and box,… pic.twitter.com/923qvkNPFT
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