Architecture is a visual effects machine—or at least it was once. Its origins and values, formerly tethered to the eyes of the observer, have been swayed by economies of pace and profitability. Rome, however, presents another story. Its layered, yet gradual, architectures have taken seeing seriously ever since its period as a republic, compelling observers to look closely to unravel the familiar and unlock new models of vision. This study examines Rome’s long and intact lineage of optics, specifically within the Renaissance, toward recuperating the instrumental value of visuality in architecture. Through the reuse of anachronous optical mediums, the contemporary observer is challenged to move beyond simple trompe l’oeil styling and into a projective form of vision where illusions appear as facts. A collection of two- and three-dimensional Italian eye-cons will aim to rally a growing catalog of deceptive architectures: phantom geometry, imperfect shadow projection, and misaligned pattern maps. By exposing the affectations of our normal eyes, a provocative visual fiction will unfold to test our collective attention.