繪畫使用二次元空間的表現手法由來已久，從遠古時代的洞窟壁畫到現代的立體派繪畫，皆是以二次元的觀點來進行藝術活動。原始藝術的作品，其構圖都是使用簡單規則的格式塔組成的。這種舊石器時代的壁畫整體看來皆呈現二次元的平面性，而不是三次元或立體的。平面化形象的畫面，除了祭儀功能之外也兼具了充滿秩序、整齊、對稱和節奏的美感，與當時缺乏秩序的原始生活相較，二次元壁畫為原始人類提供了極大的藝術魅力與思維活動。
原始藝術家，在面對自然時以一種原生的「眼力」（optique）——即所謂的視知覺，來獲取他們對自然界事物的認知。現代繪畫之父塞尚（Paul Cézanne, 1839~1906）也採用了此二次元的觀點。法國哲學家梅洛─龐蒂(Maurice Merleau-Ponty, 1908-1961)認為塞尚在探究繪畫的真意時，不願以既定的理論框架去分辨與取捨，而是經由自發的觀點去仔細觀察，進而畫出物象的原貌，這也就是所謂回到根源的創作活動——回到人面對自然的原始創作經驗。由於二次元的表現手法具備了原初性和根源性，同時訴諸較強的繪畫性，它不僅保留了藝術家直觀的知覺與強烈的生命力，更將創作思維的活動清晰地保留在畫面上，使其感動觀賞者的畫作表現方式變得可見且獲得讚賞。
Two-dimensional space has long-standing history as a technique of expression in painting. From cave wall painting in the ancient times to the cubism in the modern days, artworks based on two-dimensional perspectives are commonly seen. The composition of artworks in the primitive arts is constructed by simple Gestalt. The frescos of the Old Stone Age seemed to exhibit the feature of two-dimensional plane, instead of three-dimensional. A two-dimensional painting has ritual functions, and is filled with order, neatness, symmetry, and rhythm. Compared with the disordered primitive life in the past, the two-dimensional frescos provided artistic charisma and thinking to the people at that time.
Primitive artists would use an innate optique, also called visual perception, to attain recognition of the natural matters. The father of the modern paintings, Paul Cézanne (1839~1906) also adopted the perspective of two-dimension. French philosopher Maurice Merleau-Ponty (1908-1961) believed that Cézanne refused to differentiate and make the choice with the existing theoretic framework when exploring the true meaning of painting, instead, he made detailed observation with spontaneous perspectives and painted the original appearance of the objects. It is an art creation retreating to its origin. Because the technique of two-dimension has characteristic of originality, and appeals to more intensive painting, it not only preserves the intuitive perception and strong vitality of the artists. It also shows the visual thinking on the painting so that its influence on the audience is visible and appreciated.
