Abstract: In a method for two-dimensionally representing a three-dimensional topography, imaging data are ascertained from topography data that describe the three-dimensional topography and from light incidence data that vectorially describe a predetermined light incidence. The topography data contain data of individual surfaces and data relating to the orientation of the individual surfaces. For each individual surface a respective associated texture that describes the display of a pattern is calculated from the data relating to the orientation, the texture is weighted in dependence on the light incidence data, and the two-dimensional image of the three-dimensional topography is composed from the weighted textures as imaging data.