Early perspectives on the brain's visual system suggested that it is comprised of separate information streams, each specializing in processing distinct visual features. In this scheme, neurons in lower regions conduct local analyses of image elements within their small receptive fields, while neurons in higher visual areas represent the visual scene in a more global and abstract manner (e.g., by identification and segmentation of objects). However, when processing ambiguous visual stimuli, such as those generated by Kanizsa figures, the local analysis by lower levels might be insufficient for perceptual disambiguation and interpretation, suggesting that the brain should implement an integrative process to construct the perceived global image. We investigate how the mouse's visual system processes local versus global illusory contours generated by Kanizsa figures, using two-photon calcium imaging during wakefulness and anesthesia. We hypothesize that V1 neurons mainly process local image elements, like (illusory or real) contour segments, while higher visual brain areas predominantly represent global features. Additionally, we hypothesize that consciousness is required for processing illusory contours, and that the global encoding of the illusion disappears during anesthesia. Preliminary findings, using receptive field mapping in the awake mouse, reveal robust encoding of static and real contour segments by V1 neurons, while the encoding of static illusory contours is mostly absent. However, when the (real or illusory) contours are moving, a subset of neurons responding to real contours also respond to illusory contours. These early results suggest that lower visual brain regions reliably encode local (illusory) contour information.