Trompe L'oeil

 It flourished from the Renaissance onward. The discovery of linear perspective in fifteenth-century Italy and advancements in the science of optics in the seventeenth-century Netherlands enabled artists to render objects and spaces with eye-fooling exactitude. Both playful and intellectually serious, trompe artists toy with spectators’ seeing to raise questions about the nature of art and perception.

Famous painting by Pere Borrell del Caso, “Escaping Criticism”, 1874

Trompe L’oeil mural, the door is not real but the molding door surround is, adding symmetry and balance for the doorway at the other end of the hallway.

This time the door is real…

So, what are good modern day applications for this look? Doorways are always good, ceilings, the wall at the end of a hallway, cabinet doors that need refreshing (this can be achieved with an insert so doors would not even need to be removed), and of course murals. The important thing to keep in mind when considering trompe l’oeil is to plan it for a space that will be consistently viewed from the same angle (so the perspective, as rendered, is most effective) and a place that will have consistent lighting.

Skillfully painted by a current day Trompe L’oeil artist, above and below.

The above is not inlaid as it appears, but is all one piece. Truly amazing. Murals can be done off site & installed like wallpaper. Endless possibilities… inspired?

If we can help design creative trompe l’oeil or special paint effects for your home, let us know.