| Famous artwork, architecture, and paintings are a part of our history and culture. Artists and painters from all over the globe, at varying stages of time, have used a large number of techniques to make their artwork unique and beautiful. One such technique used to incorporate depth and dimension within paintings is known as trompe l'oeil. So what is this technique of artwork all about? Keep reading to find out. The Meaning of Trompe L'oeil The word “trompe l'oeil” Is taken from the French language, and means, “deceiving or fooling the eye”. As an art form, the technique is used when artists are creating realistic images and want to enhance the optical illusion within the painting by providing it with additional depth. This is usually accomplished by adding shadows and realistic touches to the images that make them jump of the canvas, creating a three dimensional effect that seems realistic. Many images that use trompe l'oeil are so realistic that people actually have to touch them to believe that they are painted on a flat canvas rather than being three-dimensional objects pasted onto a canvas. Thus, trompe l'oeil depicts images on flat canvas as three-dimensional images, creating an optical illusion. History of Trompe L'oeil The technique of deceiving people with art is not new. This technique began in the 1600s. However, illusions and optical illusions in paintings have been present in history since centuries before that. This is why we attribute this technique as being used for the first time by the Greeks, which then passed it on to the Roman muralists. Although trompe l'oeil was disused during the Dark Ages, Italian artist gave it a rebirth during the Renaissance; and since then European painters used this technique commonly during the early period of the Renaissance. The art form was especially used to create false doorframes from which realistic interiors could be seen. False windows were also in vogue during that time, and ceilings and windows were painting in life like scenes that seemed to be openings in the wall, showing the world outside. Today’s art form of “Photo Realism” can also be identified as a modern form of trompe l'oeil. Trompe L'oeil in Art Art forms that use trompe l'oeil are not only limited to paintings. This technique of creating optical illusions is used for wallpapers, paintings, murals and a lot more. However, creating a life like illusion in art is a challenge. Trompe l'oeil is an art technique that requires extreme precision, attention, and focus to the details in order to have its required effect. The artist using this art form needs to; not only pay attention to the size of the painting, but also has to be meticulous about all of its details. The painter must also consider the effects and play of light, as well as the color hues to make a simple two-dimensional work appear as a three dimensional masterpiece. Artwork has always had the power to play with the human mind, and trompe l'oeil has been a favorite technique of artists over history, as they continue to trick the eyes and deceive the mind into believing in the reality of a realistically created image. |     |
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