What is Trompe l’oeil?

One of the fascinating places I visited in Israel is 2022 was Herodium – a palace built by the notorious King Herod prior to his death in 4 BC. The lavish palace décor included walls painted with the technique called ‘trompe l’oeil’. Artists created frescoes throughout to mimic luxurious marble finishes (cheaper than the real thing). In the public spaces there were scenes framed with painted shutters to give the illusion of both ‘hanging pictures’ and windows opening on to classical landscapes.¹

People have enjoyed these kind of visual ‘tricks’ or illusions for centuries. ‘Trompe l’oeil’ is French for ‘to deceive the eye’. The concept is applied more commonly than you might think. It is used today to create surfaces such as vinyl that imitates wood flooring and laminate bench tops that look like stone. For the more adventurous decorator there are printed wallpapers that mimic exotic surfaces and even loaded bookshelves.

Looking at my holiday photos of the faded paintings at Herodium inspired me to think about commissioning an artist to create something completely one-off.

Here are some suggestions:

• A window framing your favourite view – Tuscany perhaps, or a beach sunset from a treasured holiday.
• Bookcases – libraries with real books are important but fake ones can look spectacular!
• An architectural element such as a niche or a colonnade that creates the illusion of more space.

With all the street artists creating wonderful realistic paintings on silos in Queensland, there certainly is potential. Why not get in touch with me and see if we can create a trompe l’oeil feature for your home?

1.https://www.academia.edu/16987981/Wall_Paintings_Of_The_Hellenistic_And_Herodian_Period_In_The_Land_Of_Israel