Trompe l’œil masterpieces

Wait, is that a…? No, really?

Do you see what I see?

When well done, a trompe l’œil conjures added depth, layers, height, life, fantasy and more.

Source: thisiscolossal.com via Pinterest

Italian frescos gracing ceilings in ancient churches are among the earliest and most famous trompe l’œil masterpieces. Think of Andrea Mantegna’s Oculus, part of the Camera degli Sposi, which dates back to 1473, in San Giorgio (Mantua, Italy).

Today, the trompe l’oeil technique even moves outdoors. On an annual basis, Florida lures mural artists and street painters from around the world to attend the Sarasota Chalk Festival. Eduardo Kobra, one of 250 artists to participate in 2011, drew a library to bewitch the Festival’s more than 200,000 attendees.

This trend of taking the trompe l’oeil outside is also happening in Europe. Exterior murals present passersby with a glimpse inside a Polish library (biblioteka), and London’s Canary Wharf recently served as the canvas for artists 3D Joe and Max. The pair broke two Guinness World Records when they created the longest and largest three-dimensional painting (1,160.4 square metres). Here’s a link to a two-minute video to show you the scale and logistics involved in such a feat: http://youtu.be/GwNeukAmxJw.

One of my favourite examples comes from Germany. Last fall, graffiti-artist Megx.de painted the underside of a bridge to look like the structure was made of oversized Lego blocks. He did such a great job that people who saw photos circulating online assumed the blocks must have been photoshopped into the picture. Does the shading and styling fool you?

When artists create whimsical works that confuse our eyes and our brains, but spark our imaginations…

      AWESOME!

Has a trompe l’œil ever made you do a double take?