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What is Trompe l'oeil?
 | Favorite Labels by Debra Keirce
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Trompe l'oeil is a French term which means to fool or deceive the eye. It is a realistic technique of painting that makes objects appear to exist three dimensionally. The artists would create an illusion of objects that appear to protrude into the viewer's space, very similar to the way that three D movies do. This type of illusion was first used in murals during the ancient Greek and Roman times. Artist would paint a window or doorway on the wall in order to give the illusion that the room was larger. Many cartoons, especially The Roadrunner and Wile E Coyote, would use the same idea when they would paint a tunnel on a rock and a train would come through, but when the character would attempt to go through it, they would hit the rock wall. In the 1400's this technique was elevated to a higher plain because artists started to truly understand perspective drawing. The most common subject for trompe l'oiel paintings is still-lifes. Typically, the artist will paint a flat surface, such as a wall or chalk board. Then they will paint objects, such as photographs or money, so realistically against this that they appear to jump out towards the viewer. The intent is not just to paint ultra realistically but to actually fool the eye. Illustrated is "Favorite Labels", an oil painting in the Trompe L'oeil technique by Debra Keirce. | 
