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23 July 2010 | Old Masters | Article

Real Life or Still Life?

Since Antiquity artists have sought to mimic the real world in clever combinations of objects in a ‘natural’ setting to create a trompe l’oeil, or ‘fool the eye’. The first examples of this practice come out of Pompeii, and with the revival of classical Antiquity during the Renaissance, artists took a renewed interest in these still lifes. These amusing paintings continued to delight throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. At once playful and intellectual, these works continue to challenge our perceptions and celebrate the ability of art to play tricks on the eye.

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Old Masters & 19th Century Art Including Select Works From the Salander-O'Reilly Galleries
9 Jun 2010
New York, Rockefeller Plaza

Related Departments
Old Master & Early British Paintings

Related Artists
Franciscus Gysbrechts

Keywords
Paintings
Franciscus Gysbrechts
17th Century
canvas
oil
Netherlands
Old Master
still life
trompe l'oeil