11 Mind-Bending Examples of Trompe L’oeil
Some art is meant to be admired, some is meant to provoke discussion, and some is meant to ignite change. But in the case of trompe l’oeil, the creation is meant to confuse. Meaning “deceives the eye” in French, trompe l’oeil is a highly realistic painting style that takes 2D surfaces and transforms them into lifelike 3D scenes. Interest in perspective painting surfaced during the Renaissance, though trompe l’oiel became particularly popular in interiors during the Baroque period as a way to make churches appear more grandiose.
When pulled off correctly, the technique not only creates more “space” in a room, but it can also be incredibly satisfying to viewers once the trick is worked out. Here, AD journeys across the world—from the streets of Miami to a church in Manila—to uncover some of the most incredible and mind-bending examples of trompe l’oeil.
Photo: Ronnie Chua/Getty Images1/11La Fresque du Petit-Champlain (Quebec, Canada)
Located at 102 Petit-Champlain Street, this trompe l’oeil was painted in 2001 by Murale Création, a group of French and Canadian painters. The mural depicts the history of Cap-Blanc, a working class waterfront district, showing important economic activities such as fishing and other sea trades as well as historical events including a military attack in 1795 and landslides in 1889.
Photo: Enrique Palacio Sansegu/Getty Images2/11Triumph of the Name of Jesus (Rome, Italy)
Trompe l’oeil was a key element of Baroque architecture, with perhaps no example more emblematic than the ceiling at the Church of the Gesù in Rome. Painted by Giovanni Battista Gaulli, Triumph of the Name of Jesus, as the fresco is called, shows an illusionistic heaven where the damned appear to fall towards the ground while golden light envelopes the saved.
Photo: Getty Images3/11Fontainebleau Mural (Miami, Florida)
For the 16 years it was on display—the mural was finished in 1986 and removed in 2002—Richard Haas’s Fontainebleau Arch was a point of local pride in Miami. With two painted Art Nouveau style stanchions flanking either side of the mural, it appeared as if one could drive straight through the arch to an equally realistic rendition of the Morris Lapidus–designed Miami modern hotel for which the mural was painted.
Photo: Brandstaetter Images/Getty Images4/11Jesuit Church (Vienna, Austria)
The dome in the Jesuit Church in Vienna is among the most notable examples of architectural trompe l’oeil. The ceiling, which an impressive done appears to crown, is actually only slightly curved. The masterful work was painted by Andrea Pozzo in 1703.
Photo: John S Lander/LightRocket/Getty Images5/11The Church of Saint Augustine (Manila, Philippines)
Completed in 1607, the Church of Saint Augustine in Manila is the oldest stone church in the Philippines. The Baroque structure was designed by architect Juan Macias during the Spanish colonial period, and UNESCO designated it a World Heritage Site in 1993. The relatively simple edifice is complemented by the more bold interiors, which include an exemplary trompe l’oeil paintings on the ceiling, which appear to be carved moldings, rosettes, and sunken panels.
Photo: Tim Graham/Getty Images6/11Gasthof zum Stern (Oetz, Austria)
As one of the oldest buildings in Oetz, the Gasthof zum Stern is a historic inn, restaurant, and garden. The façade is famed for its frescoes, which appear to be intricate wood frames around the building’s windows.
Photo: Universal History Archive/Getty Images7/11The Ducal Palace (Mantua, Italy)
This trompe l'oeil is found in the Bridal Chamber of the Ducal Palace in Italy. The walls of the room are covered in illusionistic paintings done by Andrea Mantegna, which, unsurprisingly, gave the space its nickname: the painted chamber. The ceiling, seen here, purports an oculus, which is surrounded by equally realistic paintings of moulding and carvings.
Photo: Petr Svarc/Education Images/Universal Images Group/Getty Images8/11Palazzo Spada (Rome, Italy)
When Francesco Borromini, an Italian architect, was renovating the Palazzo Spada, he wanted guests to believe they were looking at a massive sculpture of the Roman god, Mars, at the end of a 131-foot colonnaded corridor. In actuality, the hallway is only about 26 feet long, and the statue is only 24 inches. He fashioned the architectural trompe l'oeil at the behest of his client, Cardinal Bernardino Spada, who had hired Borromini to renovate the home. The large-scale illusion is accomplished through nonparallel, convergent side walls, ceilings, and floors, as well as a painted far wall that appears to extend into a garden.
Photo: Nicolas Jooris-Ancion/Getty Images9/11Mur des Canuts (Lyon, France)
You’d be forgiven if at first glance you thought you were looking at a collection of buildings and city courtyard when walking along the Boulevard des Canuts in Lyon. Translating to the “wall of the silk weavers,” this mural depicts ordinary life in the La Croix-Rousse neighborhood, which was once predominantly made up of silk weavers. The large painting was created by CitéCréation, a group of painters, in 1987.
Photo: Sylvain Sonnet/Getty Images10/11Sant’Ignazio (Rome, Italy)
Located in the nave of Sant’Ignazio, this fresco was painted by Andrea Pozzo around 1685. The expansive scene depicts Christ and the Virgin Mary welcoming Saint Ignatius into paradise. In addition to the holy characters, all of the architectural details are a result of Pozzo’s masterful brush.
Photo: Getty Images11/11Pilatushaus (Bavaria, Germany)
With frescoes painted by Franz Seraph Zwinck, Pilatushaus is one of the best-known examples of trompe l’oiel in Oberammergau. Located on the grounds of the Oberammergau Museum, the home dates back to the 18th century and currently houses a “living workshop,” in which guests can watch artists and craftspeople at work.
