What is Trompe-l’oeil?

Trompe-l’oeil (French for ‘deceive the eye’) is a painting technique that creates the illusion of three-dimensional objects on a flat surface so convincingly that viewers may believe the painted objects are real. Dating back to ancient Greece, the technique demonstrates extraordinary technical skill in rendering light, shadow, texture, and perspective. Surrealists admired trompe-l’oeil for its ability to blur reality and illusion, using hyperreal technique to depict impossible scenes. Salvador Dali incorporated trompe-l’oeil elements into his dreamscapes, lending convincing reality to melting clocks and impossible spaces. The technique’s power to make the unreal seem real aligns perfectly with Surrealism’s goals. Hyperrealism continues this tradition.