Cubism and the trompe l'oeil tradition

Abstract

The age-old artistic tradition of illusionistic realism known as trompe l'oeil ("deceive the eye") beguiles us with visual tricks and confounds our perception of reality and fiction. Presenting a radically new take on Cubism, this book shows how Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, and Juan Gris parodied classic trompe l'oeil motifs and devices while inventing playful, original ways of challenging the viewer's perception. Insightful, handsomely illustrated essays explore connections between the Cubists and the trompe l'oeil artists of earlier centuries with whom they engaged in creative one-upmanship. Essays discuss the previously unstudied trompe l'oeil iconography within Cubist still lifes; the history of the trompe l'oeil genre and its changing status over the centuries; the materials and processes used in Gris's collages; Braque's grounding in trompe l'oeil interior decoration techniques; and more. Over one hundred illustrated works juxtapose Cubist paintings, drawings, and collages with related compositions by the old masters. This handsome volume, which reveals the surprising origins of some of Cubism's most recognized motifs, is essential reading for anyone interested in the development of modern art.

Contents

Directors' foreword -- Acknowledgments -- Visual Mischief / Emily Braun -- For and against trompe l'oeil / Elizabeth Cowling -- The tricks of the trade : Georges Braque's artisinal origins / Claire Le Thomas -- Paper, patterns, and play : Juan Gris's materials and techniques / Rachel Mustalish -- Themes and variations / Emily Braun and Elizabeth Cowling -- Artists' biographies : sixteenth to nineteenth centuries / Lindsay Ganter and Sean O'Hanlan -- List of plates -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Index -- Photography credits.