Trompe-l'œil

By Kieran

 Trompe-l'œil

 


Original artwork and poem by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2026, as I continue to explore light and shadow


Trompe-l'œil in French means to fool the eye with an illusion of a 3D object
Painted on a flat surface it uses light, shadow and perspective for the effect

In my first crack at this, I painted a cornucopia of garden fresh ripe tomatoes
From red Romas that make delicious paste to a bunch of cherries, anything goes

I love the heirloom Purple Cherokee, a brandywine tomato that's rich in flavor
First a burst of sweetness followed by an earthy smokiness, delicious to savor

The Green Zebra as delightful to see as it to taste with the right bit of tartness
When framed in a box these tomatoes seem to hang in balance in animated sharpness

Comments

Anonymous said…
Kieran damn good. Honestly it appears as 3 D in the first glance.damn good job.👌👌👌 (WhatsApp comment from a dear school friend who is very appreciative of my artwork)
March 23, 2026 at 6:40 PM
Kieran said…
Thanks Sanjeev. I realised the page warped with all the different paint washes so the box looks funny but the effect remains - Kieran
March 23, 2026 at 6:40 PM
Anonymous said…
Really lovely Kieran ! It's getting better and better, and more complex ! Love it ! (WhatsApp comment from an artistic college friend on an alumni chat group)
March 23, 2026 at 6:45 PM
Kieran said…
I love outdoor Trompe-l'œil murals - I can stand for hours admiring the creativity of the artist to breathe life into a drab wall. It’s an art form that has a lot of possibilities but one has to do just enough and let the imagination do the rest
March 23, 2026 at 6:48 PM
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