The Art of Illusion; article by Louis A. Zona and Gary T. Erbe (original) (raw)

Editor's note: The Stark University Center Galleries provided source material to Resource Library for the following article. If you have questions or comments regarding the source material, please contact the Stark University Center Galleries directly through either this phone number or web address:

Trompe l'Oeil: The Art of Illusion

While Americans did not originate the concept of illusionistic still life painting, one has to concede that it was in nineteenth century America that such painting truly came into its own. The work of William Michael Harnett at mid century would forever define trompe líoeil (fool the eye) painting and establish a rich tradition. He then passed it down to John Frederick Peto, Victor Dubreuil, Claude Hirst, Alexander Pope, and into twentieth and twenty-first century painting, which is clearly underscored in the exhibition_Trompe LíOeil: The Art of Illusion_ by contemporary Americans.

What is it about trompe líoeil that continues to generate such interest? When Harnett opened his studio to enthusiastic patrons to view what he called his ìoffice boards,î perhaps it was the artistic ìsleight of handî or optical trickery that won their minds if not their hearts. Critics even then raised questions about his artís apparent lack of any kind of moral statement in favor of mere imitation of reality. The fact that these works sustained significance through time points to Harnett as not merely a magician with a brush but a master of idea manipulation and formalist of the greatest order. Few artists understood the power of visual organization or possessed such a flair for the juxtaposition of visual fascinating objects and clippings. His choice of items chosen always possessed what he called ìthe rich effect that age and usage gives.î Harnettís formula would of course be tempered by the hand of Peto in his application of a more poetic approach to the subject that seems to push the genre of trompe líoeil toward a more metaphysical feel. Perhaps we find in the work of Peto a more direct line to comtemporary still life painting with its emphasis upon conceptualóthe nostalgic or culturally changed item stuck to the board, placed in the box or on the shelf. Claude Raguet Hirst, one of the earliest recognized women painters, and National Academicians, like her New York City neighbor William Harnett, painted ìbachelor still lifes.î Pipes, tobacco, well-worn books and matches were the visual subject, but her remarkable ability with the watercolor medium gave the work a unique and quiet presence.

To view contemporary trompe líoeil painting as somehow being on some anachronistic tract is to miss the point of the current direction. One need only examine the work of the contemporary counterparts of Hirst, Peto and Harnett to understand that new trompe líoeil, whicle carrying on the tradition of the nineteenth century American masters, views the genre through the filter of the modern era. Much indeed has happened since Harnettís After the Hunt series. The great artist has always responded honestly to his time. Factually, the landscape of modernism with its diverse aesthetic positions has made its impact. Because of Monet, Cezanne, Picasso, Matisse and Duchamp the universe of the artist is a different place. Gary Erbe, as other contemporary painters, must and does deal with the innovation and aesthetic points of view of the modern establishment. Accepting certain ideas, altering others, while rejecting some outright, Erbe has managed to present trompe líoeil on his own terms as a twenty-first century artist. His still lifes, often autobiographical, pay homage to the technical mastery of Harnett yet often incorporate concepts of surrealistic levitation, expressionistic surface and a warm allegiance to aspects of American Scene painting of the 1930s and the Pop of the 1960s. Visually exciting, Erbeís paintings along with the other artists included in the exhibition exploit our sense of history, re-awakening the formalistic concerns of their nineteenth century counterparts while offering up fresh insights both conceptually and perceptually.

Clearly this exhibition of artists associated with the Trompe LíOeil Society of America represents American painting at its technical best. More than that, it shows that American painting remains true to the tenets that first gave it life.

Far from being a superficial recollection of an earlier vision, the new trompe líoeil painters remind us that significant art can indeed draw strength and inspiration from an earlier milestone. These contemporary still life painters recognize that great and enduring art is always reflective of the time in which it is created. In this wonderful and strikingly beautiful exhibition, they have offered us the best of both worlds.

Louis A. Zona, Director, The Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, Ohio

Gary T. Erbe, Guest Curator

Editor's note: Featuring 65 works by American artists, this exhibition at the J. Wayne Stark Galleries, April 28 - June 12, 2005, focuses on a painting technique known as "trompe l'oeil," which literally means "fool the eye." These illusionistic still life paintings in oil, acrylic, and gouache bring a contemporary spin to an ancient tradition. The paintings focus on commonplace objects presented with such technical brilliance that the objects seem to float above or project from the canvas. The tour is developed and managed by Smith Kramer Fine Arts Services, Kansas City, Missouri.

The tour itinerary [1] is:

February 14 - March 24, 2005

Indian Hills Community College

525 Grandview Avenue

Ottumwa, Iowa

April 24 - June 19, 2005

J. Wayne Stark Gallery

Texas A&M University

College Station, Texas

July 10 - September 4, 2005

The Haggin Museum

1201 North Pershing Avenue

Stockton, Californi

September 25 - November 20, 2005

Huntsville Museum of Art

300 Church Street South

Huntsville, Alabama

December 2, 2005 - January 28, 2006

Pensacola Museum of Art

407 South Jefferson

Pensacola, Florida

February 26 - April 23, 2006

City of Portsmouth, Portsmouth Museums, Courthouse Gallery

420 High Street

Portsmouth, Virginia

May 14 - July 9, 2006

Longmont Museum

400 Quail Road

Longmont, Colorado

July 30 - September 24, 2006

Krasl Art Center

707 Lake Boulevard

St. Joseph, Missouri

October 7 - December 3, 2006

Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts

Montgomery, Alabama

January 1 - February 25, 2007

Bergstrom-Mahler Museum

165 North Park Avenue

Neenah, Wisconsin

March 18 - May 13, 2007

Lakeview Museum of Arts and Sciences

1125 West Lake Avenue

Peoria, Illinois

June 3 - July 29, 2007

Philip and Muriel Berman Museum of Art

Ursinus College

Collegeville, Pennsylvania

About the authors

Louis A. Zona is Director at the Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, Ohio and Gary T. Erbe, a self taught painter in the medium of oil, [2] is Guest Curator for the exhibition Trompe l'Oeil: The Art of Illusion.

Editor's notes

The above article was reprinted in _Resource Library_on May 16, 2005 with the permission of the Stark University Center Galleries. If you have questions or comments regarding the article, please contact the Stark University Center Galleries directly through either this phone number or web address:

1. courtesy of gbtate.com

2. quoted from Mr. Erbe's biographyat his web site.

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