Yan Sun is known not only for his boats and ballet paintings but also for his still life paintings - some are best described as in trompe l'oeil style. They indulge viewers with a focused experience highlighting realistic imagery that transforms into a three-dimensional optical illusion.

What is trompe l'oeil? Here are the 7 facts you want to know about trompe l'oeil.

  1. Trompe l'oeil is a French term.
  2. You can use this term to describe paintings that look so real and detailed that you would think the objects in them were real.
  3. The term simply means "deception of the eye."
  4. American artist William Harnett (1848-1892) is one of the greatest trompe l'oeil style painters.
  5. Some murals in Baroque and Renaissance periods that have extremely realistic depictions of architectural features also fall into this category.
  6. Audience often want to touch a trompe l'oeil painting to make sure the objects are painted.
  7. Trompe l'oeil is associated not only with painting but also with architectural and sculptural art.

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