Trompe l'Oeil. An Open Cabinet of Curiosities with a Hercules Group

1670

From the collection of Statens Museum for Kunst

Dominant colour

Trompe l'Oeil. An Open Cabinet of Curiosities with a Hercules Group is a 1670 by Unknown, a Baroque work, held at Statens Museum for Kunst.

Who painted this?: Unknown
When & what style?: 1670 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: Statens Museum for Kunst

About this work

This photo shows a wooden cabinet with a glass door. Inside, there’s a small scene painted on the glass: a statue of a muscular man (Hercules) lifting something heavy. On the shelf below, there’s a red bead necklace and a folded paper. The cabinet looks old, with metal clasps and a slightly weathered frame. The painting tricks your eye into thinking the statue is real—it’s called *trompe l’oeil*, a style that fools viewers. The dark background outside the cabinet makes the painted scene pop. If you like this trick, look up Baroque next—it’s full of artists who played with light and illusion.