Trompe l'oeil of a Letter Rack with Christian V's Proclamation

1671

From the collection of Statens Museum for Kunst

Dominant colour

Trompe l'oeil of a Letter Rack with Christian V's Proclamation is a 1671 by Unknown, a Baroque work, depicting Writing, held at Statens Museum for Kunst.

Who painted this?: Unknown
When & what style?: 1671 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: Statens Museum for Kunst

About this work

This photo looks like a wooden desk with scattered papers, tools, and small objects. A tiny model of a stage sits near a red hat and a small organ. Two tiny portraits—one of a man in a wig, one of a woman—are tucked into the scene. The papers have handwritten notes, and a few tools like scissors and a brush lie around. The whole setup tricks your eye into thinking it’s real, but it’s actually a staged photo. The artist packed in tiny details to make it feel like a busy workspace. Next, check out chiaroscuro to see how light and shadow create depth.