Artwork
Trompe l'oeil met brieven
Trompe l'oeil met brieven is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Cornelis Norbertus Gijsbrechts. It dates from 1664 and is held in the collection of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium.
About this work
The artist used oil paint to create this work, which is now held at the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium.
This painting is called Trompe l'oeil met brieven.
It was made by Cornelis Norbertus Gijsbrechts in 1664.
The artist used oil paint to create this work, which is now held at the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium.
I don't know what it looks like, but I can tell you that it's old.
It's interesting because it was made a long time ago, and that gives us a glimpse into the past.
Check out the technique of glazing to learn more about how it was made.
Overview
Cornelis Norbertus Gijsbrechts, a Flemish painter active in the mid‑17th century, completed the oil painting *Trompe l'oeil met brieven* in 1664. The work exemplifies the trompe‑l’œil genre, presenting painted objects that appear to project from the picture plane. It is currently part of the collection of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil on canvas, the composition relies on meticulous rendering of light, shadow and texture to create the illusion of three‑dimensional letters and paper. Gijsbrechts employed layered glazing to achieve depth and a glossy surface, a common practice among trompe‑l’œil specialists seeking to deceive the viewer’s eye.
Context
The painting belongs to the Dutch Golden Age, a period when the Low Countries experienced economic prosperity and a flourishing market for genre and still‑life paintings. Trompe‑l’œil works catered to a sophisticated clientele interested in visual wit and the display of technical virtuosity.
History & Provenance
Since its creation, *Trompe l'oeil met brieven* has remained in the public domain, eventually entering the holdings of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium. The museum’s acquisition reflects the institution’s focus on representing Flemish Baroque art and the broader European tradition of illusionistic painting.
Artist & collection
Artist
Cornelis Norbertus Gijsbrechts
Cornelis Norbertus Gijsbrechts (1625/1629 – after 1675), was a Flemish painter who was active in the Spanish Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Sweden in the second half of the seventeenth century.
Museum
Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
Continue through works from the same source collection.
Trompe l'oeil with Violin, Music Book and Recorder
Trompe l'oeil. The reverse of a framed painting.
Vanitas still life with bouquet of flowers, painters palette, globe, violin and acorn cup
Trompe-l'œil. A Cabinet in the Artist's Studio
Trompe l'Oeil with Trumpet, Celestial Globe and Proclamation by Frederik III
Trompe l'Oeil with Falconer's Bag and other Equipment for Falconry
A Cabinet of Curiosities with an Ivory Tankard
Trompe l'Oeil. An Open Cabinet of Curiosities with a Hercules Group