1790
watercolor
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Trompe l'Oeil: Prints with Londonio's Calling Card, Using Original Copperplates is a 1790 watercolor by Milanese 18th Century, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This oval frame holds three smaller scenes stuck to a fake wall. The left panel shows a folded paper with a decorative border and a tiny horse-drawn carriage. The middle picture is a landscape with trees, a tomb, and people sitting by a river. The right panel has a fancy garden with a vase and columns. The outer border looks like carved wood, with swirls and shells. The paper is blue with a textured surface, and the whole thing mimics a framed display. The colors are mostly black, brown, and a light ochre wash. Next, look up technique: watercolor, glazing to see how artists built up colors like this.
This artist made playful prints that look like real prints. They used copper plates and painted colors on top to trick your eye into seeing depth, sheep, or even a calling card. In *Trompe l'Oeil: Landscapes and Sheep,…
See the richer artist page
