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The Eye Deceived

Sutton Nicholls

1705

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Baroque 18th Century Allegory

Dominant colour

The Eye Deceived is a 1705 ink by Sutton Nicholls, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Sutton Nicholls
When & what style?: 1705 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This image is a collage of small, hand-colored prints glued onto paper. You see a man on horseback, a woman’s face in a circle, a shipwreck scene, and a naked figure in clouds. Some images look like optical tricks—like the man holding a stick that seems to bend. The text reads *"Roger’s Delight"* and *"The Eye Deceived"* with a London address. The whole thing plays with how our eyes see things, mixing real scenes with illusions. The artist signed it as Sutton Nicholls, and the prints were likely sold as puzzles or curiosities. Next, look up etching to see how artists like Nicholls made these sharp, detailed prints.